The U.S. Government through the Consumer Product Safety Commission finally outlawed drop side cribs.  Millions of cribs have been recalled but still more than 30 children have been killed in the last decade because of the movable side on traditional cribs.

The ban on the cribs covers the sale of new cribs and resale of used cribs.  New cribs must have fixed and non-movable side walls. The new regulation takes effect in June 2011. The new regulation will also require hotels and child-care facilities to purchase new cribs within two years of the new regulation taking effect.

In the past nine years 9 million cribs have been recalled.  Around for decades, drop-side cribs have come under scrutiny in recent years because of malfunctioning hardware, sometimes cheaper plastics, or assembly problems that can lead to the drop-side rail partially detaching from the crib. When that happens, it can create a dangerous "V"-like gap between the mattress and side rail where a baby can get caught and suffocate or strangle.

Hopefully this new regulation will stop all these infant and toddler deaths that frankly should have stopped many years ago.  Shame on crib manufacturers from not doing this on their own.