When is it time to lower the mattress support in my baby’s crib?

We experienced childhood in a sort of reverse order with our children: our first daughter was adopted when she was almost 5 years old (making her our first child!), our second daughter was adopted when she was 11 months old (making her our first toddler!), and our third child (and first son) was adopted as a newborn (our first baby!). This meant that the first time we needed to figure out when to transition out of a crib was with our second child, and the first time we needed to lower our mattress support in a crib was with our third child. We did not have the benefit of experience to help us! 

Most cribs that are built today have at least two height settings for the mattress support. Aside from the lowest setting, these options are for the convenience and ease-of-use of the care-giver. In general, parents use the highest setting with their newborn to make it easier to place their baby in the crib. But it isn’t necessary! You can use the crib on its lowest mattress support setting with your newborn, thereby avoiding the necessity of lowering it later on. It really is a question of preference. However, as your baby becomes more mobile, you must lower the mattress support accordingly. As soon as your baby can lift him or herself onto their hands and knees, lower the mattress support to its lowest setting as soon as possible. Why? They can move around now, which includes moving to the crib railing and looking around. Babies can topple out of their crib if they can get their head past the crib railing.

Surprise! Time to lower the mattress support!

​When you adjust the mattress support, you must ensure that you have done everything correctly and that your crib is secure and stable. When you place the mattress back into the crib, be sure that it sits flat on the mattress support and that the mattress protective sheet and the fitted sheet are properly installed. If, for some reason, you have difficulty adjusting the mattress support or reinstalling the mattress, get some help. Contact the manufacturer to verify that you have followed the instructions, or to ensure that you have all the necessary pieces. Never place a baby in a crib if you are not certain that everything is assembled properly. 

LuLé can help! If you have ordered a LuLé crib, you can ask us to assemble the mattress support at your desire height when we deliver and assemble your crib. We can even give you a hands-on tutorial showing you how to adjust the mattress support in the future

​When should you lower your mattress support to its lowest height? Health Canada recommends lowering a mattress support to its lowest height as soon as your child can lift themselves up onto their hands and knees.
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Want to learn more?
Health Canada and Crib Safety: Is Your Child Safe? - Canada.ca

Estimates from American Hospitals show that thousands of parents arrive at emergency rooms with babies that have been injured by falling out of cribs: Injuries Associated With Cribs, Playpens, and Bassinets Among Young Children in the US, 1990–2008 | American Academy of Pediatrics (aappublications.org)

​Be happy, be safe, and enjoy your baby!