drop side crib

whiterabbit646

i know most if not all (?) have been recalled. I bought the pottery barn dana crib (which is a drop side) off craigslist for $100 and called pottery barn and they sent me a conversion kit which makes it so the drop side stays put. The thing is i kind of like the idea that i can push the side down so i dont have to bend over so much to grab the baby, so im not sure if ill instal the kit onto the crib or not. so i guess what im asking is does anybody here own a drop side crib still and if so will you be leaving it as is or will you be getting a kit to make it a non-drop side crib due to the recall?

UberBiz

If I still had DD's crib, which was a drop-side crib (7yrs ago), I would be using it with the drop-down side. I was surprised when I searched cribs and NONE had a drop-side anymore! I'm very short, and even on the highest setting, I don't feel comfortable stepping up on a stool (that I could slip, trip, or whatever on) to reach down and grab my baby, especially in the middle of the night.

skoogirl

I don't and would probably install the kit.  How hard is it to reach into the crib?  Especially when on the infant setting all the way at the top.  Are you particularly short?  Maybe you could shorten the legs of the crib instead.

kara1204

The drob side cribs were recalled for a reason, I would use the kit or not use the crib at all.  Better safe than sorry.

nyki06

If you have the conversion kit you should use it, they sent it to you for a reason. Your comfort doesn't come before the safety of your child. I have a huge belly and a 22 month old in a crib right now and although it's uncomfortable reaching in there it's better than worrying about safety issues. 

TnArichmond

I have a drop side from DD that I am reusing for this LO. I am short, and even took the crib off of it's wheels, and with the mattress the whole way up I still have a difficult time reaching in for a baby. I'm reusing it. I did not have any issues with the drop side with DD. When we put the crib up, H and I checked it and wiggled and hit the drop side to see if we could get it to disengaged to pose a threat but we could not.

We did call and place our order for the conversion kit, so that we have it. If for some reason it does start to unlatch and cause a problem, I have the kit to make it stationary. But since we could not get it to unlatch when we were trying, I'm comfortable with leaving it as drop side.

whiterabbit646

looks like i got my answer. i will be installing the kit this weekend. im 5'9" but have some pretty bad back issues so i try not to bend over and my mom ( who i live with) is only 4'11 so it really is difficult for her to reach into the crib over the railing without using a stool or something to stand on. I just didn't know if it was a recall due to the actual product or parent stupidity like putting your child in a bumbo and setting them on a table top or counter. 

Murraydog

it's totally not worth the risk for me.  We were given a dropside from a friend when I was pregnant with DD and I just couldn't bring myself to use it.  If something happened to my child because I didn't listen to the warnings, I would never be able to live with myself. 

I'm all about craigslist, but I draw the line at expired car seats and dropside cribs. 

BrittBrittM

hisbabygirl76:

Pretty sure ALL drop side cribs were recalled for safety reasons. I wouldnt risk it. And I have used drop sides for 3 other kids. This one has a stationary side crib

this

marajade8

I used a drop side crib with DS1.  There's probably a conversion kit for mine too, but I personally wouldn't use it.  From what I can tell, all of the safety issues with them come from the crib a) not being put together properly; b) areas of the frame coming lose, i.e. bolts; or c) the drop side isn't functioning properly.  I have absolutely no qualms about using ours again.  I'm 5'3" and don't remember feeling like I needed the side down for the first few months.  But once baby becomes mobile and the mattress gets lower and lower, it can be an huge issue.  There were a few months there, when the mattress was really low, that I still had trouble reaching him with the side down.  Eventually I got a step stool.  One night, while using the step stool in the middle of the night, I fell while holding him.  It could have been a bad fall too, but I managed to just confine the damage to a severely screwed up ankle.  So to me, this is way more dangerous than using a properly functioning drop side crib.  Personally, I just plan on doing regular checks on all of the parts and bolts.  If everything is in order, I see no reason not to use it.  But that's just my opinion.

rayofsunshine99

It is against CL's TOS to sell drop side cribs on their site.  When you go to list something and you choose the "Baby and Kid stuff" category, this is next to it:

"baby & kid stuff - by owner (no illegal sales of banned cribs, e.g. drop-side cribs) "

I would try and get your money back from the people you got it from. 

Also, we had DS's drop side crib still and we threw it away and bought a new one.  It's not worth the risk to me, I'd rather spend $180-$200 on a new crib and have the peace of mind.

whiterabbit646

rayofsunshine99:

It is against CL's TOS to sell drop side cribs on their site.  When you go to list something and you choose the "Baby and Kid stuff" category, this is next to it:

"baby & kid stuff - by owner (no illegal sales of banned cribs, e.g. drop-side cribs) "

I would try and get your money back from the people you got it from. 

Also, we had DS's drop side crib still and we threw it away and bought a new one.  It's not worth the risk to me, I'd rather spend $180-$200 on a new crib and have the peace of mind.

 

before i bought the crib i knew it was recalled due to the drop side but i also made sure i could get the conversion kit for it before i purchased it. I just wasn't 100% sure if i wanted to install it because the drop side is really convenient. After all the replies i will be installing it this weekend.

UberBiz

marajade8:

I used a drop side crib with DS1.  There's probably a conversion kit for mine too, but I personally wouldn't use it.  From what I can tell, all of the safety issues with them come from the crib a) not being put together properly; b) areas of the frame coming lose, i.e. bolts; or c) the drop side isn't functioning properly.  I have absolutely no qualms about using ours again.  I'm 5'3" and don't remember feeling like I needed the side down for the first few months.  But once baby becomes mobile and the mattress gets lower and lower, it can be an huge issue.  There were a few months there, when the mattress was really low, that I still had trouble reaching him with the side down.  Eventually I got a step stool.  One night, while using the step stool in the middle of the night, I fell while holding him.  It could have been a bad fall too, but I managed to just confine the damage to a severely screwed up ankle.  So to me, this is way more dangerous than using a properly functioning drop side crib.  Personally, I just plan on doing regular checks on all of the parts and bolts.  If everything is in order, I see no reason not to use it.  But that's just my opinion.

This is what I would be afraid of. And I'm shorter, at 4'10". It's not about my "comfort," it's about being able to reach my baby in a safe manner.

LanaLewis

I worked at a daycare and all of our cribs were drop down. The major issue was that the sides had to telescope into itself (think how an antenna collapses into itself) as opposed to dropping down below the mattress. Since baby won't be able to sit up or roll over for a bit, you won't have to put the mattress too low yet. I was worried about that too, esp if I have to get a c-section, but its not too bad. Before you know it, they'll be standing up and you'll hardly use the drop down at all!

dbsk8dance+

I would not be comfortable doing something I know has caused harm to children in the past. I would never every forgive myself if something happened that I knowingly took the risk on simply for my own convenience.

Angela814

I used a drop side crib for DD1. I re-used the same drop side crib for DD2 even after the recall (and am still using it). I plan to re-use it again for DD3. The main issue was with the drop side being installed incorrectly or with cheaper plastic being used for the drop side component. We have a good quality crib that I'm confident DH put together well. The crib side doesn't drop down easily. Some of the cheaper cribs will drop if you bump the crib. Ours doesn't. Ours you really have to push with your leg to move. I'm not sure if I'd feel comfortable using the drop side on a crib that wasn't ours though.

AshleyR2452

Angela814:

I used a drop side crib for DD1. I re-used the same drop side crib for DD2 even after the recall (and am still using it). I plan to re-use it again for DD3. The main issue was with the drop side being installed incorrectly or with cheaper plastic being used for the drop side component. We have a good quality crib that I'm confident DH put together well. The crib side doesn't drop down easily. Some of the cheaper cribs will drop if you bump the crib. Ours doesn't. Ours you really have to push with your leg to move. I'm not sure if I'd feel comfortable using the drop side on a crib that wasn't ours though.

 

This.  We purchased a drop-side crib for DD after some were recalled (ours was NOT), but before they did a total "ban" on drop-side cribs.  It is very sturdy and we've had no issues.   We have set up the same crib for this baby and intend on using it.  We checked all the parts and components to make sure they are still strong and functioning properly.  In all the time we had DD in the crib, there was no indication that she could've possibly dropped the side herself.  As PP said, if you had a cheap drop-side crib, I would be more worried, but the high quality ones were just fine.  It was more an issue of low quality and/or poor installation.  I also quite like the drop-side convenience, and while I agree that safety is more important than convenience, I do not think that our drop side crib is unsafe.