In Babies and more We usually talk a lot about colecho because we understand that most children, if we respect their needs for affection and safety, end up sleeping with their parents in the same bed.
This, however, is not exclusive that they can sleep in a crib, first because there are children who do not want to sleep with their parents (they get hot, they move too much, they wake up when parents move, etc.), and second because there are parents who simply prefer that everyone has their place defined at bedtime.
Children, however, cannot sleep anywhere and, just as when collecting, certain rules must be taken into account so that it is not dangerous, cribs must have certain characteristics to be considered safe. Let's see below how a crib should be to be considered safe.
What does a crib have to have to be safe
- The crib must be approved. The BOE contains the rules and guidelines that manufacturers must follow to make a crib a safe place for children's sleep. The European regulations in force today are the UNE-EN 716-1: 2008. When buying a crib we must make sure that it complies with these regulations.
- Have a correct distance between the bars. The distance should not be too small, where a finger can be caught, or too large where the head can enter, for example. The correct distance would be between 4.5 and 6.5 cm.
- Than not made of toxic materials. This is logical, but today you know… the materials cannot be toxic to the baby. It is possible that you suck the bars and even that, when you grow up and stand, nibble on the railing.
- Than the barrier is fixed strongly when he doesn't have to move, so that only dad and mom are able to lower and raise it.
- That he minimum width of the cradle is 60 cm and that is at least 20 cm longer than the child. The height of the cradle base, where the baby is going to sleep, must also be modified: from about 60 cm from the ground at the beginning to 30 cm when the child grows and we lower the base.
- It must not have protections or chichonera. Until now they were used so that the child was not harmed, but it is possible that he gets too close to them and can not breathe well.
- Have decorations, stickers or drawings well glued or painted, so that the child can not tear them off.
- Count on wheels that can be locked (at least two should be able to be blocked). When the baby stands up we must move the cradle away from windows, sofas or beds to avoid using them as an aid to get out. In addition, we will have to lower the mattress to a lower position to prevent him from leaving alone.
- There should not be cushions, no stuffed animals, or loose bedding.
- He mattress has to be adequate for the crib you have. This way it will be well adjusted and there will be no gaps where the baby can get caught in some way.
But I have inherited it and it is impossible that it is approved according to that regulation
Many times old, borrowed or inherited cribs are used (we had for a time the cradle in which my wife slept as a child, although nobody came to sleep in it, I fear).
In that case it is impossible for them to be approved according to a regulation of the year 2008, so we must make a review of the cradle to see if it complies with all the above (measures, space between bars, movable barrier, ...) and logically verify that the wood is in good condition, that there are no splinters, screws, rivets or any dangerous projection at bedtime, as well as any point or corner that could be dangerous when the baby is out, crawling or walking around the crib.
One last piece of advice that will make the crib an even safer place
In addition to everything mentioned, there is still one last piece of advice that will make the cradle an even safer place and that has nothing to do with its construction, but rather with the place where it is located.
Each couple must decide where they want their children to sleep, of this there is no doubt, however I would always advise that, in another separate bed or in a crib, parents and children are together in the same room.
The reason is very logical: not everything that can happen to a baby at night is related to his crib. Sometimes they choke on their own slime, sometimes they spit up, sometimes the fever goes up without realizing it, sometimes they vomit, sometimes ... and although most of the time they complain enough that they can be heard from another room , we will always find out before and we will always arrive earlier if we are closer, that is, in the same room.
Photos | janineomg, Julie, Dave & Family on Flickr
In Babies and more | How a safe crib should be, Hundreds of children get hurt trying to get out of the crib, Cots, as they should be
