Safety should always be your number one priority when it comes to your child. Baby cribs are no exception. It doesn’t matter if your crib was perfect when you bought it for your newborn, sometimes problems are found and recalls occur. You should always stay informed about crib recalls, and any other safety concerns. This will ensure that your child sleeps soundly and safely.

Find Recalls

Most cribs have no problems, but some are faulty. These parts or hardware can be dangerous to babies and toddlers. Manufacturers issue recalls to alert consumers about the potential for serious injury associated with certain crib models.

The Crib Info Center of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission provides up-to-date information on crib recalls, product safety and other news. You can stay informed about crib recalls by signing up for email alerts. Reporting safety incidents can be done at the Crib Info Center.

You can also receive recall notifications by email or mail if you fill out the Product Safety Information Card when purchasing a new crib.

Other sites, besides the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website, provide information about product recalls. These recalls often include cribs and infant mattresses.

• Consumer’s Affairs – The Consumer’s Affairs site lists infant products which have been recalled because of safety concerns.
• SafeKids.org SafeKids.org lists all noteworthy recalls of child-centric products. Click on the year or month to find out which products have been recalled.

Buy a crib

It is better to purchase a brand-new crib than a used one, even though they are more expensive. You can buy a crib from a consignment store or from a friend. Make sure the crib is complete. If your crib is missing screws, bolts, or slats or has cracks, it’s not safe to use. Test a crib first before putting your baby into it.

Why Cribs Are Recalled

Recalled cribs are those that have safety issues. Recalls are often caused by:

• The crib slats and end panels can cause a baby’s head to get trapped. This could result in injury or even death.
• Concerned about the stability of the slats
• Mesh cribs pose safety concerns
• The crib must be held together safely and securely by brackets that are not in good condition

Safety is a serious matter when it comes to cribs. All cribs are subjected to rigorous testing that simulates the wear and tear a crib is likely to experience over its lifetime. The testing measures are designed to check if the crib’s parts can loosen, crack, or separate.

Notable Recalls

Many crib recalls are minor. However, others affect thousands of cribs as well as the families that bought them. You can avoid buying a defective crib by knowing about major recalls. It may also help you to know what cribs you should avoid when shopping for a crib.

Drop-Side Cribs Recalled and Other Cribs and Furniture Recalls

The ease of lifting a baby into and out of the crib made drop-side cribs popular. Millions of drop-side cribs were recalled between 2009 and 2011 because the hardware that held up the movable panels on the crib was prone to failure. Infants and toddlers may become trapped between the crib mattress and the drop side. Drop-sided cribs were responsible for 32 infant deaths. Some of the most notable crib recalls have included:

• Serena & Lily recalled approximately 260 Nash cribs in 2020 due to possible injury hazards.
• In 2015, DaVinci cribs of the DaVinci brand were recalled because they could cause lacerations, falls, or entrapment. In 2015, Baby’s Dream also recalled nearly 5, 000 cribs and other furniture due to lead paint violations.
• Bexco recalled Franklin’s 4-in-1 convertible cribs in 2014 due to fall and entrapment issues.
• In 2012, more than 16,000 Rockland Furniture drop-side cribs sold by JCPenney were recalled. Rockland Furniture Round cribs were recalled the following year due to fall, entrapment and suffocation hazards.
• Delta Enterprise Corp. issued a recall in March 2011 for more than 985,000 cribs with the “Crib Trigger Lock & Safety Peg” component.
• The Land of Nod cribs, made by Status Furniture, were recalled. This model has a drop-side bar that is known to break or fail occasionally.
• Pottery Barn has recalled all drop-side cribs manufactured between 1999 and 2010 due to entrapment hazards, suffocation risks, and possible fall hazards.
• Multiple manufacturers recalled cribs in October 2010 due to faulty hardware. Victory Land Group recalled 34,000 Heritage Collection 3-in-1 Drop-side Cribs. Angel Line recalled 3,400 Longwood Forest cribs and Angel Line cribs. Ethan Allen recalled 3,250 drop-side Ethan Allen cribs.
• The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled the largest number of drop-side cribs in June 2010. This included 750,000 Evenflo Jenny-Lin cribs and 747,000 Delta Enterprise Corp. Cribs.

Graco and Simplicity have also recalled cribs due to the issue. Stork Craft has also recalled cribs. Many large corporations have stopped manufacturing or selling drop-side cribs. The CPSC has also banned traditional drop-side cribs since June 28, 2011.

Falling Mattress

Several cribs were recalled due to unstable mattress supports. Infants and toddlers may be seriously injured or even suffocate when the mattress fails.

• IKEA recalled more than 26,000 cribs sold by SNIGLAR in the U.S.A. and Canada because the mattress bolts weren’t long enough to hold the mattress. This caused the mattress to collapse and detach.
• Many Simplicity cribs have been recalled between 2007 and 2010 because the mattress frame support could bend or collapse, posing a suffocation hazard.
• Delta Enterprise Corp. recalled cribs with a wooden stabilizing bar in 2010 due to concerns that it would not provide enough stability and could cause the mattress to collapse.

The health of an infant is just as important as the crib. Make sure the mattress meets all safety standards and hasn’t been recalled.

Repairing Recalled Cribs

Parents who discover that their cribs have been recalled should take several steps to protect their baby from injury. Stop using a crib that has been recalled immediately. Verify that the crib was correctly installed and determine if it needs updated hardware. Do not attempt to fix a crib that has been recalled yourself. Follow the instructions from the manufacturer or CPSC. Some companies will provide you with a repair kit or spare parts to replace the defective hardware. Test it before you let your baby use it again after the repairs.

Keeping Babies Safe is an organization that is dedicated to the safety of children’s products. They note that in the past few years, over 11 million cribs were recalled. The organization provides tips for parents who are using recalled cribs to help make babies safe, including only using manufacturer-provided parts to fix recalled cribs and making sure the crib is not missing any bolts, screws, or other hardware. It is better to buy a new crib if the manufacturer doesn’t provide a solution for the recalled crib.

Armed with Information

Arm yourself with knowledge when it comes to the safety of your baby. Learn how to register your crib and stay informed about any product recalls. Know the steps you need to take if you have a crib that has been recalled so you can be sure that your child is safe when he/she is sleeping.