Cribs are involved in more infant deaths every year than any other kids furniture. Know what to look for when purchasing a crib.

First check the corner posts on the crib. The best option is corner posts that are flush with the headboard and footboard. At most, they should extent 1/16” above the top. They should not be long enough for clothing worn to get hooked on.

Check that the mattress support hangers can be fully secured to the frame by either bolts or closed hooks. Regularly check the crib’s hardware to make sure none of it has loosened something that can happen with a child bouncing on the mattress.

If you’ll be using bumper pads, check them out carefully to have the following features: tie or snap in place, fit all the way around the crib, have straps in each corner, in the middle of the sides along the open rails and should also have ties at the top and bottom edges. (Be sure to remove the bumper pads when your child can stand in the crib. Otherwise they might use the pad as something to step on if they want to climb out of the crib.)

Once you get the crib and mattress home, throw away all plastic. Never use any part of the plastic, including the bag covering the mattress, as the plastic could suffocate your child.

Due to the potential of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), use a firm, flat mattress in the crib and lay your baby on their back. Instead of using a blanket that can get wrapped around the baby, use a one-piece sleeper with legs and arms.

When arranging the baby furniture in the nursery, keep the crib away from any window. Any windows that have blinds or draperies also have cords that could cause strangulation. And the screen of an open window is not strong enough to prevent a child from falling out.

If you put your baby to bed with a pacifier or teether, don't tie it around their neck. When you are ready to put your baby down to sleep, there should be nothing around their neck including bibs and necklaces.

Make sure the side rail is fully locked when raised. Put the mattress in its lowest position once your child can stand in the crib by itself. Remove anything that they could possibly stand on to try and climb out including any stuffed animals or toys.

Climbing out anyway? Then keep the side rail down. It’s a lot less further to fall than if the side rail is up.

And finally, keep in mind that any baby toy/mobile/gym that stretches across the crib is wonderful for your infant but can become a strangulation hazard once your baby gets older and more active.

Reports say that at least 15 % of the over 6000 deaths due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) are caused by infants sleeping on soft baby bedding sets. Thus, you must ask yourself if your baby bedding is safe.

For infants soft baby nursery bedding may cause suffocation when head sinks into soft mattress during baby placed in her belly. You may think a soft mattress is more comfortable for your little one, but if it is too soft, it may not be safe. To avoid fatal accidents when the baby is sleeping, there should be someone always nearby to keep an eye on the position of the baby's head. When the baby's head is placed on the soft mattress, they may not have enough strength to come back in a good position.

Parents should make it a priority to test a baby's bedding by applying some weight to it. If it depresses under medium pressure, pass on it as it could lead to an accident. By applying force to a certain mattress one can actually feel it resisting the weight and it's actually one way of discovering the mattress strength. The higher the resistance rating of your mattress is, the higher the quality.

Bumper pads in the crib are another cause of suffocation. While attractive and cute, infants' faces may be pressed against the soft pads, causing suffocations when baby is unable to free himself.

Parents need to use extra care and take precautions during this period since the infants are weak and vulnerable. When babies are pressed between the bumper pads and another object and some of the people recommend to buy firmer bumper pads while others just remove all of them from the crib and the latter being the best method because, though rare, there are also cases of strangulation by the strings of the bumper pads and suffocation.

Research has shown that toxic gases, harmful to baby, are found in mattresses. Dangerous chemicals have been found to be added to mattresses as fire retardants, but they are dangerous chemical compounds containing phosphorus and arsenic. The chemical compounds present in the mattress when reacts with certain material, then they release toxic gases which is very dangerous for the baby, if the baby inhales a large amount of it while sleeping.

Scientists have since found, however, that a frequently occurring fungus in baby bedding may be one of the reactants which is an aid in releasing these toxic fumes. Because of that, they suggest that mom and dads not use any older style bedding in the baby's room that could have mold and/or mildew on it from being used prior. To insure that no fungus is present, parents should be sure to buy new bedding for each new infant. Old reused bedding will look less pretty than a new baby nursery bedding.

In addition, there is some concern about synthetic fabric in baby bedding sets. While there is no solid proof that synthetic fabrics are harmful to a baby, you may want to stick to natural fibers. There are plenty of stylish cotton baby bedding sets available (one of my favorites is the Maya baby bedding by Trend Lab), so there is no need to sacrifice style for safety.

Use this criteria to determine if your baby bedding is safe. To avoid sleepless nights, parents should just choose safe beddings for their babies, it will not only relieve them of their worries but will also let the baby enjoy his/her slumber.