Mum warns parents of unexpected cot danger after it breaks, risking son's life

"You think your little one is safely asleep... until you wake up to this!"

When mum Clarinda walked into her young son's room recently, she was alarmed to see that the side of his cot was open.

After figuring out how that had happened, by watching the baby monitor footage, she knew she had to share the danger with other parents.

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"I hope this brings awareness"

Posting the footage on her socials, Clarinda wrote in the caption:

"He is totally fine, thank God.

"I was shocked walking into his room and the side of his cot was open/off! He didn't cry at all. I only found out this happened because I looked at the replay of the camera to see how it opened in the first place.

"Another thing to add to the list that parents have to worry about and constantly check.

"The screws came loose and fell out causing it to open when he pressed up against it. If anything, I hope this brings awareness to parents to check those screws. The manufacturer has been contacted.

Credit: Clarinda Leanne/Facebook

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"The movement loosens them over time"

Thousands of viewers were grateful to the mum for sharing her story.

For example, one wrote, "Hopefully this brings some awareness to check those screws to make sure they haven't become loose."

In the comments section, Clarinda explained that it had been two years since the cot was first assembled, to which came the reply:

"Lots of people don't know that they need to regularly tighten the bolts on cribs and beds. The movement loosens them over time, and it is really fast sometimes. Adding in washers to the bolts can help slow this down."

Others shared similar reminders to re-check baby items, such as this mum, who admitted: " I looked in my rearview mirror the other day to see my two-year-old really wobbling hard from side to side as we went around a corner.

"Seemed unusual, so I checked her seat when we got home. Either her or my four-year-old had COMPLETELY unbuckled the seat from the buckle holding it down. No idea how long it was like that. One of those things I was confident in that I gotta check on now."

Expert advice on cot safety

Sarah Hunstead, a paediatric registered nurse who promotes child safety, told Kidspot:

"In Australia there is a new mandatory standard for household cots, introduced in July 2024.

"The ACCC says that the new mandatory standards aim to reduce the risk of death and injury from products that babies do or may fall asleep in.

"The ACCC Product Safety household cots guide is a great resource for families. Using this guide helps ensure their baby's cot meets safety standards.

"Regular checks and maintenance can prevent hazards like broken slats, loose parts or gaps, reducing the risk of accidents."

Safe cots and how to use them

The Raising Children Network site says:

"The safest cot is one that meets Australian/NZ Standard AS/NZS 2172. All new cots sold in Australia meet this Standard. Look for the Standards label, or check with the manufacturer or retailer.

"You can get the details of AS/NZS 2172 at Product Safety Australia – Household cots."

The site also makes the following recommendations:

Using your cot safely

• Use the cot according to the instructions.
• Make sure that there’s no more than a 20-mm gap between the mattress and any of the cot sides.
• Make sure the cot is well maintained and clean.
• Keep the space inside the cot clear – no pillows, toys, bumpers and so on.
• Position the cot so that there’s a 30-cm clear space around it.
• Check that your child can’t reach windows, mosquito nets, blind cords, nappy bags and so on.

Originally published as Mum warns parents of unexpected cot danger after it breaks, risking son's life