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Every loving, caring mother wants nothing but the best for her precious baby. She would never intentionally put her child in harm's way. And one would think that in the baby bassinet, safety would not be an issue. It should be the one place where Mom can leave her baby unattended without having to worry about it. After all, even the best moms need a few minutes break every now and then...

But cradles and bassinets that do not meet bassinet safety standards, have been associated with falling, entrapment and strangulation when the bottom of the baby bassinet or cradle has broken. In addition suffocation has occurred where parents have not followed safe baby bedding guidelines.

The following infant safety standards are to help you make sure that your little one is in safe hands when your hands can't be there...

{Sorelle Standa Cradle}

These basic infant safety standards apply to all small baby beds including baby bassinets, baby cradles and baby moses baskets.

Many baby cradle and bassinet accidents can be prevented by careful attention to detail when setting up and using these small baby beds. Improper setup can cause the baby bed to collapse resulting in injury or death to your baby.

Consider how fragile your newborn baby is everytime you lay her down to sleep.

• Baby cradles and bassinets should have a sturdy bottom and a wide base for stability.
• Wood or metal cradles should have slats no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. A bigger gap than this can allow your baby's head to slip through, presenting a risk of strangulation.
• Check that all locking devices are properly latched before putting your baby in the baby bassinet or cradle.
• Never move the baby bassinet or cradle while your baby is in it. Pick him up first - sneak in a cuddle while you're at it.
• Don't exceed the recommended age or weight limits for the cradle or bassinet. As a general rule, baby cradle, moses basket and bassinet safety dictate that you stop using them when your baby is able to roll over or reaches four months of age, whichever occurs first.
  
  Your baby will become very attached to her small baby bed. It's tempting to leave her in it for just a week or two longer - but it isn't safe - so please don't!
• Always send in the product registration card that comes with every new baby bassinet or cradle. By returning the card, you ensure you'll be notified if your small baby bed is recalled.
• Check our small crib recalls page for all the latest crib, cradle and bassinet safety recall news.

That takes care of the main cradle and bassinet safety standards, but there are far too many to list them all here. In addition there are many other factors that contribute to your baby's sleeping environment such as:

• Where the crib is placed in the nursery room.
• The crib mattress.
• The crib bedding.
• The temperature of the baby nursery.
• How you put your baby down to sleep.

All of these factors are important for the well-being of your baby. The best way to make sure you have everything covered is to use a checklist when you are setting up your nursery.

I urge you to take nursery and crib safety seriously and give your delicate, little newborn the environment she deserves so that she can sleep safely.

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