Jimmy Reen was a happy, healthy baby. His big eyes were full of love, and his sparkling smile greeted everyone. A few weeks after his first birthday, his mom, Marie Reen, put him in his crib for a nap. That was the last time she saw him alive.

Sadly, Jimmy's story is not unique. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that an average of 40 children die each year from injuries associated with cribs. "This is a decrease from the estimated 150 to 200 deaths in the 1970s," the report states, but grieving parents know that even one death is too many.

There are ways to reduce the risk of your child being injured or killed in a crib-related accident. Werner Freitag, project leader at Consumers' Union, the parent company of Consumer Reports magazine, stresses the importance of buying a new crib. "There have been great improvements over the past decade," he says, citing the new regulations put out by the CPSC. There are now mandatory safety requirements that address side height, slat spacing and mattress fit, as well as voluntary safety standards for corner posts and the integrity of crib slats. These standards make the cribs of today much safer than those manufactured just 10 years ago.

In addition to the new regulations, Freitag cites other problems with used cribs. "When a crib is broken down and stored, it doesn't always go back together easily," he says. "There are usually no instructions, and it may have missing or incorrect hardware." He also warns that wood screws, which are used to assemble most cribs, need to have new holes drilled in order to hold the crib effectively, an extra step that many families don't consider.

As the co-author of the first five editions of Consumer Reports Guide to Baby Products, Freitag has tested and compared hundreds of different cribs. His research has indicated that single drop-side cribs are sturdier than those with double drop-sides, and they are also less expensive. Conversely, he found that "cribs made of fancy woods are more expensive, but it usually doesn't affect the crib's stability." He adds that a good, safe crib should cost about $200.

Buying a safe crib is a start, but you will also need a mattress. "It's important to buy a very firm mattress that is designed to fit the crib," says Dr. Bradley T. Thatch, professor of pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine and neonatologist at St. Louis Children's Hospital. If there are gaps between the crib and mattress, a child's head could become trapped, leading to injury or possible death.

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