A Basic Guide To Deciding On Safe Furniture For Baby

Taking home your first baby is an unforgettable and at times, a worrying experience as first time parents understand how much there is to organise. You want your little one's bedroom and the nursery furniture to be flawless, but it is vital to ponder you and your child's comfort and security above all else. So when dreaming up that first bedroom take care to bear in mind the following guidance.

Make sure to place a working smoke detector in your newborn's room or outside the room. Plug protectors to seal any spare electrical outlets are also a great idea when your child starts to play and move around. Wherever possible, attempt to obscure electrical cords and outlets with nursery furniture your toddler can't move, like dressers.


Your child’s cot is the item of nursery furniture where he will spend the most time during her initial months. When selecting a cot it's vital to ensure they conform with the government safety rules (BS EN 716 in the UK). The cot should be deep enough so your baby cannot climb out. Ensure that the spacing between the rails is not capable of allowing the child to trap their head.Confirm that cots with lowering sides lock automatically and can’t be opened by baby. If using a second hand cot ALWAYS purchase a new mattress for each new baby. Your mattress should leave a gap of no more than 4cm around the outside of the cot to prevent your baby from becoming trapped.

Remember to put your newborn down to sleep on her back to lower the dangers of SIDS and stop using cushions or very fluffy bedding in the cot. If using a nightlight ensure it is located away from the cot and any other fabrics

When designing your child’s room plan ensure no furniture is located near windows, when your child learns to stand they may attempt to climb up and have a peek out. Also steer clear of placing anything that can allow your child to balance on to peer out of a window. Keep the windows in the child’s room securely secured. When opening a window for ventilation ensure it is properly fixed and ideally never open more than 5cm.

Another item of baby furniture to blame for many infant injuries is the changing station. Always fix your child securely with the changing table’s safety straps and never leave him on the table alone. Keep your changing gear out of baby’s grasp. Babies and toddlers are naturally inquisitive and nappy sacks or rash creams can be potentially dangerous.

Window dressings are a major cause of injuries and death in babies. Avoid using long curtains or drapes that may trap and choke a small child and never hang blinds with lengthy cords in your baby’s nursery. If you do have blinds, be sure to fold the cords away high above your child’s reach and never place nursery furniture your baby occupies, like her cot or the changing table, near the blinds.

It's important to have storage for the myriad of playthings baby will invariably amass but choose cautiously. Look for toy boxes that are open or have fabric. As your baby gets older, he may climb inside the toy chesttoy box and a weighty lid could trap her so it’s important they be fitted with safety hinges or lightweight lids. Storage drawers are also potentially harmful and ideally should have a soft close action. Cupboard and wardrobe doors are also a potential hazard to your child and you should consider fitting child safe mechanisms to prevent your baby from injuring themselves

By following sensible guidance and using common sense, new parents can ensure they make the correct choices when purchasing baby furniture and produce the perfect nursery for their new baby.

About the Author

Being an authority on family issues Gary writes for a range of paper and electronic press and is particularly experienced about nursery bedroom furniture.Whether it's an important purchase of a full nursery or a simple baby change mat he and his staff at Monkeyshine take time to ensure the parent is given the soundest advice available.

Rating: Not yet rated

--Choose-- 0 1 2 3 4 5

by: babies Total views: 10 Word Count: 669 Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2008 Time: 11:38 AM 0 comments