Drop Side Crib Ban and Guidelines

I never liked the idea of a drop side crib. When we got L’s I opted to lean – I wanted everything in his crib to be stable and unmoving. Now, there are new crib guidelines – and remember not to donate or sell your drop side crib!

From Parents.com:

The new standards:

Ban drop-side construction altogether, requiring instead that cribs have fixed sides.
Require that mattress supports are stronger.
Improve the strength of the crib slats.
Require that crib hardware be more durable and less likely to fail.
Make crib safety testing more rigorous.

Key Points:

Families should not sell or donate a drop-side crib, even if it has been been fitted with immobilizing hardware. Disassemble and discard the crib instead.
Parents can see if their particular drop-side crib has been recalled, and request a free hardware kit to immobilize the drop-side.
Some manufacturers may consider offering incentives or partial refunds for drop-side cribs, though they are not required by law to do so.
If you have a drop-side crib and are unable to purchase a new crib, check your crib’s hardware frequently, do not use the drop-side function, and check regularly to see if your crib has been recalled.