Baby crib for tall parents with bad backs

April 11, 2005 5:32 PM

What's a good baby crib for tall parents with bad backs? Our son is five months old, and we're finally getting around to buying him a real crib. What kind should we get? We both have bad backs. And I'm 6'7" and my wife is 6'2". We've heard that some baby cribs have sides that drop down, which can make it easier to get the child into the crib without so much lifting. Some may release with only one hand. Maybe there are other features we should consider. We both like good elegant design, but we may not find a crib for a tall person that works and is nice to look at. Any ideas? Our son is already 20 pounds. Looks like he'll be tall.
posted by Alex Marshall to shopping (4 comments total)

I'm pretty sure all cribs have sides the lower, though they will vary in how easy it is to use the lowering mechanism.

However, I've also seen on television cribs that have something that looks like sliding doors on one side, so basically you open the door and there's a matress-level opening. [I'm taking it from your question that you want a lower access point, though I would have guessed tall people would want a higher mattress instead).
posted by duck at 5:51 PM on April 11, 2005

Check this out.
posted by duck at 5:54 PM on April 11, 2005

I'm 6'2", and had no problem with the crib my son and daughter both used. The crib was the "Molly" from the Pali company. (The Molly design is no longer being made, but everything they make is good.)

You may have to put something next to your child's crib that you can kneel on to put your son in the crib. The real problem is that cribs can't be so far off the ground that it will be easy for you to use them, because they wouldn't be safe if they were. The Pali line are among the best in the world: well-made and easy to use (the side comes down by pulling up with one hand, pushing in with your knee, then easing it down. You don't want a crib whose side goes down too easily, because then, again, it wouldn't be safe.

As your son gets older, of course, it will get more difficult for you in one way, because you will have to lower the mattress so he doesn't climb out. However, as he gets older, he will also learn to stand up and lie down, so you'll be able to put him in the crib standing up and then tell him to lie down (this may, of course, not always work).
posted by cerebus19 at 6:34 PM on April 11, 2005

I am 5'10" & got my son's crib from Sears, and it was fine on my back. All cribs have drop down sides to the best of my knowledge.

However, since your son is already 5 months old you may want to skip the crib or at least consider not spending millions on it: they have an expiration date. My son was happily climbing out of his and wandering off by 11 months. I had to give up on keeping him in it and so I moved him to a low regular toddler/youth bed: less climbing = less possibility of falling badly. Granted, that was the kid I found on top of the fridge more than once but even my calmer daughter was clambering out of her crib and gone by 18 months.
posted by mygothlaundry at 10:05 AM on April 12, 2005