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Tues., Wed. 10-7 Thurs., Friday, Sat. 10-5 Sunday, 11-3 | February 2012Creating a Safe Nursery Important Safety Tips for Creating a Safe Nursery Walls & Floors • If your home or apartment was built before 1978, be aware of important safety information regarding the hazards of lead paint before doing any construction, renovation or anything that disturbs the paint’s finish. Learn more here: www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovaterightbrochure.pdf • Fill any holes in walls, and sand loose or chipping paint before adding a new coat of paint. • If possible, use VOC-free or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint for your baby’s protection. • Do not bring your baby into the nursery until all odors from paint and new carpet are gone. • Do not block the heat or ventilation source in your baby’s room. • Install window guards on all windows. • Install safety covers for electrical outlets. Furniture & Fixtures • Replace all old and/or unsafe lighting fixtures. Floor and torchier lamps should never be used in the nursery due to safety hazards from trailing cords and potential of being knocked or pulled over. • Use only UL-listed lamps, nightlights and replacement bulbs. • Keep lamp cords on dressers and chests completely out of reach of your baby. • Nursery furniture should have finger-pinch guards on all door hinges. • All bookcases, hutches, dressers and chests should be secured to the wall to prevent tipping when your baby starts to climb. • Wall hangings should be secured to the wall at both top and bottom. Cribs • Infants should always sleep in a crib. Risk of infant death is up to 40 times greater while sleeping in an adult bed rather than a crib that meets current Federal and ASTM standards. • All new cribs must meet CPSC safety standards. It is recommended that you purchase a new crib if at all possible to assure that these standards are met. • Visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s web site (www.cpsc.gov) before use to make sure that your crib has not been recalled and to get more information about crib safety. • Follow the original manufacturer’s instructions for assembly. If instructions are missing, locate the manufacturer and model number which is usually found on an inside panel of either end, and contact the manufacturer before trying to assemble the crib. • Once assembly is complete, place the instructions in an envelope, write the manufacturer’s phone number on the outside, and secure it to the mattress support. • Used and hand-me-down cribs are not recommended. They may not meet current safety standards, especially if over five years old. • Make sure that only original or approved replacement assembly hardware, bolts and screws are used on your crib. • Never use a crib that has missing or broken parts, and do not try to repair any part of the crib without the manufacturer’s approved hardware and instruction. • If using a drop-side crib, examine it carefully, especially the hardware attachments and the track system. Do not use a crib with signs of breakage, weakness or problems functioning. It can lead to failure resulting in serious injury or death. • Crib spindles and slats should not be loose or missing. They should be spaced no more than 2 3/8” apart to keep baby’s head from getting trapped between them. KEEPING YOUR BABY SAFE • Cribs should be placed on inside walls during cold-weather months. • Keep the crib away from windows, especially window blind cords. Replace all old blinds and drapery hardware with cordless options. • Cribs should not have any cutouts in the headboard or footboard, because this could also allow your baby’s head to become trapped. • There should be no decorative knobs or corner posts that are higher than 1/16”. Baby Product Experts specialty stores provide safe, high-quality products and expert advice. Be sure to consult a store near you when planning a nursery for your new baby. Crib Accessories & Bedding • Crib mattresses should be firm and fit snugly. You should not be able to put more than two fingers width, or one-inch, between the crib side and the edge of the mattress. This is to keep your baby from becoming trapped between the mattress and the side of the crib. • Most cribs offer a selection of heights for the spring holding the mattress. The highest position is for newborns. Lower to second position when the baby can sit. Move to the last position when your baby can pull up or stand. • Only fitted sheets made for crib mattresses, mattress pad, and/or waterproof pads should be used under your baby in the crib. • If your baby is under 6 months old, pillows, quilts, blankets, stuffed animals, dolls, soft toys or sheep skins are not recommended for placement in the crib while your baby is sleeping. These can cause suffocation and/or overheating, which are thought to be leading causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). • A wearable blanket or other sleeper of this type should be used instead of a quilt or blanket in the crib. Consider using the comforter as a wall hanging. • Pillow-like bumpers are not recommended. Bumper pads can be used until your baby can pull up to a standing position, then removed so your baby cannot use them to climb out of the crib. • Do not hang wall hangings, pictures or shelves above the crib. • Hang accessories and mobiles securely and out of the reach of your child. • Mobiles should be removed from over the crib when your baby starts pulling up in the crib. Toy Boxes • New safety standards require toy boxes to be non-toxic and child safe, so buying new is preferred. • Look for toy boxes that have safety hinges that prop the lid open automatically at any position, or select one with a lightweight lid that can be easily opened by your child. • Lids should never have any kind of latch or lock, and should be able to be opened from the inside. • The toy box should be well ventilated, with cut-outs on the sides and front just under the lid, to prevent little fingers from being pinched. • The toy box should be free of sharp corners and edges. All edges that seem potentially dangerous should be sanded or covered with foam protectors or soft plastic. • If you must use a second-hand or hand-me-down toy box, make sure that it has these safety features. Thanks baby product experts |
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