# So my crib was recalled....do I even need another one?



## BlackSheepPDX (Aug 28, 2008)

We bought a 3-in-1 convertible crib for DD, that would become a twin bed. We planned to cosleep from the beginning, but as noobie parents thought she would sleep on her own a lot sooner than she ultimately did (2.5 years). We thought that even as cosleepers, we'd have her taking some naps on her own (rarely...she wound up preferring to be worn during naps for many, many months). In other words, we didn't wind up using the crib very much at all. And when we discovered we were pregnant, we decided to buy a different bed for DD and re-use the crib (however rarely).

Now, it turns out the damn thing has been recalled. I know every child is different, and there's certainly a chance that Version 2.0 will be a different sleeper, and agree to sleep by themselves more readily than DD did. However, with a king bed on a low platform, do we really need a crib? What has your experience been?

I'm leaning towards returning the crib, taking the store credit (at Target) and putting it toward the Nautilus we'll be wanting next year when 2.0 outgrows the bucket, and we upgrade DD's seat in order to co-opt her Marathon.


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## PapayaMom (Sep 6, 2004)

We had a similar situation with our crib being recalled. I contacted the company and they emailed me a voucher good for the purchase of a new crib, I was hoping for store credit but it was only good towards a new crib, the nice thing was that it was the full retail value of our old crib, your manufacturer may have a different way of dealing with it. We did opt to get a new crib that was a convertible, our old one wasn't, that way if babe isn't a crib sleeper he will eventually use it as a toddler or full size bed. I though since he is my third it would be nice to have a safe place to put him while changing laundry, showering etc where he won't get mauled by the older two.

As far as I understand the recalls are being handled by the individual manufacturers and not by the place of purchase. But it is really easy to find out the info online and the process was pretty painless. I had to send in some of the cribs hardware using a provided fedex label two days later the voucher was in my inbox, printed it out brought it to babies r us and voila free crib.


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

If you have the option of not taking the crib, I would definatley do that. If this baby ends up needing/wanting one you can always deal with that then. If s/he doesn't--- then that's great too!


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## BlackSheepPDX (Aug 28, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PapayaMom* 
We had a similar situation with our crib being recalled. I contacted the company and they emailed me a voucher good for the purchase of a new crib, I was hoping for store credit but it was only good towards a new crib, the nice thing was that it was the full retail value of our old crib, your manufacturer may have a different way of dealing with it. We did opt to get a new crib that was a convertible, our old one wasn't, that way if babe isn't a crib sleeper he will eventually use it as a toddler or full size bed. I though since he is my third it would be nice to have a safe place to put him while changing laundry, showering etc where he won't get mauled by the older two.

As far as I understand the recalls are being handled by the individual manufacturers and not by the place of purchase. But it is really easy to find out the info online and the process was pretty painless. I had to send in some of the cribs hardware using a provided fedex label two days later the voucher was in my inbox, printed it out brought it to babies r us and voila free crib.

It's a Simplicity Ellis 3-in-1, and since Simplicity is out of business, it gets handled by the place of purchase, in this case Target, who I've already talked to, and it's store credit.

I'm just wondering how many co-sleeping families use a crib. We'll have a playpen thing for containment if needed. That may be the answer if we find we need something.


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

We had a crib, which made a great laundry basket for a few months, and then we took off one side (it was the kind that turns to a day-bed), and put it side-car to the big bed (our bed was high so a normal co-sleeper wouldnt have worked anyway).

Ds NEVER slept in it other than as a co-sleeper, it was too weird for me having him in a 'cage' and he mostly was in bed with me anyway.

If I have more kids, I wont bother with a crib (or pack and play) at all.


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## crunchy_mommy (Mar 29, 2009)

I woul definitely just use the store credit & get the carseat you want. If you're going to buy the carseat anyway, why not? And then you could always buy a crib down the line if you wanted to, but if you didn't, you wouldn't have wasted your money. (I guess I'm saying, think of the crib as money -- what do you want to spend the $ on?)

DS slept in his crib for all of 5 minutes his entire life. The crib was recalled but they would just send you some pieces to add on to it, so I went ahead & got the pieces. Even though the crib is disassembled, I figured at least if we wanted to sell/give it away, all the pieces to fix it would be there. But I am actually toying with just selling the crib. I am hesitant for the same reasons you mentioned, but I figure someone else could probably get use out of it NOW (before it's too old to be safe or something) and I cannot for the life of me picture another baby sleeping anywhere but in my arms or laying right beside me...


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BlackSheepPDX* 
I'm just wondering how many co-sleeping families use a crib. We'll have a playpen thing for containment if needed. That may be the answer if we find we need something.

Oh, you might want to ask this in the Nightime Parenting & The Family Bed forum, then! If you want me to move this thread instead of starting another (I am one of the Family Safety Moderators) just shoot me a PM. You could even ask it as a question with a poll if you wanted!

We are a co-sleeping family and we had a crib we used *maybe* a handful of times. With DD we kept it up pristinely. With DS since he was probably our last (and we knew we wouldn't use the crib anyway if we did have another) we let DD & her friends jump in it







They thought it was awesome--- it was like an enclosed personal trampoline with so useful handrails!

Definately don't get the crib. You know you need the carseat anyway, and you can always change your mind in the future.


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

Win! Thanks to the recall, you aren't out the money on your useless crib.







Lucky!


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TiredX2* 
we let DD & her friends jump in it







They thought it was awesome--- it was like an enclosed personal trampoline with so useful handrails!

Okay, *now* I'm tempted to go buy a crib.


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## Aufilia (Jul 31, 2007)

Woah, you got vouchers???? How does that work? We have a Storkcraft that was recalled a couple months ago and as far as I know we can't get anything for it. Which reeeally makes me very mad, because DS really does sleep and nap in the crib. The sent some plastic pieces that make the drop rail not drop anymore, so now it's too high for me to reach easily over to get him out.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

I prefer to have a non co-sleeping bedding option for naps and such. With DD we used the pack n play, with DS a crib. We never used it at night, just for naps when we weren't bed sharing. We'll be getting a crib again (DS's was used, I didn't know the history or model info and with all the recalls, I wanted to be on the safe side!). It's awesome though you are getting a gift certificate to Target! Maybe someone you know has a crib you can borrow? Or you can get by with the bassinett insert in a pack and play? Or maybe, you don't need it at all.







I'm clearly no help here!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Two kids, no crib, haven't missed it yet.

-Angela


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## MangoMommy (Oct 20, 2008)

We took our Ellis back too (it was a gorgeous white sleigh crib!) to BRU. I got a giftcard for $229 and did buy another crib, because even though all of my kids coslept, they all moved to a crib between 1 and 2 it seemed. I bought one on clearance for $175 I think? They had cheaper ones too.

That was 2 weeks ago...and the crib is still not put together in her room, which she doesn't use either LOL.


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## melijack1 (Nov 18, 2008)

My son's crib was recalled (Simplicity Crib n Changer combo), after we had already converted it to a toddler bed, and he was almost out of it anyway. I didn't feel bad at all about returning it to the store we purchased it from, who gave us cash back, instead of a store credit, which shocked me (I think that was right BEFORE Simplicity went out of business though, so I assume they submitted that to the manufacturer for repayment). We used the money to buy his new jr. lofted bed.

In short, I say heck yes, use the store credit for the car seat, something you KNOW you will use, and worry about the crib if it comes down to it. You would be buying both anyway in that eventuality, you're just doing it in reverse order.


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## BlackSheepPDX (Aug 28, 2008)

Yeah, I think I'm just getting rid of the crib and using the credit toward a carseat (assuming I can hold on to the credit for a while...we won't need the new carseat for almost a year from now based on the 9 months my DD lasted in the Safeseat, and I don't want to lose too much time on the life of the Nautilus-type-one). I'm hoping the KIDS will cosleep once we get to the point that 2.0 is nightweaned and moving out of our bed. We'll see how that works out.

Our "Pack'n'Play" is actually the big square play-yard one, not the usual bassinet set up kind. But I think it will work for containment if we need to.

The most annoying part is going to be breaking the crib down and taking it back to Target. It's been so handy for keeping my clean-but-not-put-away clothes on!


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## JTA Mom (Feb 25, 2007)

I use the crib as a side car. Gave us extra room!









I'd definitely return it. Why keep something around that's dangerous? Even if you throw it out, someone might see it and use it for their kids. Might as well have the darn thing destroyed and get some $$$ out of it.

I also had my crib recalled (Simplicity too). The target I went to was crazy though. They didn't believe me at first, then they pulled it up, then they had to call headquarters on how to pull it through--one associate even told me that because my crib was bought more than 90 days ago I was SOL!







--blah, blah, blah. They gave me the value of the crib in CASH. Then gave me a nice $25 gift card for the huge hassle. I *think* you can ask for cash, depends on the store, really. I was pretty adamant after all that crud that I didn't want a giftcard because if I didn't find a crib there I'd be out of luck holding a huge value card and then have to get another crib somewhere else. Just be a bit 'pregnant woman hear me roar' with them.









O/T vent but be prepared for clueless people. Dumb as bricks associate (aka return is too 'late') wasn't even phased by the words 'government recall'. Gosh, I could have throttled him. Then he told me that since I'd gotten some use out of it, I shouldn't get more than the lowest base price the crib sold for, even though I bought it 3 years ago when it was much higher.







Shoulda just gone to Babies R Us. Actually, OP, go there. They are much more knowledgeable about recalls AND their selection is greater. That way, if you can only get a gift card, your chances of getting a Nautilus are higher 1yr from now.

Ami


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