7 Ways To Prevent A Baby’s Legs From Getting Stuck In Crib Rails

Are you searching for what to do to prevent your adorable baby’s legs from getting stuck in crib rails? Most often than not, your baby would most likely be in the crib alone. So, it is best to put in safety measures to avoid your baby getting injured. Parenting involves looking out for your child’s safety and this includes making sure your baby’s legs don’t get stuck in crib rails. Sometimes you can’t stop your baby from moving around, rolling, or being overly active in a crib. But what you can do is to put preventive measures in place.

These preventive measures would stop your baby’s legs from getting stuck in a crib rail which could cause bruises to their tender skin. Due to the increase in strength and mobility, babies who are 7 -9 months old are prone to get either their legs stuck in a crib rail or putting their arms through the crib. Although the injury might be minor and not life-threatening, babies who get their legs stuck in a crib rail will be uncomfortable and cry until the leg is free.

Why do cribs have slats?

The question is, why do cribs have slats when we know that it is possible for babies to hurt themselves in cribs when there are no adults around to remove the legs or arms that are stuck in the crib rail. The thing is, cribs need adequate ventilation to allow the baby to breathe while in the crib. Slats also help to prevent babies from escaping from the crib.

Can baby break leg in crib?

We know it is common for a baby’s let to be caught in crib bars, but the question is, can a baby break a leg in a crib? Not really. When the leg is stuck in the crib bars, it can cause the baby to be uncomfortable and upset. Once, you are around them, you can quickly remove the leg and pacify them.

Given below are ways to prevent your baby’s legs from getting stuck in the crib rails.

Ways to prevent your baby’s legs from getting stuck in the crib rails

Below are what will keep a baby from getting a leg stuck in the baby bed rail.

1. Make sure the crib is up to standard:

One of the best ways to prevent your baby’s leg and arm from getting stuck in crib rails is by making sure that the crib itself is standard. You need to make sure that the designs and material used in making the crib follow a safety standard. It has been recommended that a standard crib should not have irregular designs or unusual cutouts that can make your baby’s leg get stuck in it.

It is important to note that your baby crib rail should have less than 2.38 inches or 6 cm between each crib rail, this would make it difficult for your baby’s leg, arm, or even your baby’s head to get stuck between the rails. If you would be using an old crib, it is important to ensure it is safe enough for a baby to sleep in without your baby’s legs and arm getting stuck in it

2. Use a wearable blanket to keep your baby’s leg and arms confined:  

Wearable blankets keep your baby’s leg from moving around when sleeping. An excellent wearable blanket suitable for this purpose is the Moon and Back wearable blanket available on Amazon. It is soft and cozy for babies. It is just perfect for summer weather and in winter, you can pair it with a cotton sleeper to keep the baby warm. Putting your baby in a wearable blanket when sleeping would prevent your baby’s legs from getting stuck in crib rails. Some babies might have some resistance to sleeping in a wearable blanket because it keeps them confined, but using a wearable blanket is worth trying to avoid having bruises on your baby’s body.

3. Try out a knitted blanket with multiple holes:

Another way to keep babies from sticking legs through the crib is by using a knitted blanket with holes. You can cover the rails of your baby’s crib with a knitted blanket such as the Sowobo baby swaddle blanket that has multiple holes. The holes in the knitted blanket give more room for air and reduce the risk of suffocation while still protecting your baby’s legs and arm from getting stuck in the rails. You can discontinue using the knitted blanket if you realize your baby’s arm and the leg don’t get caught in the crib rails anymore.

4. Use a baby crib bumper pad:

The baby crib bumper pad is an alternative to crib bumpers which could cause suffocation or put your baby at risk while climbing the crib bumper. Individual bar bumpers are wrapped around the crib rail to cover the space which could get your baby’s legs stuck in a crib. The bumper pad is safe, soft, and durable with cute designs to protect your baby’s legs from getting stuck in crib rails.

5. Use breathable crib liners:

Using breathable crib liners is another way to prevent a baby’s leg from getting stuck in the crib rails. The liners are made to surround the interior sides of your baby’s crib to prevent your baby’s legs or arm from getting stuck. It is advisable to use a breathable crib liner and not a crib bumper because the American Academy of Pediatrics currently does not recommend the use of a crib bumper as it is one of the causes of infant suffocation. Ensure you secure your crib liners with Velcro’s to avoid your little one removing them at night. The Breathable Delux crib liners sold on Amazon, keep your baby’s legs inside the crib without restricting airflow. It is lightweight, breathable, and endorsed by doctors.

6. Switch to a pack and play:

If you are worried about your baby’s leg getting stuck in the crib rails, you can switch to a pack and play. A pack and play such as the portable Playard is safe for your baby since it does not have rails and can be used for babies till they are around 2-3 years. You can be sure of maximum ventilation for your baby since the sides of the pack and play are made with airy mesh.

7. Cover the rails with a crib rail cover:

The crib rail cover works nicely when you need to keep your baby’s legs and arms from getting stuck in the rails. Crib rail covers are attached to the rails from the top and fastened with velcro at the bottom of the rail to prevent your baby from removing it. Ensure you get a breathable rail cover to avoid your baby suffocating while sleeping.

8. Allow the baby to outgrow it

The truth is, babies are smarter than you think. If you don’t want to use any of the above preventive methods, you can wait it out. The baby will eventually learn how to remove the leg or arm from the crib once it gets stuck. But in doing this, you will want to invest in a cheap baby monitor like Hello Baby Monitor on Amazon to help you watch them and help them when the baby gets foot stuck in the crib.

Baby rolling into crib rails

Sometimes your baby will roll into crib rails and still get their arms through crib slats. At such times, you can use the breathable mesh liner and/or asleep sack to prevent their arms and leg from getting stuck in the crib rail.

It is important to note that the American Association of Paediatrics (AAP) recommends that pillows, soft toys, and blankets should not be used to cover the Crib rails to prevent your baby’s leg from sticking out through the Crib rails. Babies are still developing and might not be able to detect when they are being suffocated.

Baby falling in crib and hitting head

Are you scared stiff each time your baby falls in the crib and hit their head? It can be frustrating and worrisome when your baby keeps doing this. Most babies do this when they are 7 – 9 months old. It seems natural as they do this to learn how to stand or sit in the crib. Eventually, they will learn how to sit and stand without falling and hitting the head. Below are what you can do while the process lasts.

1. To prevent your baby from sitting or standing in a crib and hitting their head, hold their shoulders down and help them to sit, each time they try to do it. You can also put their hands on the rails, so they know how to hold it while trying to stand up. This will make it easy for them to quickly learn how to sit and stand in the crib.

2. Use a sleep sack to prevent them from standing and hitting the head on the crib. A sleep sack like the Nested Bean Zen sack from Amazon helps to slow down the baby’s movement while in the crib.

Conclusion

Most parents put their babies in cribs with rails to prevent their babies from falling out of the bed. But, a major issue with a crib that has rails is that your baby’s legs can get stuck in it. One of the responsibilities you have as a parent is to prevent your baby from getting bruised as a result of getting stuck in the crib rails. These guidelines will help you prevent your baby’s legs from getting stuck in a crib rail. It is also important that you avoid putting materials that can suffocate your baby in the cribs instead of preventing your baby’s legs and arms from getting stuck.