ChildSafetyBlog.org has been anticipating with baited breath the announcement of this news: The manufacture and sale of drop-sided cribs in the United States is now banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The CPSC "approves strong, new crib safety standards to ensure a safe sleep for babies and toddlers." The mandatory crib standards--which had not been updated in almost 30 years--aim to "(1) stop the manufacture and sale of dangerous, traditional drop-side cribs; (2) make mattress supports stronger; (3) make crib hardware more durable; and (4) make safety testing more rigorous."

Since 2007, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled more than 11 million dangerous drop-side cribs produced by different childhood furniture and toy manufacturers.

Effective June 2011, all cribs manufactured or sold in the United States must comply with the new federal standards. Child care facilities, such as daycare centers, and places of public accommodation, such as hotels and motels, have 24 months from the date of publication of the Rule to be in compliance with the new federal standards.

In ChildSafetyBlog.org's view this is one of the single most important moves by the CPSC to date.

If parents are not sure whether they have a drop-side crib, the first thing to do is look at your baby's crib. A drop-side crib has a movable side that drops to allow parents and caregivers greater access than a fixed-sided crib to the baby or toddler in the crib. One side of a traditional drop-side crib can slide up and down.

A drop-side crib is considered to be less structurally sound and is subject to more problems due to assembly, movement, and storage, in addition to problems with loose hardware. Check the hardware on your child's crib often to make sure that it is not loose. With any crib, when parents and caregivers freshen their baby's bed, they can check the crib's hardware and make sure all hardware is tight. A drop-side or other crib may have wood-to-wood joints that become loose over time. Make sure to check for these as well, and if after tightening hardware and wood-to-wood joints, your child's crib is still not sturdy, get rid of the crib!

Also, if you have a drop-sided crib and one side of your child's crib is loose, do NOT push that side against the wall! CPSC says that "the wall, along with the loose side, can create a space where a child can smother."

The best thing to do if you have a drop-side crib--is to contact the manufacturer and return the crib. Manufacturers of recalled cribs can be located through the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Go to http://www.cpsc.gov to learn if your crib is one that has been recalled.