It stands to reason that generations upon generation were brought up in old iron beds and those same people raised their children in iron cribs. So it would seem those iron cribs would be as secure and strong as they were 150 to 200 years ago. Right? Yes……But are they safe for your baby today absolutely not. And why? There was never really an issue with the safety of iron beds. But how many children met with accidents in the old iron cribs will never really be known. The biggest problem with the iron cribs is due to the spacing of the vertical rods. Today’s standards require that the spokes are no more than 2″ apart, so there’s no chance of a child getting theri head caught between the spokes. Old iron cribs had no regulatory agencies telling them they had to meet certain safety standards. Consequently sfety was often sacrificed for the sake of design. And design was not always safe. Many parents back then did the same thing many parents do today…..they place the child between them when they sleep. I never sell cribs to expectant mothers. I’ll only sell a crib to someone that will sign a release form agreeing that the bed is only going to be used to display a collection of dolls or be used as a dog bed or settee.
Moms don’t fool yourself these old beauties are not safe. The sides aren’t always secure and sometimes can come down without provocation. There are numerous safety issues that simply can’t be corrected. Do yourself a favor. Enjoy the old iron beds……..but avoid the old iron cribs.
