Choosing a crib for your baby

If asked, no doubt all of us would agree that it's important that the furniture in our home be safe. When it comes to babies, this is doubly true. Infants might not be as fragile as we tend to think, but they are small and do need extra care. For this reason it is essential to choose a crib that is comfortable and hazard-free.

Here are some tips to help you select the perfect crib for your baby:

  • Check the slats: Get out the tape measure if you must, but make sure that the ​slats, or the vertical bars, on your crib are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. This will prevent the baby's body from sliding out of the crib or getting stuck.
  • Crib rail: The top of the crib rail should be at least 26 inches from the top of the mattress. D​O NOT use cribs with drop rails, as they are incredibly unsafe and have been banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
  • Lowering feature: Your crib should have a feature that allows you to adjust the height of the mattress as the baby grows.
  • Head and foot boards: These parts of the crib should have no cutouts, which could result in the baby getting their head stuck. Look for ​slat-sided or completely solid head and foot boards, and avoid cribs with corner posts that could cause injury or snag on clothing.
  • Bumpers: Crib bumpers have been deemed safety hazards by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Not only do they not protect against injury, they may increase the child's risk of suffocation and entrapment. A good rule of thumb: nothing should be inside the crib except for a mattress and your baby.

Visit Arwood's Furniture and Mattress for your baby's furniture needs. We are a top Kansas City furniture store.