- (HealthDay News) — Your baby's sleep environment should be
carefully arranged to prevent injury.

The National Safety Council offers these crib safety
recommendations:

• Throw your older crib away if it has slats that are too far apart,
  lead paint or decorative cutouts that could harm your baby. The slats
  shouldn't be more than 2 3/8 inches apart.
• Choose a mattress that fits snugly inside the crib, with no gaps
  around the edges. Replace any mattress when you can insert two adult
  fingers between the mattress and the crib.
• Bumper pads should cover the whole inside perimeter of the crib and
  tie or snap in place. They should be removed as soon as the child is able
  to assume a standing position.
• Don't use pillows, large stuffed animals and other items that may
  pose a threat for suffocation.
• Never place a crib near a window, as blinds and cords can pose
  strangulation hazards. Also window screens won't prevent the child from
  falling through them.
• Stop using the crib once the height of the rails is less than
  three-quarters of the child's height.
• Make sure there is a working smoke detector near your child's
  crib.