Selecting Secure Baby Items: Playpens

These enclosed play rooms with high sides are quite popular since parents can place their infant in one and know that their child cannot escape. Playpens, however, are not a replacement for adult supervision; never leave a kid unsupervised in one.

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What to search for:

Verify the playpen’s label for JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association) certification, which indicates that it satisfies CPSC (Consumer Products Safety Commission) safety requirements.

From the playpen’s floor, the sides must be at least 20 inches (51 cm) high.

Should the playpen have mesh sides, the holes in the mesh should not be bigger than 0.6 centimeters (¼ inch) in order to prevent little fingers and buttons on clothing from being entangled. It is important to firmly fasten the mesh and to frequently inspect it for tears and cracks.

The width of the slat slots on a wooden playpen should not exceed 2-3/8 inches (5.08 cm).

To keep your infant safe from bumps, look for cushioning on the tops of the rails.

Inspect the playpen’s bottom for a firm mattress or pad that measures one inch.

The latches that let you drop a side have to be out of your infant’s grasp.

Verify that the playpen’s supports and hinges are well-protected.

Seek for a playpen that, when elevated into its usual position, automatically locks the top rails.

Examine the used playpen’s floor for signs of wear and tear.

NOTES ON SAFETY:

A baby should never be left in a mesh playpen with the side down. The infant can become caught between the floorboard and the mesh side. There should only be one floor pad (mattress) utilized due to the risk of asphyxia.

Never use cushions or soft bedding in the playpen.

Never swap out the playpen’s mattress or cushioning since it might not fit properly.

Regularly check all cushioned sections for rips; seal or repair any that you find.

As you go over the safety guidelines with babysitters and other caretakers, demonstrate to them how to properly assemble the playpen.

Your kid should always sleep on his or her back.

It is not advisable to put the playpen next to windows. Babies can be strangled by the cords on curtains and blinds.

A baby’s head might become stuck in the huge holes that constitute the diamond-shaped apertures of a hand-me-down playpen, so avoid using it.

Never thread or tie toys from the playpen’s edges.

When your child can climb out of the playpen with ease, around 34 inches (86 cm) in height or 30 pounds (14 kilograms), stop using it.