When parents place their baby in a crib one thing that they are counting on is that the baby will be safe. Unfortunately, 32 deaths have been linked to drop-side cribs. New safety standard have not been implemented that eliminates the use of drop-sides on cribs.
Although the newer cribs will not have the standard drop side, there may be older cribs that have this feature that are currently in circulation. Parents should always be careful when using a second-hand crib, or any other item. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that you contact the manufacturer to see if there have been any recalls. When in doubt, it is always best to err on the side of caution and not use the item.
Along with eliminating the use of standard drop-sides in cribs, there are several other rules that are being implemented to create stronger standards to help produce safe cribs for babies.
The rules include:
- More durable mattress support
- No more traditional drop side cribs
- Stronger wood slats
- Anti-loosening crib hardware
- More rigorous safety testing for cribs
More information about crib safety and current recalls found at the cpsc.gov