Play yards, play yard precautions[SIZE=-1]Although the voluntary standard for play yards has been regularly revised and tightened since requirements were added in 1997 for automatically locking top rails and in 1999 for latch strength, play yards were still responsible for an estimated 1,960 injuries to children each year, on average, from 2000 to 2006, according to CPSC data. Play yards have also been associated with 47 infant deaths due to suffocation, strangulation, or entrapment, between 1999 and 2004 (the most recent CPSC statistics). Product failure was only one cause. Deaths and injuries also happened because of product misuse, including the use of soft bedding, incorrect assembly, altering the play yard in some way, ill-fitting mattresses, and cords or rope such as window blind cords near the playpen. As with a crib, using a play yard can be a matter of life and death because babies can get themselves into trouble even when they're sleeping. To keep your baby safe: Read and follow all safety precautions in the owner's manual (and on the play yard). Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for assembly, and double check that all latching features and hinges on the play yard are in place and secure. Before using a play yard, confirm that all top rails and the center floor are locked in position. The floor pad should also be in place. Never put your baby in a play yard with the sides down. Keep your owner's manual for future reference. Don't put two or more babies in a play yard that's designed for only one. Stop using the bassinet feature when your baby either reaches the manufacturer's recommended weight limit or can sit up, pull up, roll over, or push up on hands and knees (at about 4 months and 15 pounds). Stop using the changing table insert when your child reaches the manufacturer's weight or height limit, which might be 15 to 25 pounds, 25 inches in height, or 4 months old, whichever comes first. It varies per manufacturer, so check your owner's manual. Stop using the play yard once your baby has reached the maximum height and weight recommendations—usually 35 inches and 30 pounds. Choose a play yard with mesh holes smaller than one-quarter inch. Those that are JPMA certified will meet that standard. Inspect your play yard regularly and stop using it if the mesh sides or vinyl or fabric rail covers are torn or punctured, or if any rivets on the rails begin to protrude. Don't use a play yard with broken hinges. Remove the bassinet and the changing station, or flip the changing station to the outside, when your baby is playing in the play yard. A baby's neck can become trapped between the side rail and the bassinet or changing station. The safety straps on the changing station insert can also be a strangulation hazard if they form a loop beneath the changing table, which is another reason to remove a changing table when your baby is in the playpen portion of a play yard. Don't move a play yard with your child in it. Don't tie any items across the top or corner of the play yard or hang toys from the sides with strings or cords. They can be a strangulation hazard. Don't add a second mattress, pillows, or comforters to the play yard or bassinet feature. When your baby is sleeping in the bassinet or play yard, remove all toys, too. You don't really need a sheet (mattresses can be cleaned) and the bassinet is probably safer without this extra piece of material, in which a baby could become entrapped. But if you do use one, make sure that it is tight-fitting and specifically made for the bassinet insert you choose. Never use a sheet made for a crib mattress or twin or other size bed. If you use the bassinet, place your baby to sleep on her back, as you would in a full-size crib. Never leave your baby unattended in a play yard, which means that your baby should always be in view, even when she's sleeping in the bassinet or in the playpen area. When you're using a play yard's changing table, always keep a hand on your baby and use the safety harness. Don't place a play yard near stoves, fireplaces, campfires, or sources of heat and wind, or close to heavy furniture or a wall. Stop using a play yard, play yard changing table, or bassinet if it's damaged. Don't try to patch holes in the mesh with tape, for example. Don't use a changing table or bassinet with broken or missing attachment clips. Don't place a play yard near a window where your baby can reach cords from window blinds or curtains. They're a strangulation hazard. When your baby can pull to a standing position, remove large toys and other objects that can serve as a stepping stool for climbing out of the play yard. Remove mobiles and toy bars when your child can roll over or push up on hands and knees. Posted: January 2009 ? Consumer Reports Magazine issue: February 2009 *[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Subscribe now![/SIZE]
Subscribe to [SIZE=-1]ConsumerReports.org[/SIZE] for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. [SIZE=-1]Update your feed preferences[/SIZE]