# OLD crib - safe to use??



## moxygirl (Jun 23, 2009)

We had been cosleeping with DS but it's not working for any of us. He's even happier in his PNP - where he can roll around to his heart's content - than in the bed and we just received a used crib from DH's grandparents and a very nice new Sealy mattress from his parents.

The problem is, the crib is from 1991! It seems in decent condition. It's solid wood, I believe, no plywood. There's a little wearing here and there of the varnish. The slats seem to be the correct distance apart but some are a tad loose. It has double drop sides.

Is this safe to use?? (My biggest concern is always lead. Could there be lead in the varnish??)

Thanks!


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## Bokonon (Aug 29, 2009)

I would never use a crib that old, especially one with drop-sides. And loose slats are just asking for trouble.


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## LionessMom (Mar 12, 2008)

all drop side cribs have been recalled i believe. i wouldnt use it.

i would get a new crib and side car it. maybe your lo would like his own space but still be next to mom...


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## moondiapers (Apr 14, 2002)

Many drop side cribs have been recalled because of improper use. If used properly they are safe. There hasn't been lead in crib paint in decades, but the loose slats aren't safe. Also, a crib that is used might not have the proper hardware holding it together (this was the problem with a lot of the cribs that were recalled, people would put them away and then get them back out for the next child but not put them back together correctly).

You could get a newer crib, even one with one drop side....just remove the dropside and side car it.


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## MangoMommy (Oct 20, 2008)

That crib is nearly 20 yrs old. I wouldn't use it.







Sorry.


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

I'd just dig through the CPSC's recall lists (I do believe they go back that far) and see if it was recalled. If not, I'd still use it.


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## BathrobeGoddess (Nov 19, 2001)

I use my oldest dd crib from 1995 and it was used so it might be from 1991...the slat distance hasn't changed at all in that time and the drop side is the steel bar type that aren't going to come off or break, not the plastic clip type. I actually think cribs from that time are much safer than the newer ones...they are way more solid! I would never use a crib with the plastic tab style drop side, even if it has not been recalled!

Now loose slats...that I wouldn't use...


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

I agree with bathroom goddess.

What do you mean by loose slats. Could they be repaired safely?


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## moxygirl (Jun 23, 2009)

Thanks everyone! I'll check the recall list once DS goes to bed.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lifeguard* 
I agree with bathroom goddess.

What do you mean by loose slats. Could they be repaired safely?

A few of them jiggle a little. It's not much at all. They seem to slide into a slot on top and bottom. I'm not familiar with cribs so I'm not sure how typical this set up is.


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## lunarlady (Jan 4, 2010)

I would use it, but then I also let DD sleep in a crib from about 1910, I just chained the drop side up (yes, I used a chain. It was a metal crib) and made sure it had no exposed old paint. But then, my DD sleeps like a rock, and we never use the crib for anything but sleeping.


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## sushi0077 (Jun 21, 2010)

I believe drop rail cribs have been recalled due to strangulation hazard. Even if it wasn't recalled, I wouldn't use it. The APA recommends that cribs and car seats should be new. Everything else can be used.


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## Bokonon (Aug 29, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sushi0077* 
I believe drop rail cribs have been recalled due to strangulation hazard. Even if it wasn't recalled, I wouldn't use it. The APA recommends that cribs and car seats should be new. Everything else can be used.











And it's important to keep in mind that products usually get recalled AFTER injuries and deaths have occurred.


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## BathrobeGoddess (Nov 19, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sushi0077* 
I believe drop rail cribs have been recalled due to strangulation hazard. Even if it wasn't recalled, I wouldn't use it. The APA recommends that cribs and car seats should be new. Everything else can be used.

It was only some drop side cribs, not all. All the recalled cribs had plastic drop side tabs that would either break, be installed incorrectly or come off the track. What the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission did was re-write the regulations for cribs to include fixed sides. The rest of the 1990 regulations remain the same. As long as you know the history of the crib (or car seat for that matter), reusing it is fine. I was certainly not going to buy a brand new crib for all four of my children...


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## moxygirl (Jun 23, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BathrobeGoddess* 
It was only some drop side cribs, not all. All the recalled cribs had plastic drop side tabs that would either break, be installed incorrectly or come off the track. What the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission did was re-write the regulations for cribs to include fixed sides. The rest of the 1990 regulations remain the same. As long as you know the history of the crib (or car seat for that matter), reusing it is fine. I was certainly not going to buy a brand new crib for all four of my children...

Thank you! It doesn't have plastic anything anywhere on it. It has all metal hardware.

Why is it important to know the history of the crib?
I figured once I cleaned it (it WAS pretty dirty with some questionable substances splattered on it but I cleaned it thoroughly with Lysol then wiped it off with clear water) it would be fine. Are there other things to worry about?


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## moobiegirl (Sep 10, 2007)

I would use it. We are using a used crib with two drop sides (I know the history too). Not all drop side cribs have been recalled. Just make sure you have all the correct hardware and put it together correctly.


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## Mom2M (Sep 23, 2006)

I would definitely use it. Not all cribs with drop sides are bad! That's like saying all slings are bad because some are recalled.
I hate wasting and buying new stuff when the old stuff is fine.
The slats need to be good, though. If you can screw them on securely then they should be fine.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

I would be more worried about the slats than the drop side issue myself. If the slats are at all loose, I would not use it.

That said, I'm not against using an older crib. Like a PP said, sometimes the older furniture was made better. We are going to use a crib that was manufactured in 1997 - it has a drop side (metal) but no recalls & it's a much nicer and higher quality crib than anything I've found to date in stores.


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## moxygirl (Jun 23, 2009)

I talked to my husband about everyone's responses. We're going to put it together (correctly







) and then test it for sturdiness.

The slats don't screw on. They're permanently fitted into slots on the top and bottom rails (if that makes sense). Some of them jiggle the tiniest bit. If they seem too loose/unsturdy, my husband will fix them. If the drop sides don't stay put, my husband will find a way to make them fixed sides (he's very handy like that). If it still doesn't seem safe, we'll trash it and buy a (cheap) new one.

My next question is, why is it important to know the history of the crib? I've seen several people mention that. I know nothing about it except that DH's grandparents picked it up at a yardsale. It's a gorgeous oak crib with all metal hardware and looks like it will outlast any other piece of furiniture we own.







It was pretty filthy but I cleaned it up all OCD-like and now it's spotless. Is there anything dangerous about not knowing the history??

Thanks!


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## lunarlady (Jan 4, 2010)

I think the history is so you will know if it was broken at some point and maybe repaired using non-standard hardware. Or maybe it was repainted/revarnished by somebody somewhere along the line. If it is a wood crib, I think you're pretty safe. I might consider a chew guard for it eventually if your baby decides the top rail is a chew toy.


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## Bokonon (Aug 29, 2009)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,3772497.story


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## childsplay (Sep 4, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BathrobeGoddess* 
I use my oldest dd crib from 1995 and it was used so it might be from 1991...the slat distance hasn't changed at all in that time and the drop side is the steel bar type that aren't going to come off or break, not the plastic clip type. I actually think cribs from that time are much safer than the newer ones...they are way more solid! I would never use a crib with the plastic tab style drop side, even if it has not been recalled!

Now loose slats...that I wouldn't use...


Same here.....one of my twins were in a crib that my oldest - born in 1994 was in - and it was given to me by a family friend back then. The slats were no wider and the crib itself was a beast. Solid I mean. Seriously, I used to joke with DH that if a hurricane hit that we should all head for the crib because it would be the only thing standing.
My newer cribs with the plastic tabs both broke and needed to be secured with heavier screws.


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## justKate (Jun 10, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Bokonon* 
http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,3772497.story

From the article:

Quote:

Drop-side cribs have been around for decades, but consumer advocates say they are not as sturdy as those of the past. Older cribs had metal rods that guided the drop-side up and down. Many newer cribs have plastic tracking guides for the drop-side that critics say are more prone to breaking.
I have my own crib in our bedroom, available for DD to use if she were so inclined. It is solid wood and metal, made by Basset Furniture in 1979. My father, who put it together in 1980, cleaned it and put it together for me in 2009 with the same hardware. I did take the knobs off of the four corners, because I think they could be a strangulation hazard, and checked the slats to make sure they're of an appropriate distance. I would have no qualms about DD sleeping in this crib.

If you put it together properly, find that the drop side isn't controlled with plastic clips or the like (per the above article), check to ensure that it conforms to current safety standards re. knobs, slat distance, etc., are comfortable with the history (repairs, paint?) or lack thereof, have a properly fitting mattress and feel comfortable doing so, I would use it.

If you have any doubts, put the baby's mattress on the floor.


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## whamuel (Jun 30, 2010)

I think it can be fine to use older cribs, as long as you know they are well made and have rigorously tested their safety. Living in Pennsylvania gives great access to amish furniture, which can last for years because of the quality construction.


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