What Is the Coke Can Test for Baby Beds?

Crib Safety

• Babies spend over half of their time sleeping, and much of that time entirely unsupervised, so your baby's crib needs to be a very safe place. One of the major safety concerns with cribs is that the baby not be able to get out of the crib or get stuck between the slats. For this reason, federal safety regulations from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommend that openings between crib slats be no wider than 2 3/8 inches, which is approximately the width of a soda can.

Performing the Test

• You will need a standard 12-oz. soda can. It can be Coke or any other brand, as long as the can is the standard size. The can should be either unopened or completely empty to avoid getting soda on the crib. Attempt to pass the can of soda from the inside of the crib to the outside, between the slats. If there is any place in the crib where the soda can will fit out, it does not meet the CPSC's safety regulations.

Tips

• Perform the soda can test on any crib before placing your baby in it. Cribs at other people's houses and in hotel rooms might not be up to safety standards. If you are ever unsure about whether a crib's slats are close enough together, err on the side of caution and do not put your baby in the crib.

Other Safety Considerations

• The soda can test is not the only consideration when selecting a safe crib. The CPSC recommendation includes several other points to consider. The paint should not be chipping or peeling, the corner posts should not be more than 1/16 of an inch above the sides of the crib, and all of the hardware holding the crib together should be present and tightly fitted. In addition, the crib sheets should fit tightly and there should be no more than 2 fingers' width between the mattress and the side of the crib. Register the purchase of a new crib to get recall notifications and check an old crib for recalls before purchasing it and frequently after the purchase.