Crib Rail Safety

Having a baby is an exciting time. However, being a parent also means constantly worrying about your child's safety. There are several ways that parents can baby proof a home, and this process starts with making sure the place where your baby sleeps is safe. Make sure your child's crib meets all safety requirements, including crib rail gap and height.

  1. Features

    • The slats of a crib rail should be 2 3/8 inches apart or less. This ensures that your baby's limbs do not slip through the rails and get stuck or hurt. A mattress should fit snugly against the rails of the crib so that a baby cannot roll between the mattress and the rails and suffocate. According to Safety.com, the top rails of crib sides, when raised, should be at least 26 inches above the mattress.

    Identification

    • Identifying a crib with proper crib rails that are safe for your baby is fairly easy. Most new cribs meet the safety requirements for proper slat spacing and rail height. However, Dr. William Sears, Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, recommends that parents look for a Consumer Product Safety Commission label, or a Juvenile Products Manufacturer's Association label, which let parents know that the crib meets all of the proper safety standards. Also, avoid purchasing a crib that was built before 1974, since they typically do not meet the proper spacing requirements.

    Testing

    • In order to test crib rail safety a loading wedge is used. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, this wedge is shaped like a right triangle prism, with a 4 3/4-inch base, a height of 2 1/8 inches, and a width of 1 1/2 inches. The wedge is placed between the slats of a crib and 20 pounds of pressure is then applied to test the strength and space of the rails.

    Significance

    • A safe crib prevents your baby from becoming entrapped between the spaces of the rail and suffocating. Safe rails also ensure that when a child is old enough to pull herself up to standing, the rail is high enough so that the child does not fall out of the crib.

    Considerations

    • According to Kids Healthwork, injury typically occurs when parents leave the rail of the crib down, which can lead to their child falling out. After all, a baby is usually left unattended in a crib. Consequently, it is important to check that there are no recalls on your child's crib model, and that it meets all of the required safety standards.

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