by Cheryl Marly

Created on: July 23, 2010

You might think that when children are sleeping, they are at their safest. This is more than likely true if parents and caretakers take precautions to ensure the crib is free of danger. Since children are typically alone when they are in their beautiful slumber, it is really important to have an environment that is safe and secure for sleeping.

The most prevalent crib injuries are falls; and this is why you should NEVER place a crib or child's bed next to a window. Falls are easy to prevent. For starters, make sure the side rail is never left down. How's that for stating the obvious? It's also important that the mattress isn't raised too high. If the child has the ability to sit up, you must lower the mattress low enough to where he can't pull himself over, or fall over simply by leaning against the rail.

When the rail is lowered, however, the top of it should be four or five inches higher than the mattress, regardless of whether the mattress is in the highest position. Check that the latch is strong, and that it can't be easily released by the child. Again, most importantly, if the child is in the crib, the rail should always be in the raised position.

Crib mattresses aren't too difficult to make safe. Of course, there should never be any plastic wrapping materials present. If you decide to use a plastic mattress cover, spring for one that is zippered. If you don't want a zippered cover, at least be sure the cover is tight enough not to become loose in the night. The mattress itself should also be a snug fit. If not, the infant could get it's face, or other part of the body, stuck between the mattress and the side of the crib. A good rule of thumb is the two-finger rule; which is to say that no more than two fingers should fit between the mattress and crib side.

Crib bumpers are a good idea if the child is an infant. The bumper should cover all four sides of the crib, and should have at least six ties. That way, the chance of a bumper coming loose in the night is decreased. Also, in order lessen the chance of strangulation, the ties or straps should not be longer than six inches. Once the child is strong enough to pull herself to a stand, the bumper pads should be removed from the crib. This is also the time to remove other climbing risks, such as toys and stuffed animals. Pillows should fall into this category as well, as anything that gives baby extra "height" when stood upon, becomes a safety hazard.

Every once in a while, go through and check for rough

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