Dropside cots dangerous?

[CoffeePuffin]

I have been hearing now about dropside cots being dangerous. I know they are banned in the USA, but as far as I am aware they are still for sale here in the UK.

I tried researching the dangers but can't find a substancial article, can anyone point me in the right direction.

Concerned now as LO's cot has a dropside. It was one that converted into a bedside (3 sides) cot. Is it only dangerous if you're using the mechanism, or all the time? What are the dangers?

 

[lozzy21]

I think some cots latches were not secure and baby could shake the cot side down.

 

[fatandlumpy]

I used one in the birthing centre when I had Euan as I had to stay overnight (waters broke 36 hours before labour started). I was so enamoured with the notion I could just reach out and touch him the OH bought me one (Troll, John Lewis) the next day. If they were dangerous I'm sure the hospital would not have them themselves!

 

[Nevaie]

Part of it was the drop side it's self. The hardware is supposed to be checked for safety regularly and replaced for every new child who uses it or every X amount of time (can't remember the recommended time) it's used. Most people don't do that though and the latches would eventually wear down or break. Some would even use string or twine to tie the side up after it broke rather than replace the hardware or crib. There were accidents with the side dropping on it's own or a baby being able to knock it down causing injury and deaths. From what I know most of the deaths were from suffocation though. Most manufacturers left a gap between the mattress and the railing that dropped so that it could move freely and not rub or catch against the mattress. Babies can get their head stuck in the gap and suffocate.

If the side is off I'd think you wouldn't have to worry about the drop side railing but you'd still probably have the gap problem. But as long as it's secured, can't slide and there's no gap I don't see how it could be any different from using the 3 sided co-sleepers that I see in stores.

I'm not sure what sort of articles you're looking for but here's a few I found from a quick search.

https://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/28/dangerous-drop-side-cribs-no-longer-for-sale/

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/05/13-dangerous-baby-products-to-avoid/index.htm

https://www.cpsc.gov/en/Newsroom/Ne...atalities-in-Drop-Side-Cribs-in-Last-9-Years/

 

[ktod]

I think it's unlikely you will find a research paper if that's what your looking for as it would be a bit unethical to test it out!

But there have been rare reports of serious accidents therefore there are blanket consumer recalls. Also weighing up risk v benefit some countries have banned them, even if the risk is small its much easier to just ban them completely to eradicate any risk. It doesn't mean every drop side cot is dangerous.

I have a drop side cot and I freaked out a few months ago when read about the dangers on here. But I still have my drop side cot. In all honesty I would prefer not to have this now but I'm not paying out again for a new one.

I don't use the drop side at all, so I'm hoping the mechanism will stay secure. The problem is when the mechanism loosens creating a gap between the railings and mattress.

 

[CatherineK]

Most people have no issues, but after several babies died in accidents, they are illegal here. Not just to sell, but even illegal to give an old one to someone. I don't uses crib/cots, but if I did, I think I would skip the drop side. No reason not to have a solid, secure crib without a moveable side that could malfunction.

 

[Bevziibubble]

We have a drop side cot that was passed onto us from my DH's family. It could be unsafe if the side was to drop and the baby fell out. I only heard that they were dangerous on BnB. We bedshare now so it's not an issue currently for us

 

[CoffeePuffin]

The only time we used the dropside was when we put it together and slid it down and underneath, using it as a bedside cot, and when we put the side back up and moved her into her own room.

 

[TrixieLox]

I have a John Lewis Troll and was worried about this too. LO can't really fall out if side accidentally drops when I'm not there as it sits against the bed. But there's sometimes a small gap between the crib and bed so we've created a foam thing to fill the gap but still concerns me. At the moment though, she's never it alone for more than a couple of minutes and when she is alone in it, we put the side up and if it dropped by accident, she'd hopefully just roll over the foam and onto the bed.

 

[dan-o]

Never knew they were dangerous! Ds1 has a drop side on his cotbed but I've never actually used it!

 

[lilly_bum]

We have a dropside cot I think its safe though took me and,oh an hour and a half to get it down I couldnt figure it out x

 

[CatherineK]

Basically, the side to a drop side crib is held on by plastic rails and latches, normally. Unlike solid wood, these can crack and break from use or spontaneously. It's not so much that they will just slide down, but that they have been known to break near the bottom, where a baby can get caught and strangle.

 

[KatieB]

We've got one for Alex from Mothercare, the dropside is against the wall - not for safety reasons but purely because we've never needed to use the mechanism.