Infant Safety Guidelines through the years

Outdated Cribs

Dec 31, 1986

Any crib manufactured before this date is considered unsafe and should not be used.

Back to Sleep

Apr 1, 1992

In 1992, the APA came out with the new "Back to Sleep" guidelines which reduced the SIDS rates by half. Before this time babies were placed to sleep on their stomach.

Thimerosal Vaccines

Apr 26, 2001

With the exception of the flu vaccine, thimerosal is now required to be removed from all vaccines that are routinely recommended for children 6 and under because of the fear of a correlation with thimerosal and Autism.

Carseats

Apr 26, 2002

Carseats manufactured before 2002 are considered unsafe. Also, if using a secondhand carseat, it is important to keep in mind that once a carseat has reached 6 years it will no longer be safe and effective in a crash.

Crib Bumpers

Mar 5, 2005

In 2005, new recommendations for crib bumpers came out stating that parents should only use bumpers that were thin, frim, well-secured and not "pillow-like".

Pacifiers

Oct 10, 2005

In October 2005, the AAP began recommending that parents off babies pacifiers at bedtime to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Crib Bumpers

Sep 28, 2007

By 2007 crib bumpers were found to be dangerous and no longer recommended for use under any circumstance.

Cribs

Jun 26, 2011

In 2011, new guidelines came out that required all cribs manufactured and sold to comply with the new and improved federal safety standards. One major change was the elimination of drop side railings.

Rear Facing Carseats

Jun 11, 2012

In 2012 new guidelines state that children should be in a rear-facing caraeat until age 2. Previously it was age one.

Breastfeeding

Apr 26, 2013

A few decades ago breastfeeding was not as common as it it today. Studies show that choosing to breastfeed can have significantly decrease the risk of SIDS which may explain the increase of breastfeeding moms in recent years.