| If you are planning on buying a second hand crib,
or if a friend or relative offers to pass along a crib to you,
there are several things to look out for. The crib should have a
label permanently affixed to it. Normally you will find this label
on the inside of either the head or foot of the crib. The label
should list the company that manufactured or imported the crib
originally. The model name or number of the crib along with a date
of manufacture should be on the label. If the date of manufacture
is before September 1986, do not use the crib. It is very unlikely
that it meets current safety standards.
If the crib was made after September 1986, there are several
things you should check to satisfy yourself that the crib will be
safe for your child.
Most cribs are equipped with a drop side. A drop side is not a
necessary feature on a crib. Some people find it is easier to get
a younger child in and out of the crib with a drop side. I
personally like some of the new converting cribs that don't have a
drop side. They tend to be a sturdier crib and it's one less thing
to go wrong. If the crib has a drop side, it should require two
distinct actions to operate it. You don't want the baby or
another child to be able to accidently lower the drop side.
Many older cribs have a drop side that runs up and down two
vertical chrome rods. These are called 'j' rods in the industry,
because when they are upside down they look like a letter 'j'. To
operate this system you lift the drop side with a free hand and
either push or pull on a 'kick bar' with your foot. When you raise
the drop side up again, it should click into a locked position by
itself. If it is not working correctly, you can clean the j-rods
and lubricate them with a silicone lubricant. You may also need to
lubricate the spring loaded kick bar. You can use silicone
lubricant for this, or if it is hidden, you can lubricate the
moving parts with WD-40.
Silicone lubricant will normally get rid of squeaks and does
not attract dirt. WD-40 is a better lubricant, but will get dirty
and stain your crib bedding, so be careful where you use it.
After 1995, many crib manufacturers went to concealed or flush
mounted drop side hardware, rather than j-rods. To operate these
systems, you lift the drop side slightly with a free hand and with
your leg press in on the bottom edge of the drop side. This allows
you to keep both feet on the floor when operating the drop side.
These systems also require lubrication to operate smoothly. Use
silicone lubricant on all the concealed hardware and tracks.
The third system you will see is a drop down hinged gate. These
require you to release two triggers with your hands at arms
length. When you swing the gate closed it should click into a
locked position. These also require lubrication when they get
older.
Check the following measurements on a used crib:
- space between slats no more than 6cm (2⅜")
- top of mattress support at lowest position to top of drop
side at highest position at least 66cm (25¾")
- top of mattress support at highest position to top of drop
side when it is lowered at least 23cm (9")
- corner posts no higher than 3mm (⅛")
- no gap between lower edge of the end panels and the upper
edge of the mattress support
- mattress should be no more than 15cm (6") thick
- mattress should fit snugly with no gap of more than 3cm
(1 3/16") on any side
The mattress support of the crib should be bolted in place. The
mattress support height should only be adjustable with the use of
tools. |
