Browsing the baby section of a department store, you are sure to find adorable pink blankets and soft blue knit quilts. You also may spot a slew of cuddly stuff bunnies and puppies, with shiny button eyes that seem to beg for a home. But before you pick out a new bedding arrangement for a relative or friend's baby, give some thought to the safety features of these attractive and useful items.
First, be sure to buy infant-size bedding that will fit a crib or bassinet. Look for crib sheets that are usually fitted for a crib-size mattress. If you try to use larger sizes like those typically used for kids or adults, you will have too much fabric for a small baby's body. Possible consequences might include the baby's getting "lost" in the coverings and possibly suffocating, or getting wrapped too tightly in heavier fabric or the elastic ends of large fitted sheets and becoming asphyxiated. Use lightweight baby blankets in the crib.
Second, avoid using pillows in the baby's bed. Infants do not require the same kind of neck support that older children and adults like to have at night. Placing a pillow in the crib, especially if it is large or substantial, may result in the child's inadvertently pulling it over his or her face or nestling under it and smothering. A sizable pillow might even roll with the child's movements and trap the baby against the crib's rails.
Next, keep in mind that you do not need to use heavy quilts, bedspreads, or fuzzy blankets in the baby bed. Lightweight crib blankets are often called just that, so they're easy to find at the store, or you can ask for them when ordering by catalog or consulting a sales assistant. A fabric with lint, like that used in many kinds of adult blankets, can get inhaled by the baby and lead to choking. Chenille-style covers should be avoided for the same reason.
It's also a good idea to use a bumper pad in the crib. This cloth-wrapped padding is covered with fabric that matches crib sheets and blankets if you prefer to buy the set. It fits around the inside of the crib, and is secured there, to prevent the baby from rolling into the sides or ends of the crib and getting hurt. If it comes with end ties, make sure these dangle outside the crib so the baby can't chew on them.
Finally, keep stuffed animals out of the crib at night. Small animals may be used for chewing by teething infants, which can lead to choking problems if a small piece of fur or a button eye comes off. Larger animals can topple over and accidentally pin a child's face against the sheet and present the risk of smothering. Don't let real pets, like a cat or dog, sleep in the crib with a baby, either.
Keep your baby's bed safe, comfortable, and attractive by following these tips the next time you go shopping for a shower gift.
