How To Choose A Baby`s Crib?

If you`ll soon become a parent, you have most definitely already wondered how to choose your baby`s crib.

A crib will probably be the place where your child will spend his nights the next 2 or 3 years, so it`s best to be well informed about what you buy. It goes without saying that the crib must be solid, with no sharp edges or cracked planks.

There are also parents who prefer during the first few weeks to sleep with their babies in their bed or in a small basket next to their bed. No matter your option, at one point you`ll certainly need to buy a crib, so it`s best to know even from the start that they tend to be rather expensive.

Wooden Cribs

Wooden cribs are stable, resistant and durable. If you are thinking of having more children, a wooden crib is the best solution. Such a product generally has standard measures and will be easy to find a suitable mattress or to change it in case it gets damaged. A wooden crib is also very comfortable, the child being able to move freely. Also, the crib doesn`t move from its place and doesn`t shudder, even though your little one will soon start to move around in it or try to get out of the crib.

Some parents are afraid that the little one will hit himself on the bars, and they are right to be concerned. After 6 -7 months, the child starts to manifest his joy, sadness, roll over and be more active even in his sleep, and he may hit himself on the bars. Most of the times, the crib has gadgets around the bars that would mitigate any impact and protect the baby.

A wooden crib generally has 2 positions. In the first months of life, the mother needs to have rapid access to the baby and be able to put him in the crib as easily as possible. So, the mattress will be positioned as close as possible to the top of the crib, and when the baby is able to stand on his feet, the mattress to be positioned closer to the bottom of the crib, so the baby cannot jump from it.

A wooden crib cannot be transported on vacation, but it can be moved from one room to another, because most products of this type are designed with wheels.

The price of a wooden crib varies depending on the wood used when it was made. The most appreciated cribs are made of oak, beech or maple.

Folding Crib

A folding crib is made of synthetic material, plastic, textile and also has a support made out of metal. It`s easy to assemble, fold and carry. This means that the baby will be able to sleep in his own bed anywhere you`ll find yourself. Such a crib can be easily washed, the covers are detachable and can be moved to the washing machine.

On its sides, there`s a transparent net through where you can see the baby and for him to see you in case you are sleeping in the same room with him. He won`t be able to catch his hand or foot in this net, drop his favorite toy, milk bottle or pacifier (as it happens with wooden cribs). Unfortunately, the net may break or damage faster than the bars of a wooden crib.

The folding crib can be used as a playground. If you want for your baby not to sink his legs in the mattress too much, you can always get a more firm mattress, specific for playing around.

The folding crib can be very colorful and it often comes with a few accessories that may include table wrap, lying mesh under the mattress, pockets for storing various necessities, mosquito, etc.

The price of a folding crib differs from one model to another. If such a simple crib can be cheaper than one made of wood, a folding one with accessories can be much more expensive than a wooden crib.

Folding cribs lose points when it comes to stability compared with a wooden crib. Some children are much more active and can move such a crib from its place, even during sleep. Some babies are very agitated in their sleep and it`s possible to notice that the crib has moved overnight, especially if it`s placed on linoleum or parquet. The mattress doesn`t sit well in such a crib either. – More info!

The folding crib also has 2 positions for the mattress. A superior one, which moves with every turn of the baby, and an inferior one, which offer much more stability, but you may need to change the mattress in case the one that came with the crib is too thin.

A very popular model of folding crib these days is represented by the extensible or transformable crib. It`s very trendy and useful at the same time. This one looks just like a normal crib for babies, but later it can be transformed in a bed for older children. With this option you don`t need to worry for a new bed until your child starts going to school.

When buying such a crib, keep in mind the following:

• Weight: Make sure that the crib isn`t too heavy! When you travel with the baby, always look for ways to have fewer and more easy luggage. The easier is the crib, the better! – Learn more!
• Size: You may fold the crib to take it with you on the airplane or car. Look for a model that can be made as small as possible to occupy as little space as possible. Ideally, it shouldn`t have more than 40 cm in diameter when it`s closed and it would also be best to have its own bag for transport.
• Mounting: The last thing you want is to wake up at your destination and struggle to mount it. This process should be done in a single step, and the same should be when you want to close it. Mounting would be advisable not to last more than 30 seconds and be able to be done by a single person.
• Easy access to the baby: It`s recommended to have an easy access to the baby. Look for cribs with side parts that would protect the baby. You can also look for cribs that would later transform in playgrounds for your baby to play, and with an entrance with zipper, so that your child can exist and enter on its own.
• Ventilation: The crib needs to ensure a good circulation of air. Look for cribs on each side.
• Warranty: Last but not least, look for quality! The best cribs come with a lifetime guarantee.

How to Choose a Baby`s Crib?

The joy of having a bay in your belly might make you think more at the price. You`ll want to choose the biggest and most beautiful crib. But the most important criteria that you need to think about when deciding on what crib to buy is safety. That is because from all products that your baby will use, cribs are the one responsible for most accidents. Study carefully the crib that you want to buy!

• The side rails need to be adjustable and fixed. In the United States is forbidden to commercialize cribs with adjustable rails, due to safety reasons.
• The distance between the bars of the crib shouldn`t be more than 3 – 4 cm for the little ones not to catch their head, hands or legs between them.
• If the crib has wheels, it should also have barriers (devices to block the wheels), so that it wouldn’t move with every movement of the child.
• Check if the screws or fastening systems are solid and well fitted.
• The crib should be painted with non-conforming substances. If it`s new, ask for a quality certificate in which it should be specified the substance used for painting and varnishing. If the crib is older, you need to ensure that there weren`t any lead-containing substances used.
• The mattress needs to fit perfectly with the crib`s frames. If it`s smaller, the baby may slip between the crib`s frame and mattress. If it`s too big, it wouldn`t fit in the crib. Moreover, the mattress needs to be perfectly stretched.
• Check carefully for the crib not to have any defects like cracks, wood chips detached from the crib, corners, damaged covers or any holes in the net.

Factors to Consider

You need to consider a series of factors when choosing a crib:

• Mobility: If you want a crib that you could take with you in vacations, you may opt for a folding crib; if not, you may choose a wooden crib.
• Multiple levels: It`s recommended for the crib to have at least 2 levels, so that after 6 or 7 weeks when he starts moving more to be able to lower it down a bit more, and then when he`ll be able to stand up on his feet, he won`t be able to fall from it.
• Resistance: The crib needs to be pretty resistant, as after the baby will grow a bit more and be able to stand on his feet, he`ll start jumping around in his bed as well.
• Number of bars & Space between them: If you choose a crib with bars, they need to be narrow and with very small spaces in between, so the baby won`t be able to slip between them.

The most common accidents caused by a crib are falling and the baby`s suffocation with the bed`s sheets or due to the fact that he spends a lot of time with the sheet`s ties around his neck, which remain wrapped. – Visit this link!

Only then you can make the choice depending on design, color, price, accessories (some cribs already have various accessories suspended, which it`s best to remove when he starts to be able to stand.