Cribs, Bassinets, & Pack and Plays

In recent years, federal bans and Consumer Product Safety Commission safety standards have helped improve the safety of infant sleep products. However, older products are still available online, second-hand or as hand-me-downs from friends and family. Parents should be careful about using older infant products. In some cases, they may be illegal to resell or distribute.

Learn what infant products are the safest and what to do with older products.

Full-size and portable cribs manufactured and sold (including resale) in the United States must comply with federal safety standards.

It is illegal to sell, give away or donate any crib manufactured before June 28, 2011 (unless there is a written certification of compliance from the manufacturer stating that it meets the new standards.) Old cribs should be destroyed and thrown away. Note: It is recommended that you not sell, give away or donate any crib because they may have missing or damaged hardware.

It is also recommended that you not use cribs that are more than 10 years old. You can tell the date the crib was made by looking at the label on the crib.

Bassinets and cradles are smaller beds for infants. When using a bassinet or cradle, it is recommended that you:

• Use bassinets and cradles that meet the updated standards. Any bassinets and cradles manufactured on or after February 21, 2026 should meet the updated standard. Note: If the bassinet or cradle was manufactured before April 23, 2014, there were no uniform safety standards. Heirloom cradles and bassinets can be unsafe and should not be used for infant sleep.
• Make sure it is in the locked position when your baby is sleeping if it has a rocking base.
• Follow the manufacturer's recommended weight and age limits. Bassinets and cradles can usually be used until baby weighs 15 pounds or until baby begins to push up on their hands and knees or begins rolling.

When using a pack and play, make sure you:

• Use play yards that meet the updated standards. Any play yard manufactured on or after April 5, 2025 should meet the updated standards.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for set up, including how to properly secure the mattress to the bottom of the pack and play.
• Follow the manufacturer's recommended weight and age limits for the pack and play and any bassinet attachments.

It is recommended that families use crib mattresses and after-market play yard and portable (non-full-size) crib mattresses that meet the updated standards. Mattresses manufactured on or after August 15, 2022 should meet the new standards. Note: Portable cribs, bassinets, cradles, and pack and plays must be sold with a mattress. Only that mattress should be used. Replacement mattresses should be obtained directly from the manufacturer.

Mattresses should be firm and maintain their shape when a tightly-fitting sheet is on.

• When the sheet is on, there should not be a gap greater than 2 fingers between the slats/mesh side and the mattress.
• Firm means the mattress maintains its shape and will not indent or conform to the shape of baby's head when they are on mattress. The mattress should feel firm and bounce right back after pressing down.

Warning: Pillows or cushions should not be used instead of mattresses or placed on top of the mattress. Memory foam mattresses and mattress toppers are not safe for babies. These types of items can become a suffocation hazard.

If a mattress cover is used to protect against wetness, it should be tightly-fitting and thin.

Inclined Sleepers and Padded Bumper Pads
Inclined sleepers and padded bumper pads are banned and it is illegal to sell or distribute them. If families have any of these products, they should be destroyed and thrown away.

Inclined sleepers are those designed for infants up to one year old and have an inclined sleep surface of greater than 10 degrees.

Other Infant Sleep Products
It is recommended that infants sleep in a crib, bassinet or pack and play. The use of any other infant sleep product purchased prior to June 23, 2023 is not recommended.

Infant sleep products are products marketed or intended to provide sleeping accommodation for an infant up to 5 months of age that are not already subject to a mandatory CPSC sleep standard. This includes items such as loungers, docks, pods, and hammocks.

It is recommended that families use infant support pillows that meet the updated standards. Any infant support pillow manufactured on or after May 5, 2025 should meet the new standards. Do not use infant support cushions as a sleep environment or in baby’s sleep space.

Infant support cushions include infant positioners, nursing pillows with a dual use for lounging, infant loungers, and infant props or cushions used to support an infant.