Many people wonder: What should I put in a newborn’s crib? Read on for some guidance on safety and risk reduction in your baby’s sleep space.
The firm crib mattress with a fitted sheet in Baby’s crib or bassinet may not look particularly cozy all on its own, but it’s the safest way for them to sleep. Blankets, pillows, any loose bedding, stuffed toys or bumpers around the edges of the crib have all been linked to a higher risk of SIDS, strangulation, and suffocation.
Baby’s stuffed animals will still be there when they wake up, and pillows don’t necessarily feel necessary, but not using blankets, especially now that Baby is sleeping in a crib, can feel strange to some parents. Dressing Baby in light layers or footie pajamas can keep them just as cozy as any blanket, though, especially if the room is kept between 68 and 72 degrees. Wearable blankets are another safe and cozy option, although the AAP recommends against any weighted blankets or swaddles marketed to improve sleep.
Experts warn against using wedge pillows or other devices that incline the mattress. The mattress should be firm — leaving no indentation if you press down with your hand — and it should be totally flat. Inclined sleeping does not help babies suffering from reflux, rather, it increases the risk of accidental death.
As for bumpers, if your crib was manufactured after 1990, it should have been built to follow regulations that would keep the crib-bars close enough together that there’s no risk of your little one getting stuck. The sale of crib bumpers is prohibited in the U.S. in order to prevent infant death. Older babies can also bumpers to climb out of the crib and potentially injure themselves in a fall.
So what should be in a Baby’s crib? A firm, tight mattress that fits snugly into the crib or bassinet without much room between the edges of the mattress and the frame. A soft, tightly fitted sheet. And Baby. For now, that’s all.
Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
Sources
- Rachel Y. Moon, Fern R. Huak. “Hazardous Bedding Environment Is Still Common and a Cause for Concern.” Pediatrics. 135(1). Web. January 2015.
- “Safe Sleep: Bedding, Pillows, Safety, and More.” OnSafety. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, September 18 2012. Web
