For our impending arrival, we are proud to use the crib that I slept in as a child in 1973. However, although we have slept five babies in the crib over 38 years, it could be a little naïve and risky to use family heirlooms.

We probably wouldn't have used a crib at all, if there wasn't one already available to us. Using a cot from birth is perfectly acceptable and those who are familiar with my writing know I'm all about simple and budget friendly. It is a very cosy and sentimental feeling seeing your child sleeping in the crib you slept in as a child. To be honest, I didn't fully consider health & safety issues with my daughter apart from buying a new mattress and bedding. We did a thorough check of the crib before using it, making sure nothing was loose, there were no gaps or pieces missing. The outer cover is 100% cotton which I assume to baby safe. We used the crib for the first 3 months of her life then switched to the cot, as she was outgrowing it. She slept in our room for the first year of her life (we had a one bedroom flat) and being my first, I monitored her sleeping like a hawk when I was awake. We're also big fans of infant sleeping bags, as baby can kick off blankets and disrupt their sleep although this does depend on your child, we used blankets for the first few weeks of our daughter's life and she didn't have a problem with them.

This is all fairly intuitive and logical reasoning to a point but when I started to research crib and cot safety, using family heirlooms is not at all recommended. Safety standards have changed considerably in 40 years, plus there is more research available on SIDS and general sleep safety which links back to the cot or crib you are using. It has been difficult to find a reliable source for crib safety compared what we in the UK term as a cot. Both products, if purchased new are required to meet the European General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC and should state that they conform to standard EN 1130:1996. If you want to buy a second hand cot though, what should you consider? The European Child Safety Alliance state the following guidelines when buying/ using a cot: - Check that the cot conforms to EN 1130:1996 to ensure that it meets European standards.

- It should have been designed to make sure that your baby cannot easily fall out or get his or her head trapped between the bars.

- If you buy a second-hand cot or are given one from a friend or family member, you can check the important measurements yourself: the cot should be at least 50 cm deep to make sure your baby cannot climb out and bars should be vertical with spacing of 4.5 cm to 6.0 cm between them.

- Cots should be on a firm stand and any swinging mechanism should be lockable.

- Look for a cot mattress that is smooth, firm and fits the cot –there should not be a gap of more than 4 cm anywhere between the edge of the mattress and the bars of the cot. If the gap is bigger than this your baby’s head may become trapped causing suffocation.

- Remove corner post extensions and discard them to prevent suffocation by hanging. Some may be removed merely by unscrewing, while others may have to be sawed off and sanded smooth.

Although we most likely will use the crib, it could be the last time it is used for infant sleeping. I'm sure we could use the crib for other purposes, storage, house plants or even just decorative but it's sad nonetheless, a real end of an era.

There are more safety tips for child sleeping available via these links:

Child Safety Product Guide – covers all child related products for eating, travel, sleeping, clothing and play. www.childsafetyeurope.org/publications/info/child-safety-product-guide.pdf

Which? - there are some guides available for free, you don't have to subscribe for some basic shopping tips. www.which.co.uk/baby-and-child/nursery-and-feeding/guides/choosing-a-cot/how-to-buy-a-cot

Foundation for the Study of Infant Death Syndrome – handy booklets and reports that should address concerns you have about preventing SIDS, including 'ask the expert' e-mail response service. Download this booklet for advice on safer infant sleeping. http://fsid.org.uk/document.doc?id=24

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