Baby Gear Safety: Safe Sleep, Car Seats & Recalls

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Safe sleep: the AAP rules

From the American Academy of Pediatrics 2022 safe sleep recommendations

The AAP counts about 3,500 sleep-related infant deaths in the United States each year (AAP, 2022). Its guidance for reducing that risk is short and does not depend on what you buy.

Position and surface

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Back to sleep for every sleep, naps included, until age 1.

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Firm, flat, level surface such as a crib, bassinet or play yard that meets the federal safety standards.

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Not inclined. The AAP says a surface inclined more than 10 degrees is not safe for sleep.

Keep the space bare

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Fitted sheet only. No pillows, blankets, bumper pads or soft toys.

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No weighted sleep sacks, swaddles or blankets.

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Stop swaddling when your baby starts to show signs of trying to roll.

Where the crib goes

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Room-share, do not bed-share. Keep the baby's own sleep space in your room, ideally for at least the first 6 months.

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Move sleeping babies out of car seats, swings and strollers to a flat surface when you can.

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Avoid overheating and keep the baby away from smoke.

The law backs this up. The Safe Sleep for Babies Act (Public Law 117-126, signed May 16, 2022) banned infant inclined sleepers and crib bumpers. The CPSC crib standard keeps slats no more than 2 3/8 inches apart, and CPSC rules ended drop-side crib sales in 2011.

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Car seat stage finder

Enter your child's details to see which stage NHTSA and the AAP point to

NHTSA describes four stages: rear-facing seat, forward-facing seat with a harness, booster seat, and the adult seat belt. Each move is a step down in protection, so the rule is to stay in a stage until your child outgrows the height or weight limit on the seat's label. Ages are only a guide.

Age: years

Age: extra months

Weight (lb)

Height (inches)

Optional: limits printed on your current seat's label

Rear-facing max weight (lb)

Rear-facing max height (in)

Harness max weight (lb)

Harness max height (in)

Enter your child's age to start

Weight and height let the finder check the booster and seat belt step and your seat's limits.

How it works: age bands from NHTSA's car seat recommendations (under 1, 1 to 3, 4 to 7, 8 to 12 years); the 57 inch (4 ft 9 in) belt height and back seat until 13 from the AAP. A label limit you enter wins over the age band. Educational tool only: always follow the seat maker's limits and the vehicle manual.

Timeline chart of NHTSA car seat stages by age: rear-facing from birth to 3 years, forward-facing with harness from 1 to 7, booster seat from 4 to 12, and seat belt from 8 to 12 — The age bands overlap because a child moves up only after outgrowing the height or weight limit of the current seat.

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When the seat belt fits

NHTSA's fit test for leaving the booster seat

A booster seat lifts your child so the adult belt sits on strong bones. NHTSA says the belt fits when the lap belt lies snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach, and the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder and chest, not the neck or face. If either part is wrong, keep the booster. Children ride in the back seat until age 13 (AAP; NHTSA says 12 and under).

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How to check baby gear recalls

CPSC for nursery products, NHTSA for car seats

Nursery products

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Search CPSC.gov by brand and model number for cribs, bassinets, play yards, strollers, high chairs and carriers.

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Return the registration card. Federal rules require one for many infant products so the maker can reach you about a recall.

Car seats

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Use the NHTSA recalls search on NHTSA.gov with the seat's maker, model and manufacture date from its label.

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Register the seat with its maker the day you buy it.

Secondhand gear

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Check every used item for recalls before use. The CPSC says reselling a recalled product is illegal.

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Skip a used car seat if you do not know its full history, if it was in a crash, or if it is past the maker's expiration date.

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Common questions

When can my child stop using a booster seat?

When the adult seat belt fits: the lap belt lies snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach, and the shoulder belt crosses the chest and shoulder, not the neck or face. The AAP says this is often at about 4 feet 9 inches tall, between ages 8 and 12.

Can my baby sleep in a swing or an inclined sleeper?

No. The AAP 2022 guidance says babies should sleep on a firm, flat surface, and that sitting devices such as swings, car seats and strollers are not for routine sleep. The Safe Sleep for Babies Act (Public Law 117-126, signed May 16, 2022) banned inclined sleepers for infants in the United States.

How do I check if baby gear was recalled?

Search the product name and model number on CPSC.gov for cribs, bassinets, strollers, high chairs and other nursery products. For car seats, use the NHTSA recalls search on NHTSA.gov, and register every new car seat with its maker so you receive recall notices.

More notes on this topic are in the spunk.baby blog. This page is general safety information, not medical advice. Ask your pediatrician about your own child.

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