Baby Monitor Cord Safety, Decoded
CPSC guidance: keep baby monitor cords at least 3 feet away from every side of the crib, bassinet, or play yard -- top, bottom, and all four sides -- and never drape a cord inside or over the edge.
The one thing to know: CPSC guidance keeps baby monitor cords at least 3 feet from every side of the crib — never draped inside or over the edge — because monitor cords have been linked to infant strangulation deaths.
What to check in your nursery
- Measure 3 feet out from every side of the crib, not just the side facing the outlet.
- Keep the cord taut and mounted, not dangling loose.
- Re-check the distance periodically as your child grows and can reach further, and once they can stand and pull on cords.
- This applies to monitor cords, but the same 3-foot logic applies to any other cord (lamps, sound machines, humidifiers) near the crib.
Shopping for a monitor?
Search current baby monitors on Amazon -- whichever model you choose, mount it and its cord at least 3 feet from every side of the crib.
Search baby monitors on AmazonThis page is general reference information about published nursery safety guidance, not a safety verdict on any specific monitor model.
Frequently Asked Questions
At least 3 feet from any part of the crib, bassinet, or play yard, per CPSC guidance -- measured from every side, not just the nearest one.
CPSC has linked at least eight infant strangulation deaths since 2002 to baby monitor cords. The cord itself, not the monitor device, is the hazard.
A wireless monitor removes the cord hazard for the camera unit itself, but its power cord and any accessory cords still need to be kept at least 3 feet from the crib and out of reach as your child grows.