As a petite woman, I don’t face many obstacles in life—most of the time, there’s someone taller nearby to lend a helping hand. However, short moms everywhere know the struggle of maneuvering their little ones in and out of cribs. It’s a reality that often doesn’t hit until you’re in the midst of crib shopping, only to find that all the options seem to tower over you.
Enter Jessica Lane, who captured a hilarious moment of her 5’1″ mother attempting to tuck her grandchild into bed and shared it on Facebook. The video quickly went viral, giving everyone a peek into the daily challenges faced by shorter moms.
I stand at 5’3″. When I went crib-hunting for my twins back in 2008, I was absolutely floored—seriously, floored—that crib sides were practically skyscrapers! The thought of gently lowering my babies onto their mattresses made me uneasy. Yes, everyone told me babies are resilient, but I had my doubts about repeatedly dropping them from a height. Thankfully, back then, drop-side cribs were still a thing.
Oh, the joy of drop-side cribs. For those unfamiliar, these ingenious designs allowed one or more sides to lower, making it a breeze to access your baby’s bed. They were convenient, stylish, and occasionally hazardous, which led the Consumer Product Safety Commission to ban them on June 28, 2011. This was a significant blow for short moms everywhere—necessary for safety, yes, but still a tough pill to swallow.
Since then, many vertically challenged mothers have had to get creative. Some have resorted to using step stools, climbing gear, or, in the case of Jessica’s mom, taking a literal dive into the crib. Fortunately, there are cribs with “lower side profiles” and adjustable mattress heights, but for those stuck with the towering fixed-rail models, the struggle remains very real. Jessica’s mom’s video has now racked up an impressive 16 million views, proving just how relatable this experience is.
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In summary, short moms navigate an array of amusing—and sometimes precarious—situations when it comes to caring for their little ones, especially when it comes to cribs. Despite the height challenges, they find ways to adapt and make the best of it.