Durability of Wooden Mattress Frames in Cribs

Identification

• A crib frames its mattress with wooden sides and is held by a metal frame with springs that attach to the wooden sides. Two types of mattress frames are approved for crib use: a hook type and a bolt type. The hook type attaches to the footboard and headboard with hooks, and the bolt type attaches to the footboard and headboard with screws.

Recalls

• The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 aimed to protect more babies by enforcing mandatory crib safety guidelines. Since then, more than 11 million cribs have been recalled. Most of the cribs have a drop-side feature that frames one side of the mattress and allows parents to drop the side of the crib while putting the baby down or picking her up. Hardware failures prompted several infant injuries and deaths with this style of crib. New standards mandate that manufacturers shouldn’t be selling drop-side cribs. If you have a drop-side crib and it hasn’t been recalled, contact the manufacturer for a repair kit that will immobilize the drop-side.

Tips

• A crib will be durable when it is put together properly. Cribs come with their own screws and hardware. Only use the parts that come with your crib. When you first purchase a crib, check that all of the pieces are there, and if not, immediately contact the manufacturer. If you are disassembling the crib or transitioning it to another style of bed, place all of the hardware and the manufacturer’s instructions in a Ziploc-style plastic bag and tape it under the crib. That way, you will have all of the pieces and information for the next time you need to change something about the crib. Every time you change the crib’s sheets, check the crib’s hardware.

Considerations

• Crib manufacturers do have a set of mandatory guidelines to follow for crib durability. In addition to these mandatory guidelines, consumer groups suggest voluntary crib safety guidelines. When searching for a crib, purchase one that specifically says that its hardware and mechanics meet all voluntary and mandatory durability guidelines. The mandatory guidelines are not all encompassing.

Warning

• If you’re traveling or if your child attends a daycare, check that those cribs match mandatory and voluntary guidelines as well. Daycares and hotels do not have to comply with current mandates until December 2012.