When I first put together the "Before You Buy a Baby Crib" article that one of our forum users provided, I added a recommendation against buying cribs with fold-down sides. My reasoning was that the hinged side presented a way for an industrious baby to gain a foothold to climb out. Several Baby Products forum members challenged this idea, saying that the folding hinge was too high and slanted for babies to climb. I've researched the issue more and I stand corrected! Folding side cribs are safe so long as the mattress is low enough and the hinge high enough to keep a climbing baby inside. Click the link to check out the updated article.