These accessories can cozy up a baby's crib
Babies spend a lot of time in their cribs. After all, when babies are sleeping, they are recharging and growing. Restful sleep is important, and since babies spend quite a bit of time resting in the best crib you chose for them, choosing the right accessories can enhance their crib time and make it extra special. To take your baby’s plain, boring crib and turn it into a more relaxing experience, consider adding some extra accessories.
What Accessories Are Not Safe for My Baby’s Crib?
The American Association of Pediatrics recommends putting no special accessories, extras, or toys that are meant to go directly inside of your baby’s crib. In fact, they recommend keeping the inside of the crib as simple and bare as possible to eliminate any chance of your baby accidentally suffocating or getting tangled in something placed inside their cribs.
Fancy or plush crib blankets, bumpers, and even special devices used to warn against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) all make the non-recommended list and are best avoided for your baby’s safety. The SIDS inserts and devices pose a risk of causing more trouble than they’re meant to avert. The best prevention is to give your baby room to wiggle and move freely in their sleep with no impediments that could cause them to get tangled or trapped. However, there are quite a few accessories that can be added on or around your baby’s crib to accessorize it, entertain your baby, or serve as a tool for parents.
What Kind of Accessories Can I Add to My Baby’s Crib?
Crib cams are becoming increasingly popular. These special video monitors are basically WiFi enabled baby monitors that allow you to check in on your baby while they’re sleeping. They are made to mount directly on your baby’s crib so you can quickly and stealthily check in on your sleeping baby without the risk of waking them by actually entering their bedroom. While these crib cams aren’t exactly the definition of a “cozy” accessory for your baby, they do provide comfort and peace of mind for parents who like to check in on their babies frequently during slumber. Often, they operate via a mobile app, so you can quickly access a live feed of your sleeping baby by using your own mobile device.
Sound and white noise machines are excellent additions to make crib time cozier and more relaxing for your baby. Soothing white noise sounds of rain drops or a gentle waterfall, for example, can help lull your baby to sleep and keep them asleep afterward. If you live in a home where a pet dog could begin barking or another child could create a loud noise that could wake your baby, a gentle white noise machine could help hide those loud, startling noises and keep your baby sleeping peacefully and uninterrupted. The white noise machine should be placed near the crib, but never inside of it or within direct reach of your baby.
For parents who enjoy adding decorative touches, consider adding a crib skirt around the bottom of your baby’s crib. These skirts are attached along the bottom of the crib, far out of your baby’s reach, so there is no chance of them accidentally becoming tangled inside it. While the skirts are purely aesthetic, they can be used to hide any storage that may be included on the bottom of your baby’s crib, or serve as the final decorative touch to their bedrooms.
Rail protectors are another safe accessory to include in your baby’s crib. These covers are placed along the top rails of your baby’s crib, so they don’t pose any risks or threats to blocking your baby’s airway during sleep. These rail covers actually come in handy as your baby ages and develops. Once your baby is able to stand up inside their cribs, the rail covers provide a soft surface that won’t allow them to teethe and chew directly on the rails’ painted or wooden surfaces. This eliminates the chance of them accidentally swallowing any bits of wood, paint, or varnish that could have otherwise ended up inside their mouths. In turn, it also prevents a teething baby from leaving nicks and scratches on the crib’s railings.
Resources — Consumer Reports, Kyte Baby
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