What's wrong with my crib/mattress?

saraboston

We put the crib together last weekend and the mattress came this week. The mattress and crib are both standard size, but with the way the mattress hangers support the bottom piece of the crib, the mattress doesn't lay flat--its getting caught on the mattress support hangers on the edge. (By mattress hangers, I mean the four corner pieces where the metal bottom of the crib attaches to the wooden sides of the crib, where it's adjustable based on the age/height of the baby.) The problem is that a smaller mattress would leave too much space between the sides of the mattress and the edge of the crib.

 Everything is assembled according to the instructions. Not sure what to do. Do I need a new crib/mattress???

smbd

are you sure you didn't install the metal frame upside down?

saraboston

Absolutely. It looks exactly like the instruction manual. My husband checked it at least 50 times.

Pamela05

On my crib those are beneath the platform. I think it's upside down.

larrysdarling

The open part of the hangers should be facing the floor. I know you checked them, but try flipping it and see if it works.

saraboston

We did try flipping it... the mattress fits nicely, but the problem is that it's only 10 inches from the top of the crib rail when it's in the middle position--which she's not supposed to need until she's like 6 months old... by the time she's able to stand up, we won't be able to use the crib at all.

smbd

my DD wasn't "supposed to" be rolling from her back to her belly at 2 weeks old, but she was. Worry about the supposed to as the arise - you'll drive yourself crazy otherwise.

LiebeMama

Weird. Theres got to be something wrong with the way its installed.

Kat_Bride

Hi--we had the EXACT same problem (do you have the Graco Lauren by any chance?).  The brackets are installed correctly.  You may just need a foam mattress and not a steel/coil mattress.  The foam will be able to be wedged under the brackets, while a steel-framed coil mattress won't.

What we ended up doing was returning the crib and buying one without those brackets that come out at an angle.  Our new crib has a platform that attaches directly to the crib without those brackets, so the mattress lays flat and fits perfectly.