In 2011, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in America banned dropside cots. These cots were designed to allow easier access to the baby. By sliding down the railing on one side, or both baby is within easy reach. Once a popular cot design, this cot is no longer manufactured. They cannot be sold or donated in the USA. There is a long history of recalls. Why is it such?
Safety Issues Cited For Drop Gate
To build a dropside cot, a gap is needed between the mattress and railing. There were reports of babies becoming trapped and suffocated or got strangled in the gap.
For softwood cots, such as pine wood, hardware can loosen over time, reducing the strength of the lock. Over time, plastic dropside hardware can break, warp or go missing. Human error from assembly can also occur, installing the dropside upside down, increasing wear on the hardware.
Still A Popular Cot In Asia and UK
Despite the US ban, many Asian and British baby retailers still carry dropside cot models. Reason being Asians are of a smaller stature, and easy reach is a priority to ease the pressure on our backs. Most cot railings need to be around 84-90cm in the highest position and cannot be reduced, making it challenging for shorter people to lay a sleeping baby down.
When your baby is old enough, the base of the cot will be set to the lowest position and parents would have to bend even further over to lift a heavier child several times a day. Fixed dropside cots might cause even more safety hazards, such as incorrect form when laying your baby down.
US safety standards were also much less stringent than UK/EU safety standards. Prior to the 2011 ban, dropside cots in the US did not require auto locking while in its highest position. Thus, the dropsides could be easily moved by a child. Their testing rigour was not as detailed and strict as UK/EU too.
Functionality vs Safety
The choice is up to you as parents.
Picket&Rail Baby&Kids sells both dropside cots and fixed side cots, with various models adhering to US/UK/EU safety standards and are EN 716 certified. The EN 716 certification mandates auto lock mechanism in both top and bottom positions, with two consecutive actions to unlock, lower, and raise the rail.
All of our dropside cots are made from hardwood variants, such as rubberwood, ensuring high quality in manufacturing. Certain models are fitted with auto locking metal hardware for durability. Our baby cot mattresses fit the dimensions of our cots perfectly to close the gap while still ensuring smooth dropside operation.
Our experienced consultants will advise you on the right bedding for your chosen cot model. We highly recommend periodically checking the hardware to ensure no wear and tear, and not to leave your baby unattended when the dropside is lowered.
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