Does Your Baby’s Bed Follow Crib Safety Standards?

Babies spend a lot of time sleeping. And when we say a lot, we mean it. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that newborns get between 14-17 hours of sleep a day. Which is why crib safety standards are such an important thing for parents to understand (and to check off the list when it comes to making sure their baby’s bed is up to 5-star safety snuff!)…

Because your baby spends more time snoozing away in their bedside co-sleeper, baby bassinet, or crib than they spend in any other room — or on any other piece of furniture — in your house. Mom snuggling baby after taking them out of their bedside bassinet | babybay bedside co-sleepers

And though crib safety standards are something that are pretty important when it comes to ensuring your little one’s safety all night long, it can be difficult to understand how crib safety standards should affect your choice of bedside co-sleeper or crib model. Or to cut through all the formal lingo to understand what’s really going on so you can pick a crib that will let you rest easy while knowing your baby is peacefully sleeping away in perfect comfort and security.  

So we’re about to break down the importance of crib safety standards in ways that are a little easier to understand. Stick around to see how to choose a crib or bedside co-sleeper that measures up to full peace of mind for you and your little one. 

First Thing’s First: Who Sets Baby Crib Safety Standards and Guidelines? 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is the head office tasked with overseeing the safety of cribs. This is the agency of the U.S. government that oversees the safety of consumer products (as their name suggests) and sets general safety standards for how and when products can be used.

There are a few general guidelines that all manufacturers of baby products must follow, as well as a few tests they must pass.

For the most part, these tests address and regulate things like lead content and phthalate content (aka: chemicals that make plastics more durable, but aren’t the healthiest for your little one).

Little boy sleeping in a baby co-sleeper | babybay Bedside Bassinets

But when it comes to baby cribs, things get a little more complicated. Especially when it comes to the mechanical and construction side of things.

Believe it or not, the Consumer Product Safety Commission didn’t set mandatory crib safety standards for manufacturers until 2011. 

Up until then, there were recommended safety guidelines that baby crib manufacturing companies were asked to follow — but none that were considered set in stone, non-negotiable “must-dos.” 

Though many parents are interested in how to make an old crib safe, the CPSC considers old and vintage cribs (no matter how beautiful or decorative they are!) one of their “Most Wanted” dangerous products. Parent snuggling baby who sleeps in a bedside crib | babybay bedside co-sleeper

And for good reason! One slight design flaw — like slats that are set too far apart or a decorative pattern in the wrong place — can easily become unsafe for babies. And any corner posts that aren’t well-constructed can easily catch on a newborn’s clothes and pose a risk. 

This is why when it comes to choosing the best baby co-sleeper, bedside crib, bedside bassinet, or standalone crib for your little one, it’s a good idea to stop looking for how to make an old crib safe and instead seek out a crib or co-sleeper designed with safety as the top priority.

It’s also important to stay away from ones that were produced before those stricter safety standards were introduced in 2011. Because no matter how cute that vintage crib you find at an antique shop might be…there’s no guarantee that it will be safe for your little one to rest in all night long.

Are There Really Best Baby Cribs That Take the Top Spot for Safety? 

Sure, safety standards might now be mandatory (thanks to the Consumer Product Safety Commission!). But that doesn’t mean that all baby crib or baby co-sleeper manufacturers think of safety the same way. 

Many baby product manufacturers still consider safety as a “must do,” rather than a mission. 

At the end of the day, there’s a big difference between checking off all the safety boxes and going above and beyond to give your baby a space to rest their head that is safe, secure, and perfectly built to support them through their many hours of rest! 

Mother pulling baby in a co-sleeper crib | babybay Bedside Sleepers

One thing that sets different bedside co-sleepers or cribs strongly apart are the materials used in their construction. The tough reality is: it’s still common for cribs and baby co-sleepers to be made with toxic glues, paints, and plastics that can be harmful to your baby’s health. 

Certain paint finishes and glues release gasses that include formaldehyde, benzene, phenol, phthalates (and plenty of other ones that are equally hard to pronounce!) that can cause irritation, cause cancer, or damage the liver, kidney, and central nervous system. 

And though these gasses can be harmful outdoors, they can be even more concentrated and harmful (10x more concentrated, in fact!) when they’re found on products indoors. 

So when seeking out a crib or the best baby co-sleeper crib on the market, it’s not enough to just look for one that has checked off all the mandatory boxes. Look for one that has made smart and safety-centered choices when it comes to everything from engineering to construction. 

How Does the babybay Baby Co-Sleeper Do Safety Differently? 

As a company, babybay believes that your family’s health and safety is what matters most. 

We were proud when we received the gold star for safety from ASTM International, TÜV Rheinland, and Confidence in Textiles (some of the biggest names in safety certification!). But that wasn’t enough for us. 

Baby enjoying the benefits of co-sleeping | babybay Bedside Co-Sleepers

We wanted to check off all the safety boxes, and then go above and beyond in providing your baby with a made-just-for-them safe sleep space that doesn’t just give them security…but also you peace of mind. 

That’s why we build all of our baby bedside sleepers using sustainably sourced and ethically manufactured 100% beechwood.

And our beechwood isn’t coated with chemicals. We keep it just as nature intended — non-toxic and pure. 

This means you get to enjoy all the many benefits of co sleeping without worrying about whether the materials in your crib are hurting your baby’s health (because we’re always all-natural over here, all the time!). 

So if you’re trying to decide what kind of baby bed is best for your family, understanding crib safety standards is a good place to start. 

But then seek out the cribs and baby sleeper options that are going above and beyond when it comes to safety — and are committed to giving you and your baby better nights of rest. 

Just starting to explore co-sleeping? 

Discover how the babybay has helped thousands of families co sleep safely.

Make Co-Sleeping Comfortable and Safe (For You and Your Baby!)

In the United States (and much of the Western world), we’re pretty big fans of catching quality Z’s while cocooned in super-soft bedding. And while there’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel comfy and cozy through the night, it can be challenging to fit your co-sleeping baby into your bedroom equation when you know that the oh-so-comfortable bedding you love isn’t quite right for them. But there have to be answers to how to safely co-sleep with baby that don’t sacrifice your own comfort and leave you tossing and turning while worrying about your baby’s safety through the night…don’t there? Baby happy and rested after sleeping in bedside co-sleeper | babybay bedside bassinets

Good news: there are ways to keep your baby comfortable while co-sleeping. Ones that will prioritize your own comfort during sleep time just as much as they prioritize theirs

To feel super-comfortable all night long while your baby is safely co-sleeping close by, all you need is the right crib and a little bit of know-how when it comes to common co-sleeping terms. But we’re going to break all that down now…

How to Safely Co-Sleep With Baby: Why the Sleep Surface Matters

When you’re co-sleeping with your baby, the mattress matters. 

Most mattresses made for babies would feel too firm to satisfy adults. But that firmness is exactly what your baby needs to breathe easily and feel like their body is properly supported throughout the night.

That’s why when it comes to mattresses for your baby, the firmer the better!

But as parents begin to explore co-sleeping, they wonder whether taking advantage of all the co-sleeping benefits means tossing out their much-loved mattress for one that their baby will prefer. Baby enjoying separate surface co-sleeping with co-sleeper | babybay bedside bassinets

Parents who choose to bed share (the term used to describe the practice of inviting your baby to share your bed through the night) might need to put extra thought and consideration into which mattress they choose.

But for parents who choose to co-sleep with a bedside co-sleeper instead, it becomes easy to safely co sleep while keeping your long-loved mattress. 

That’s because the babybay bedside co-sleeper helps you prioritize safe co-sleeping positions by practicing what is often called separate surface co-sleeping. 

Separate Surface Co-Sleeping

Separate surface co-sleeping is exactly how it sounds—instead of making room for your baby on your own mattress, you get to snore the night away on the bedding you love, while baby co sleeps on a mattress of their own. 

You get to take advantage of all the co-sleeping benefits that come from being no more than an arm’s reach away from your baby, while being filled with the peace of mind that comes from knowing baby is cradled in safe co-sleeping positions that will keep them rested and happy. 

Co-Sleeping With Baby Comfortably: Why Separate Surface Co-Sleeping Is Best

The truth is, no matter how careful you are when setting up your shared sleeping space and preparing to bed share, it can be incredibly challenging to set up an environment that works equally well for both you and baby. 

Mom co-sleeping with baby through a bedside co-sleeper | babybay bedside bassinets

You’ll have to meticulously strip away all your memory foam mattress pads, soft quilts, comfy bedding, plush pillows, and take care to make sure that there are no gaps between the mattress and headboard or mattress and wall that could be dangerous if your baby gets stuck. 

But bedside sleepers like the babybay fit flush against your bed and cradle your baby in their own nurturing cocoon—so that you can rest easy and comfortably while knowing they’re doing the same. 

And rather than wondering how to co sleep with baby while still feeling comfy-as-can-be yourself, you can be confident that baby has everything they need to sleep safely through the night…on a co sleeper mattress made just for them. 

Co-Sleeping Benefits: How Does Separate Surface Co-Sleeping Affect the Benefits You’ll Get?

Mother enjoying co-sleeping benefits sleeping next to child | babybay bedside bassinets

There are plenty of cosleeping benefits to love (like better bonding between you and baby, better support for baby’s developing body and mind—the list goes on!). 

And luckily, you and baby can still experience all those benefits while choosing to sleep in safe co-sleeping positions with the help of a baby crib like a bedside sleeper

Though you might be moving baby out of your bed and into a made-just-for-them space of their own, you’ll still be close enough for them to feel the positive effects of being by your side—and take advantage of the benefits that come from that kind of closeness. 

Which means you never have to worry again whether discovering how to safely co-sleep with baby without giving up your own comfy mattress means that baby won’t be enjoying all the positives that co-sleeping has to offer. 

Because you’ll know that during all the nights that you’re sleeping happily, comfy as can be…

Your baby is feeling comfortable, nurtured, and supported during every second of their own sleep. 

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How to Break Co Sleeping and Move Baby Into a Room of Their Own

There’s a reason why co sleeping has been one of the most-loved sleeping practices throughout history (and continues to be the bedtime norm for over 70% of children in the world!). Sleeping close to your baby gifts the whole family with better nights of rest, while promoting deep bonding during waking and sleeping hours. But is there a secret to how to break co sleeping when it’s time for your use of the sleep practice to come to an end?

Dog next to baby who is co-sleeping in bedside co-sleeper | babybay bedside bassinets

For every co sleeping family, there inevitably comes a time when stopping co sleeping seems like the right next step. And when that time comes, it can be difficult to know how to break co sleeping and move your baby to a room of their own without it causing baby (or you!) extra stress. Rest assured: being unsure how to go about this transition is totally normal.

Luckily, all you need to ease the transition from co sleeping is a little planning—and a little patience! 

That’s why we’re breaking down some of our top tips for smoothing the transition from co sleeping to a room of baby’s own—so that you can help your baby feel comfortable in their new space, while taking all the stress out of stopping co sleeping. 

Know There Probably Will Be a Transition Period When Stopping Co-Sleeping 

Though you might know that it’s the perfect time to transition your baby to a room of their own, that doesn’t mean that your baby will be immediately on board. 

That’s because babies—just like adults!—are creatures of habit, and getting used to a new setup after so many months spent catching shuteye co sleeping safely by your bedside will take a little getting used to. 

Woman snuggling baby before transitioning from co-sleeper to crib | babybay bedside co-sleepers

Even if you just know that your baby is fully ready for this next milestone in their co sleeping journey, you should still be realistic that getting baby comfortable with the change might involve a few nights of frustration (for you both!). 

If you’ve been practicing safe co-sleeping positions for a while now (like catching your Z’s with a bedside co-sleeper!), then baby has gotten used to having you close and easily accessible if they want love, cuddles, or nursing during the night. 

Though we have every confidence they’ll get used to their room soon—and you should have that confidence too!—it doesn’t mean that you won’t have to put a little work in to showing them that you’re still there to care for their every need (even if you’re no longer sharing a room!). 

When Deciding When to Stop Co-Sleeping, Choose the Right Time

If it’s deep in the holiday season and you have a few dozen family members roaming your hallways and sleeping on your couch, it’s probably not the right time to decide to stop co sleeping. 

Baby sleeping while family thinks about how to stop co-sleeping | babybay bedside co-sleepers

When deciding how to break co sleeping, choose a time when all is calm in your household and there aren’t any major life changes or stresses—like big work projects or family events—that could make it difficult for both you and baby to focus all your attention on the task at hand. 

During this time of transition, you should be focused on helping your baby get comfortable with their new sleeping arrangement. If life is feeling a little on the crazy side, consider waiting to transition from co sleeping until things have settled down.

Don’t Just Stop Co-Sleeping Cold Turkey! Have Some Sleepovers 

Just because it’s time to stop cosleeping doesn’t mean the transition from cosleeping to a room of baby’s own has to happen all at once. 

Mother and baby laughing together as a co-sleeping family | babybay bedside co-sleepers

You can help your baby get used to their new room by planning to spend a few nights on a mattress or sleeping bag on their floor. 

If you’ve been practicing safe co-sleeping positions with the help of a bedside co sleeper bed, then your baby has gotten very used to having you within arm’s reach. 

You can get them used to sleeping alone—while also helping them feel comfortable, confident, and nurtured in their new room—by showing them that you’re still physically there to support them. 

Ease the Transition From Co-Sleeping by Finding Other Ways to Bond 

One of the biggest co sleeping benefits is how much time your baby gets to spend with you. 

When baby is sleeping by your side with the help of a tool like the babybay bedside co sleeper, your night hours are full of deep moments of bonding. 

As you make your plan and consider how to break co sleeping so that the transition is as stress-free as possible for the whole family, consider putting a new cuddles-filled nighttime routine in place before you make the transition. 

Finding ways to show baby your love before they go to sleep—and getting them used to that routine before they move into a room of their own—will help them feel physically and emotionally supported in their new setup. 

So that during the nights when they’re getting used to sleeping in a room all their own, they know that your love is still close by.