The Best Baby Cribs for Your Baby [Crib Safety Guide]
A Guide to the Safest Baby Cribs
The wonderful world of baby products is always on the move, presenting more and more options as the years go by. So even if this isn’t your first rodeo as a parent, you may find yourself feeling behind on the latest in baby crib options. Convertible baby cribs, basic cribs, high-end baby cribs, oh my!
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by baby crib shopping, worry no more! We’ve done hours of research to help you understand everything there is to know about crib safety. We’ll give you the rundown on current safety standards, best practices for crib safety, and give you a list of the top 15 models on the market. You’ll be sure to find just the right crib for your little one to rest their sweet head.
Baby Crib Safety Standards
As of 2011, manufactured baby cribs cannot have a drop-side rail, due to this feature proving to increase risks for infants. Cribs must also have stronger crib slats and mattress supports, improve the quality of hardware, and withstand more rigorous testing than in years prior to 2011. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends asking the manufacturer for a certificate of compliance with the current standards if you’re unsure if a certain crib meets the standards. This is a great way to ensure you are buying the safest baby crib available.
Baby Crib Best Practices
Any parent who has been chastised for letting their baby sleep on their stomach knows recommendations about baby sleep seem to always be changing. But it’s important to stay up to date. Research continues to reveal new information about how to decrease the risk of SIDS and keep your baby safe while sleeping.
The Safe to Sleep campaign educates parents on how to safely put a baby to bed in a crib. The guidelines are as follows:
- Never put pillows, loose blankets, stuffed animals, or anything else in the crib with your baby.
- Make sure the crib doesn’t have any gaps between the side of the crib and the mattress that are wider than two fingers.
- Follow the instructions when you assemble the crib.
- Do not use cribs more than 10 years old, or a crib that has been modified in any way.
- Do not add extra padding to play yards or cribs.
Never place a crib near a window with loose curtain cords or blinds.
Crib bumpers can pose a hazard to children and should not be installed in the crib.
When to Start Using a Crib
Infants should sleep in the same room as their parents (but not on the same surface!) until at least six months old, but the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends keeping them in the same room until at least one year of age.
Babies should sleep near their parent’s bed in a bassinet for the first few months but can be moved to a crib when they start to outgrow the bassinet — usually around three or four months. You’ll know they’re ready for the crib if they start bumping into the sides of the bassinet or simply seem too big for the space.
