With all the safety rules that come with baby cribs and bassinets, parents need to be sure they are doing the right thing when choosing a bassinet for babies.
Do you have an antique bassinet that’s served for generations and you plan to continue using it? Well, before you do so, you need to be sure whether it is safe or not.
In this article, we shall go through some things you need to know about antique/vintage bassinets. Are they safe to be used? Why are some people interested in using antique bassinets for their little ones? These and more questions will be answered as you read on.
Related article: Are expensive crib mattresses worth it? (Quick facts)
Table of Contents
Are Antique Bassinets Safe?
Using an antique bassinet for your little one is not the safest option. This is because, over the years, there have been drastic changes in the safety rules for bassinets and cribs.
As a standard, a bassinet older than 10 years is considered not safe to be used.
Over the years, death rates were recorded due to the poor construction of bassinets. To this effect, there have been strict safety measures put in place to reduce infant death.
As it stands, before any bassinet brand launches its product, a series of rigorous safety tests would be conducted to be sure that it meets the safety rules. If any anomaly is detected, the product won’t pass to the public.
Since bassinets are used during the first 3 to 6 months of your baby’s life, you want to make sure the sleeping environment is super safe. Babies have delicate organs that are vulnerable to attacks.
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What Makes An Antique Bassinet Not Safe For Babies?
There are a couple of reasons why an antique bassinet is considered not safe for babies. First, the age of the cradle is something that should get any parent worried.
Some of these vintage cribs have served for up to 100 years or more. During these years, a lot has happened. You don’t know how durable the wood is, and you have no idea about the finishing of the bassinet.
Mistakes have been made in the past and we take a cue from these mistakes to improve on ourselves. Our great-grandparents were lucky to escape the wrath of their ignorance. It is wrong for us to continue with ignorance.
Some of these antique bassinets may contain harmful chemicals that could adversely affect your child. You don’t want your little one to be exposed to such a toxic sleeping environment.
Also, there is a tendency that an antique bassinet will lose some of its sturdiness or the bars are not rightly spaced. if any of the two scenarios is true, it could lead to injuries or death.
You might want to read this: Important facts about a baby crib and a pack n play
What If The Vintage Bassinet Is Sturdy And The Bars Are Rightly Spaced?
Now, it’s beginning to sound like you’d be so pleased to know that you can use your antique bassinet for your little one. Assuming there are no moving parts and the bars are well spaced, there’s still some work to do.
If you believe the cradle can be used, you should visit an antique expert to check it for you. This is very important for the safety of your little one. An expert can tell you whether to use it or not.
If there is a need for refinishing, the expert would do that for you. Don’t try to strip it yourself unless you have experience with it. Even with refinishing, it could still be that it is not safe anymore.
If after visiting an antique expert and all the necessary things were done and it’s considered safe, you may want to go ahead in achieving your dream – your parents slept in it, you slept in it, and your baby would sleep in it…
A common question asked: Is it safe to put two mattresses in a crib?
I Understand It Could Be A Tradition In Your Family!
Using an antique cradle for your baby could be seen as a tradition that was passed to you by your parents. You don’t want to lose the tradition, hence, the urge to use it for your child.
However, the safety of your baby should surpass any tradition. To keep the tradition, you can maybe allow your kids to use it even if it’s for a night. Thereafter, you pack it up, waiting to pass it to the next in line.
But if the bassinet has been assessed by an expert and is considered safe to be used, you may want to go ahead with it.
Related: What you should know about the size of bassinets
Conclusion
If you own an antique bassinet that has served for generations and you want to use it for your kids, you must be sure it is safe to do so. If your gut feeling tells you it isn’t safe anymore, please say goodbye to it.
Babies have died in the past due to the poor construction of baby bassinets. You don’t want to risk your baby’s life by using an outdated product.
Get an antique expert to check it to ascertain if it’s still safe or not. If it’s not safe, get a modern-day bassinet that meets and exceeds the safety measures put in place by the relevant authorities.
