How does a drop side cot work?
A drop-side crib is built so that at least one side slides up and down (hence the “drop” in the name), so that a parent can access their baby without reaching so far over the side. Tragically, there were instances in which a baby slipped into this inadvertent gap, became trapped, and was either strangled or suffocated.
Why are drop side cots banned?
Loose or breaking slats, filler bars or rails in the drop side that create dangerous gaps, which a child can become trapped in or fall through. Failing mechanisms and hardware which causes the drop side to separate, or not engage or lock properly or efficiently, creating hazardous gaps.
When do you drop cot sides?
Most toddlers make the move from cot to bed anywhere between about 18 months and three years. However, there’s no hard and fast rule for when it has to be – it’s different for every family.
What is a drop cot?
This is particularly true when choosing a cot. A drop side cot is a cot where one side of the cot lowers, so that a parent or carer can reach the child without falling into the cot or dropping your baby (cue the multitude of home videos of parents head first and bottoms up inside their child’s cot).
What is a drop side mechanism?
The mechanism is integrated into the side rail, with specially designed metal pins connected to the cot ends. Together, the mechanism not only auto lock in both up and down position, and it require two consecutive actions to unlock, eliminated possibility of the side rail to sudden drop or partial detach from the cot.
How high should cot sides be?
Height adjustable base The distance between the top of the mattress and the top of the cot sides should be at least 50cm, to prevent your baby from climbing out when they become more mobile. You need to make sure that your baby’s arms or legs cannot get caught down the side of the cot or between bars. Psst!
Do cot beds have drop sides?
So while EN716 drop-side cots might be banned in the UK, they are in fact safe and legal in the UK and due to the many years of testing and increased requirements, parents continue to buy them everyday.
Why are drop side COTS dangerous for babies?
This was largely down to non-functioning, cheap, plastic safety mechanisms that went on to break and create a dangerous V-shape gap between the mattress and the drop-side rail. However in the UK, detailed and rigorous testing is undertaken on drop-side cots to ensure their safety to young babies.
Why did the sides of the drop sided cot come down?
The sides of the little girl’s drop-sided cot had come down because of worn-out hardware and wedged her tiny body in a dangerous gap between the mattress and the slats of the cot. Colin’s blood turned to ice. He yelled “She’s dead!” Carolyn was still in bed. “When I heard him I thought, he is overreacting she can’t be dead.”
Why are drop side COTS illegal in the USA?
The USA made drop side cots illegal in 2011, due to a number of incidents which tragically resulted in infant deaths in some cases. This was largely down to non-functioning, cheap, plastic safety mechanisms that went on to break and create a dangerous V-shape gap between the mattress and the drop-side rail.
How does drop side cot at babymore work?
Babymore’s unique ‘Lift and Nudge’ drop side mechanism is one of few that passed the rigorous test of the latest British safety standard. The mechanism is integrated into the side rail, with specially designed metal pins connected to the cot ends.