Nursery Setup Safety Checklist
A safety-first walkthrough for setting up a nursery, item by item -- each check traces to a specific CPSC regulation or AAP guidance, not general advice. Use this alongside, not instead of, your specific crib and monitor's own manuals.
The one thing to know: AAP safe-sleep guidance is firm, flat, and bare: a mattress that doesn't indent, no more than about a 10-degree incline, and nothing in the sleep space but a tightly fitted sheet — no bumpers, blankets, pillows, or positioners, for every baby under 12 months.
The checklist
| Item | What to check | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Crib slat spacing | No more than 2 3/8 inches between slats; no missing, loose, or cracked slats. | 16 CFR Part 1219 |
| Crib mattress fit | No more than two adult fingers of gap on any side. | CPSC crib safety guidance |
| Crib mattress firmness | Should not indent more than about 1/4 inch and should spring back quickly. | 2022 CPSC crib mattress rule |
| Sleep surface contents | Fitted sheet only -- no bumpers, blankets, pillows, positioners, or soft toys. | AAP safe sleep guidance |
| No drop-side crib | Confirm the crib has fixed sides -- drop-side cribs have been banned nationwide since June 28, 2011. | CPSC 2011 rule |
| Monitor cord distance | At least 3 feet from every side of the crib -- never inside or on the edge. | CPSC monitor cord guidance |
| All nursery cords (lamps, sound machines, humidifiers) | Routed and mounted well away from the crib, out of reach as your baby grows. | Same 3-foot logic as monitor cords |
| Product registration | Register every durable item (crib, mattress, monitor) with the manufacturer. | Federal registration-card requirement |
| Recall check | Check the specific brand/model against CPSC.gov/Recalls and SaferProducts.gov before and after setup. | CPSC.gov/Recalls |
Always follow your product's manual and current CPSC/NHTSA guidance; this page summarizes published standards and is not a substitute for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
That the crib itself meets 16 CFR 1219 (2 3/8 inch max slat spacing, no drop-side) and that the mattress fits with no more than a two-finger gap -- these are the foundational entrapment-prevention rules.
Yes -- recalls can be issued after a product has been on shelves for months or years. Register the product and periodically check CPSC.gov/Recalls by brand and model.
Any cord near the crib carries a similar entanglement risk to a monitor cord -- apply the same 3-foot clearance logic to any nursery cord, not just the baby monitor's.