Anyone have problems with dropside cribs?

Our twin girls will be arriving this spring, and my husband and I bought and set up two Graco Lauren cribs that have the drop sides. I just noticed that the evening news was saying something about how all drop side cribs may be banned completely. I guess they are working on it.


Has anyone had issues with their cribs? I'm just wondering what exactly there is that we need to be cautious about. I mean, I understand that it's just more moving parts...but are these things that terrible and I'm just completely out of the loop?

 

We don't have drop down cribs, but the family I used to nanny for did for their twins. They didn't have any problems. I think the main concern is that it just adds one more safety concern to cribs. Sometimes sleep deprived parents forget to pull the side back up. Sometimes it doesn't click all the way and kids can pull it down. You may want to google it for more information (but don't forget to take internet info with a big grain of salt!).

 

Yes, we had drop-side cribs, that were also Gracos, and they were eventually recalled. We had problems with them before the recall. The recall kit made the drop-side become stationary.

 

we have gracco cribs (not lauren but similar) and i can say if i had to do it again i wouldn't do the dropside. gracco cribs arrive packed flat which means you have to assemble them. and we found that there was just enough variance in the manufacturing that each one was at least a little problematic on assembly. the dropsides on both cribs have never felt like they raise and lower smoothly and i worry about how secure they are. we basically have them fixed in position and never move them.

 

QUOTE(piccologirl @ Mar 19 2009, 07:48 PM) [snapback]1235965[/snapback]
the dropsides on both cribs have never felt like they raise and lower smoothly and i worry about how secure they are.


That's how ours were too. Ours were from Walmart, btw.

 

We have a Pali dropside that we bought in 2006, and have never had any problems with it. I was looking for a similarly styled one when I found out we were expecting twins, but apparently most of the manufacturers have stopped making dropsided cribs in preparation for the ban.

It's kind of ridiculous to me, just like the walkers and proposed ban for those. (I know they're already banned in Canada.) Like many products out there, there's a chance of harm if not used properly. Take the proper precautions and it should be fine, why take the choice away from us?

 

We opted to get stationary beds because I didn't feel comfortable with the dropsides, but they got recalled as well.

 

I had a drop side with my son six years ago and loved it. For our twins we bought two Graco Sarah cribs which are both drop side. We had no problem assembling them. They were actually way higher quality that the orignal Stork Craft cribs we ordered which were recalled.

I hadn't heard about the ban on drop side cribs. I personally love them and am really glad they were available to us this second time around.

 

I have Basset drop side cribs and have never had issues with them!

 

we have drop side cribs, but never have used the drop sides (never lower them down), so maybe that is why we haven't had any issues!

 

We have a Storkcraft drop side crib. We've rarely needed to drop it yet but so far no problems.

 

I can't think of the name of mine but they are drop sides. (Not Graco/Storkcraft etc.) I have the ones made for twins where you use the side of your leg to drop it down when your hands are full. I have not had any problems with it and, in fact, LOVE them! The one complaint I have is that the latch (when you pull it up) is a bit loud, I guess that's how they compensate for having the easy drop side; so on occasion, if I'm not careful, I've woken a baby putting it back up. Other than that, I would hate to see the drop side go the way of the do do. I can't imagine trying to sling babies over the top of the crib rail. (My rails are up to my chest) When we lower the mattresses, I won't be able to get them back out! LMAO

 

We have drop side cribs that convert into toddler beds and luckily have not had a problem with them.

 

My mom bought us one of those convertible cribs with a drop side, and it's just where you push against it and lift a little, and it'll drop right down. We haven't had any issues with that one, yet...but I've started worrying a little bit about when DD gets older, if she might be able to grab a slat and pull just right, and get it to lower. Our other crib is older, and used (but barely, before us), and it has a bar on the bottom that you have to bend with your foot to get it to drop, which...if I were to have drop sides, I like that type better. I like the drop sides, because I carry both babies up at the same time for sleep, and I can't get them in their cribs gently without a lowered side (they are standing/sitting well, yet). But at the same time, I'm FOREVER after my DH about putting the sides up, he forgets ALL THE TIME. I'm always checking them after he puts the babies down, to make sure he put them up, because...even they are not pulling up yet, you just never know when they'll try. I told him and told him that you never know when they might do it and they could fall out if they do, and that it's going to take one falling for him to freakin remember to put the sides up. It's very annoying.

 

We had Jardine drop side cribs for our girls, and never had a problem. The dropside was very strong and the dropping part was somewhat complicated so even as toddlers the girls could not reach around and pull the side down. I'm only 5'4" so some of the stationary side cribs were just too tall for me to lift a heavy sleeping baby over. I'm really glad we were able to get dropside cribs and hope they don't ban them in the future.

 

We have dropside cribs from Storkcraft. We did have a recall, but not for that. We've never had a problem with them. Honestly, I'm really short (5ft) and I can't reach the mattress unless the side is down. I don't know how I'd handle having a crib that didn't drop down.

Ours also convert to toddler beds.