 Overwhelmed by all the choices and advice from friends and relatives about your new baby? What to do? What to buy? Here is some advice for new parents from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission about nursery product safety. Good news! Baby products are a lot safer today than when your parents were making these same decisions. Now, here are 10 important safety tips you need to know when shopping for baby products and preparing your home for a new baby. 1. Start with a crib that meets CPSC safety standards, the strongest crib standards in the world. New cribs don't have dangerous drop sides. They're sturdier and are required to be tested before they reach your nursery. Check the manufacturer date on any crib to make sure it's manufactured after June 2011. That's when the new safety standards became mandatory. 2. If space or cost is a concern, or if you're traveling, you could use a play yard as a portable sleeping space. More good news! CPSC strengthened the standards for play yards made after February 2013. Like your crib, check the play yard for a label that includes the manufacturer date. And, use only the mattress sold with the play yard. Don't put extra pads or pillows under the baby. This can create a gap where baby can become trapped and suffocate. CPSC worked to make play yards a safe alternative to cribs, and now they are. 3. For your baby's sleep environment, we say bear is best. Everything comes out of the crib except for the baby in a fitted sheet. Never add pillows, quilts, or comforters in any crib, bassinet, or play yard. Instead, quilts and comforters can be used as wall hangings. Just be sure to keep them out of your baby's sleep space. 4. As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, always place your baby on his or her back in a crib, bassinet, or play yard that meets current standards. Again, never place the baby on top of pillows or add additional padding to the sleep space. Proper placement of the crib can prevent a life-or-death situation. This next tip is key with newborns and children during their first year who can reach and pull themselves up. 5. Never place a crib near a window. A child can grab a window-blind cord or worse become entangled. You should know that every month a child dies from a window cord wrapped around his or her neck. Now that you have created a safer sleep space for your baby, here's what you need to remember when shopping for other baby products and preparing your home for a new baby. 6. Beware of cords. We mentioned keeping the crib away from windows for a couple of reasons. Use cordless blinds as a safer alternative. They are now available in stores near you. And be aware of baby monitor cords. Did you know that a baby can grab a monitor cord, get tangled in it, and strangle? So keep baby monitors and cords at least three feet away from the crib. 7. High chairs are convenient for feeding time, but always use the safety straps. And pay attention making sure the permanent restraint is between your baby's legs. These restraints prevent children from slipping and strangling on the high chair tray. 8. You probably know that when toddlers start to crawl or walk, your home has to be retrofitted for their safety. This includes anchoring televisions and furniture. Unanchored furniture and televisions can topple over onto children who climb or explore. There are inexpensive ways to anchor the furniture. It only takes a few minutes to do and can save your child's life. 9. Strollers make it much easier for you to get out and about with your baby. But you need to be aware of two safety features similar to high chairs. 1. Safety straps keep your baby in place. Without them, small babies can roll into the soft sides of the stroller and suffocate. 2. Make sure the permanent restraint is in place. Otherwise, a child can slip down between the seat and tray or crossbar and strangle. And tip number 10, connect a CPSC to learn more about safer products for your baby. You can connect to CPSC in three ways. On CPSC.gov, you'll find information about product safety recalls. You can even sign up to have new recalls of children's products sent directly to you. On saferproducts.gov, you can search for safety incident reports or report your own product safety incidents. You can also connect with CPSC on social media. Let's recap. 1. Use a crib that meets current federal standards. 2. Use a play yard made after February 2013. 3. Keep your crib free of blankets, comforters, and pillows. Bear is best. 4. Place baby to sleep on his or her back. 5. Place cribs away from cord hazards. 6. Use cordless window blinds. 7. Use the restraint straps on your high chair. 8. Anchor furniture to prevent toppling hazards. 9. Use the safety straps in your stroller. 10. Connect with CPSC to stay informed. CPSC stands for safety, especially the safety of your baby and your family.