Are all drop-side cribs higher from the ground?

[Anonymous]

I posted this in the General Parenting Discussion Forum, but maybe Expectant Mom's know more about this!

I read that drop-side cribs are convenient if you are short and it seems like that would be quite handy from looking at some in the baby store.

However, all the drop side cribs I've seen seem to be higher from the floor, because the movable side needs some space to move down it seems. Hence either their legs are longer, they have wheels or a drawer underneath. So basically it looks like the basic height for a drop-side crib is around 43" to 48".

Stationary cribs that are low to the ground are about 35"-37" high.

So by the time you lower the drop-side crib down, you'd have the same height as the stationary crib (I think the drop comes down to about 35"?).

And since the distance between the top of the mattress to the top of the crib side is a standard distance (I think with the lowest mattress setting it's 22" I was told), what are you gaining by getting a drop-side crib? It's not like the drop side goes down 20" or so...

Am I missing something? Aren't the stationary crib and the drop-side crib with a lowered side more or less at the same height???

[Anonymous]

I was worried about that very issue but didn't do nearly as much research as you did. I found a crib at JCPennys on-line that had a fold down side. Here's the link:
http://www3.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=57087&CatID=57950&GrpTyp=PRD&ItemID=137ba52&attrtype=&attrvalue=&CmCatId=57087|57097|57950

Honestly, I'm 5'2" - we have a 30lb one year old and I've NEVER used the fold down rail except to "check it out" when we first put the bed together. If I had know that, I'd have bought the crib with the stationary side rail that I liked better...

[Anonymous]

We had similar crib questions. If you can get down to Buy Buy Baby in Springfield, I would highly recommend the trip. They had the most helpful sales staff that I have ever encountered in a chain store. The sales rep spent almost 45 minutes explaining cribs and mattresses to us. She was good about making recommendations based on our height, without putting any pressure on us to buy anything. One thing to consider is that some of the stationary cribs do have lower sides than the drop side cribs. That was a concern to us since we are both very tall and expect we might have a tall son. We didn't want him to be able to climb out. Even if you don't buy your crib at Buy Buy Baby, it is worth the trip for the education.

[Anonymous]

I'm only 5'3" and love our stationary-side crib. Never had a problem, including when I was pregnant with #2 and lifting a nearly 30 pound 2 yo out of it. The drop-side seemed like just one more thing that could make noise or break.