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Crib Safety Guide
What makes a crib safe, according to current CPSC standards — the mattress, the hardware, what belongs (and doesn’t belong) inside it, and what to check before you buy, borrow, or use a hand-me-down crib. For step-by-step nursery setup, see our Safe Crib Setup guide.
- KEY TAKEAWAYS
Current CPSC standards require no more than 2 3/8 inches between crib slats, ban traditional drop-side cribs, and require a firm, tight-fitting mattress with nothing else in the sleep space. Always check any crib — especially a hand-me-down or secondhand one — for recalls before use.
Current CPSC Crib Safety Standards
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission sets specific structural requirements for cribs sold in the United States. Slats must be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart — about the width of a soda can — so a baby’s body can’t fit through them. Corner posts must be no more than 1/16th of an inch high, so a baby’s clothing can’t catch. Headboards and footboards can’t have cutout designs that could trap a baby’s head.
Traditional drop-side cribs — where one side lowers to make it easier to reach in — have been prohibited since 2011 after being linked to entrapment and suffocation hazards. Mattress supports must meet more durable standards than older cribs, and all hardware (screws, brackets, and other connectors) should be checked regularly to confirm nothing is missing, loose, or broken.
Mattress Fit and Firmness
The mattress should be firm enough that it doesn’t indent when your baby lies on it, and it should fit the crib tightly, with no gaps a baby could become wedged in. A mattress that’s too small for the crib frame is a common issue with older, mismatched, or hand-me-down crib-and-mattress combinations — check the fit yourself rather than assuming it’s correct.
What Not to Keep in the Crib
Pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, pillow-like bumper pads, and stuffed toys don’t belong in the sleep space, and only a fitted sheet made for that exact mattress should be used — no other bedding. This is covered in more depth, alongside the rest of a safe sleep setup, in our Safe Crib Setup guide.
Buying, Borrowing, or Inheriting a Crib
Before using any crib that isn’t brand new, check it against the current CPSC recall database (cpsc.gov) for that specific model. Confirm it isn’t a drop-side design, that it still has its original hardware and instruction manual (or that you can find a replacement manual from the manufacturer), and that the slats, corner posts, and mattress support all meet the standards above. When in doubt about an older crib’s safety, it’s reasonable to choose a newer model instead.
Where the Setup Steps Live
This guide covers the safety standards and what to check — for the step-by-step process of setting up a crib in your nursery, see our Safe Crib Setup guide. For the broader safe sleep picture (sleep position, sleep surface, room sharing, and more), see our Safe Sleep for Babies pillar guide.
Sources
This guide is based on published guidance from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, “Crib Safety Tips” (cpsc.gov), and the American Academy of Pediatrics’ safe sleep guidance via HealthyChildren.org.