Which furnishings and equipment must be in an infant care area?

• A. An individual crib for each infant.
• B. A shared crib for two infants.
• C. A bed for the caregiver.
• D. A play mat and rugs.

Answer: (A)

Each infant must have a separate sleeping space, so an individual crib is required for every infant in the care area. This setup protects against risks like suffocation, entanglement, and cross-contamination by ensuring clear, designated space for each child and making it easier to monitor sleep and well-being. Shared cribs are unsafe and generally not permitted because they prevent proper individual supervision and increase safety hazards. A bed for the caregiver isn’t part of the infant’s sleeping furnishings, and while play mats or rugs may be used in other areas, they don’t replace the need for individual cribs. So the essential furnishing for the infant care area is an individual crib for each infant.