Drop-side cribs are now officially illegal

Don’t even think of trying to unload that old-school crib that’s been in your mom’s garage for thirty-five years. As of December 29, 2016, drop-side cribs (cribs where one side can be moved up and down on a mechanism to allow easier access to the baby) will be considered more than just a bad idea—they’ll be flat-out illegal.

In an announcement last Wednesday, the Government of Canada introduced new Cribs, Cradles and Bassinets Regulations (CCBR) to improve the safety of sleep environments for babies and young children. (The previous CCBR, introduced in 2010, were some of the most stringent in the world, but the update is even more strict.)

The new regulations will prohibit the sale, importation, manufacture or even advertisement of drop-side crib models after 104 reports of incidents involving them between 2000 and 2016—including one concussion and one fatality.

Admittedly, it’s pretty hard to find drop-side cribs these days as previous recommendations have frowned on them for a long time, but now stores still carrying an inventory of these types of cribs could face fines. The same goes anyone who tries to sell them secondhand (including your yearly garage sale) or even give them away.

The CCBR also includes new requirements and testing requirements for manufacturers for accessories sold for use with cribs, cradles and bassinets, including mattresses, soft objects and textiles, and stands.

Read more: Study: “Crib bumpers are killing babies” How to move your baby to the crib without waking him up White noise machines: Safe for babies?