subject: How Do You Plan to Use Baby Furniture? [print this page] How Do You Plan to Use Baby Furniture? How Do You Plan to Use Baby Furniture?
Not all baby furniture is equal, and a poorly-designed product can result in injuries or deaths and prompt a recall. The recent drop side crib ban shows that once the design of baby furniture is cheapened, the product has a greater chance of injuring a child and creates an unsafe sleeping area. From chemicals in mattresses to baby toys to drop side cribs, the safety of a baby's sleeping area is analyzed by parents. One wrong toy in a crib or a too-close baby monitor could cause an injury. If you are purchasing baby furniture, how should you go about looking for sturdy pieces?
Although some baby products can be purchased secondhand, furniture is not one of them. Secondhand cribs, highchairs, and bassinets pose a greater safety hazard. Even if you accept a hand-me-down from a family member, the piece of furniture has been through a few years of wear and tear. Additionally, secondhand products may have been recalled years ago.
Even when looking at new baby furniture, always consider the construction and use for the piece. For the former, the hardware is one of the most important aspects of a crib, bassinet, or any other piece. The plastic parts, which could break easier, were the cause of many drop side crib recalls. Metal parts, however, are sturdier and less likely to break.
Construction, however, goes beyond hardware, and when examining furniture, look for holes a child could fall through, seats he or she could climb out of, or any part he or she can push down, climb over, or put in his or her mouth. Cribs, for example, cause nearly 10,000 injuries per year, and drop side designs aside, many are the result of a child standing up against a side and falling down or slipping between the bars. A crib, in this case, could have high enough sides to reduce falls and bars close enough together to contain the child.
Parents, on the other hand, may be planning for more than one child, and the baby furniture you purchase will likely be used again. Rather than subject a second or third child to a less-safe crib, find a design that will easily last at least four years of use and that has strong hardware. If you plan to only have one child, however, get the most out of the furniture by purchasing a convertible design, which can be used as a toddler bed in a few years.
