You might have heard people advising you of different tips and tricks on how to tackle your baby’s tantrum once he/she is born. But one line which everyone would not stop saying is that parenting is not easy! Trust me, this is very true. You can only realize when you become one.
All you want for your little one is that they sleep peacefully, eat healthily, and play safely. This might not seem to be very difficult. But when babies tend to grow, they make things difficult for you as well as themselves.
To make them have a proper good night’s sleep, parents struggle to buy the best available cribs for them. Now, what if I say that your child can put you in trouble out of this too? Yes! Many times you will experience a baby getting leg stuck in crib rails!
This feels so disturbing. Although the injuries might not be so serious, chances of minor ones persist. Below I have collected some important details for you regarding the issue. It will surely prove to be of help to you in fighting this problem.
Ways to Prevent Your Baby Getting Leg Stuck in Crib Rails
1. Ensure the Crib You Are Buying Falls in the Safe Buy Category
When you decide on buying a crib for your munchkin, make sure you have checked with all the safety measures. You might think that the things in the market must have been approved by the safety standards. But it is not always like that.
You should countercheck everything before finalizing the product. Crib for your baby is not a small investment. I am pretty sure you would not like buying a crib now and then! So do your researches properly before you land up to buy it? A few things which should be kept in mind while buying the safest crib include,
Cribs With Slats Closer Enough
You must be aware of the slats or rails present in the cribs. These are there for you to keep an eye on your child. One more reason is to ensure ventilation. These railings are made to serve some benefits rather than providing chances of danger.
Make sure to buy cribs that have these slats very close to each other. The safe distance is no more than 2 3/8 inches in width. Crib slats with a distance more than mentioned, are not safe for the babies. They can easily get caught with the small legs and hands of your little one.
Delta Children Heartland 4-in-1 Convertible Crib meets the above-recommended requirements.
Smooth Corners and the Stable Structure
The crib should be devoid of any sharp or unsmooth edges. These can prove to be very dangerous for your baby as they can hurt them at any time. The corners of the railings, joints of the crib, and the wood material, all should be durable and stable. The joint areas should be smooth enough with no nuts or screws pointing out of the way. As it can become a source of danger for the baby.
Tight Mattress and No Extra Stuff in the Crib
Have you heard of SIDS? Sudden infant death syndrome is a real thing and not a joke! You should make sure that you use the mattress which best fits the crib. Not anything loose. Plus no extra pillow, comforters, or any toys should be there in the crib while the baby is sleeping.
All these things can risk the baby to SIDS. Small little munchkin of your will not be able to realize until s/he gets suffocated.
Baby Getting Legs Stuck in Crib Slats
This is one of the most common yet not serious issues that every parent faces. Your child while playing or in deep sleep might get stuck. This is when they shout or cry for help.
Remember, not to use any sort of pillow, comforter, bedsheet, or any stuffed toys between the baby and the slats. In this way, you might protect your child from getting their hand or leg stuck. But at the same time, you will put them at suffocation risk!
2. Are You Thinking of Crib Covers?
Well, it seems to be the ultimate solution to your problems! If you cover the crib entirely, there will be a significant decrease in the risk of your baby falling off the crib. When the baby learns to crawl and stand up on its own, it may also try to climb out of the crib.
To avoid any mishap of them falling off, you can cover the crib through a crib cover. These crib covers are tent-style. You can call them a tent-style crib canopy.
I want to pop up your bubble before you become too happy with the achievement of finding a solution to this problem. According to the safety standards, it is not advisable to use any such thing!
If any sort of covering material is used, it will risk the chances of the child being strangulated because of it! Children are innocent and unaware of what is good and what is bad for them. They try to touch and play with every little string they find.
And in such cases, it is not less than a nightmare to leave your child with such coverings or canopies that may lead to such incidences. If you practically think about it, you will realize one more of its disadvantages.
Prevent Child From Falling
You put a crib covering on top of the crib to make sure your child does not fall from it. Now you have done your job as a parent. Babies, on the other hand, love to catch and play with any free end strand or lace they may find. And while doing that, children can take that piece of lace into their mouth and get choked!
If not choked, then might get strangulated to death while in sleep! If this incidence happens, along with the hands or legs getting stuck in the crib’s rails, then what? How on earth will the poor baby cry for help?
Every sort of covering should therefore be avoided.
3. What are crib bumpers?
Have you ever heard of the term, crib bumpers? Crib bumpers were initially introduced in the market for the easiness of parents. It is a fact that the baby’s head, legs, and its hands, all can be trapped between the railing and the mattress space. Unless a baby is wrapped up in a sleep sack, the catching of body parts is very common.
To avoid any such scenario, crib bumpers were introduced. After their launch, many medical experts realized that it is behaving opposite to what it is supposed to! The crib bumpers were supposed to save the baby from being caught in the railings.
But these were not serving this purpose. Instead, these crib bumpers did not provide any protection to the babies. Rather it increased the risk of SIDS for them.
Baby gets legs stuck in crib
As explained earlier, it is very common for the baby to get its small hands and feet stuck in the railing along with its head. To prevent these mishaps, crib bumpers came into existence. Crib bumpers were made to serve as a medium of separation.
It is used for covering the space between the mattress gap and the slits of the crib. To make sure there is no space for the baby to get stuck into. But when the purpose is not served, then what is the use of such a product?
Now two new product has stepped in and that is the mesh crib bumper & Vertical Crib Liners!
The Mesh Crib Bumper__Need of Every Baby!
After the failure of crib bumpers, people needed some good and useful products. Mesh crib bumpers have proved to be the best to date.
Some of its advantages include its breathable mesh. Even if your baby’s head gets pressed into these bumpers, they will not get suffocated. The mesh will not let them! It is not as thick and stiff as other ordinary crib bumpers.
The rest of the crib bumpers are like toxic materials for babies. As they can suffocate kids to death! The mesh crib bumpers are just the opposite! It lets your child breathe through it. The overall positive effect of these helps to reduce the potential risk of SIDS too.
The Vertical Crib Liners
Most genius baby product ever and it’s called vertical crib liners what this is often its individual pieces of fabric that cover each railing of your baby’s crib.
There are no strings they’re not inside the baby’s crib they just gently wrap it and that I think they’re Velcro Chuck it’s super lightweight. but what it does is it quite softens up your baby’s crib bit but safe way.
The reason I’m recommending it’s because if you’ve got each of your baby’s railings wrapped by a piece of cloth then that’s even less space for your baby’s hand or foot to travel through so I hope that helps you as far as in being a super active sleeper.
4. Use of Sleep Accessories For Your Baby Safe Sleep & to Prevent their Legs Stuck in Cribs
You must know that kids, especially newborn babies do not sleep so easily. You need to forcefully put them to sleep using multiple tactics. Use swaddles, to rock the baby to sleep. This is one of the most favorable options. Young ones love when someone keeps rocking them until they feel giddy and finally sleep.
Using Wearable Blankets
This is one of the most useful and super comfy solutions to make the baby sleep peacefully the whole night. Trust me, as a parent; you will not have to face the struggle of being awake the whole night. There will be no tension that your child can get caught in the railings!
A wearable blanket for your little ones will not disappoint you! These help keep your baby warm and peaceful. The making of it does not let the child move around or spread its hand or legs. Thus, there is no risk of them getting stuck in the crib’s slats.
one question in your mind that is when should use blankets in the crib for babies? then check out the linked article, this article may solve your question.
Feeding Until They Feel Sleepy
There are various other ways too which you can use to achieve the daily goal of making your child sleep! One of the ways is feeding them. Usually, babies cry their eyes out if they are hungry or feeling sleepy. They need someone to either rock them or feed them.
While you feed them and make their tummies full, they will quickly fall asleep.
Some Lullabies
Using some soft music in the background would help you! Young ones love the soothing and relaxing sounds of different types of slow music. It makes their minds relax. The rhythm and soundtracks feel so wanted in their ears and they become drowsy soon after a few minutes.
Dim the surrounding lights of the room in which you make your baby sleep. When there is darkness in the room, the chances of the baby sleeping quickly, increases. The lights when entering their eyes might catch their attention. Babies get attracted to shiny things very quickly; therefore, this will prevent them from sleeping.
Get a Sleep Positioner to Make Your Life Easy!
Have you heard about sleep positioners? I’m sure you must have. Sleep positioners, as the name indicates, helps to maintain the position of your baby. It does not let the baby topple down to the crib railing and get it caught.
The formation of these includes two supportive cushion-type rolls on either side. These help to restrict the hands of the baby. Also gives proper head support. Thus, there are then significantly reduced chances of injury to the baby following the crib railings.
All such sleep accessories help you and your child have a better and complete night’s sleep.
FAQs
Are sleep sacks safe?
Yes, sleep sacks are safe only if your baby is properly wrapped in it. Anything loose can be a source of danger.
How do I protect my baby from crib rails?
You should buy mesh crib bumpers. These are safe and breathable at the same time. It won’t let your baby suffocate.
What will keep a baby from getting a leg stuck in the baby bed rail?
Many things will help the baby from getting stuck in the rails. Usage of mesh crib bumpers, wearable blankets, and sleep positioners are amongst those.
What can I use instead of a crib bumper?
Crib bumpers are thick and can cause suffocation. Use the thin and ventilated, meshed crib bumpers instead.
Conclusion
Alas! You have reached here to read my final words. I hope you found this article to be very informative for you. I have tried to cover all the essential details about how to prevent the baby getting leg stuck in crib rails.
You need to be very cautious and vigilant in selecting products for your child. Your selections can sometimes prove to be dreadful for your baby. So act wisely and do your homework of research before buying.
I will be waiting for your feedback regarding this article through contact us. Do let me know about your future preferences too.
