If you’re a parent, you can recall how hard it was starting. Even those who claimed to have been most prepared encountered new challenges they never experienced. That’s the beauty of each new arrival – you grow in the challenges as well. We hope to lighten the load and make your new arrival experience memorable in the best way possible.
One of the toughest decisions to make for expectant parents is the sleeping arrangements of their nestlings. Should they consider a bassinet vs crib? What is the difference really and what is a baby nursery? What if I’m tight on finances and I want a durable solution, can baby cribs suit my needs? Will I have any regrets afterwards or what are the cons versus the pros of getting baby cribs?
The questions go on and on. We would like to put you at ease through this comprehensive guide of all you need to know about this issue. You should have decided by the end if you will choose the best bassinet or if baby cribs would be ideal for your baby nursery.
What is a Baby Crib?
Without complicating things, a crib, in this case, doesn’t refer to the slang kind of crib for an apartment. This is simply a bed for a young tot with high ‘walls’ in the form of slats mostly made of wood. These wooden slatted sides all around the bed to keep the baby in check and prevent them from falling. The difference between baby cribs and a baby nursery is that the latter refers to the whole sleeping area or bedroom for the bambino.
Having discussed what is crib, how much knowledge you have concerning baby cribs before making a purchase? Well, let’s find out.
When Should You Buy a Baby Crib?
Ideally, the earlier the better. You don’t want the bundle of joy arrived before the crib arrives. Megastores and department stores don’t usually have baby cribs in-store, thus each order made is a special order. You also want to give your specifications and what desired preferences. What is standard crib size? Perhaps, this is what you want, and it’s determined by the best crib mattresses you can find.
Another factor to consider is the gender of the toddler. The best time to make an order for the best baby cribs is about 4-6 months before the baby is due. This will give the manufacturer ample time to make the bed and delivery. Make sure you’re clear on the return policies before proceeding with checkout just in case you’re not satisfied.
What Are Crib Safety Standards?
America’s Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has since 2011 set up safety standards for baby cribs which every manufacturer is expected to abide by. These have not only reduced infant death but also revolutionized the baby cribs industry. These crib safety tips include:
- ‘Bare is best’. This simply means that the crib should not be stuffed with pillows, blankets or thick quilts which might suffocate your infant. Keep toys away and the baby mobile should be out of reach.
- Cribs should be assembled using set standards and the date of manufacture must be indicated.
- The best crib mattresses should not allow spaces between the sides of the crib and the mattress larger than two fingers.
- The best crib mattresses have a standard size of 27 1/4 inches by 51 5/8 inches not going over a thickness of 6 inches – it should be snug fit when placed inside the best baby cribs.
For ‘pass-me-down’ kind of baby cribs, it should not have exceeded 10 years as it could be worn out and break easily.
- Keep the baby cribs far from any kind of cords – from the window blinds to curtain cords or even baby monitor cords to avoid cases of strangulation.
- Dust the underside of the cribs regularly and wash their bedding on a regular with unscented detergents and ensure pets stay far away from this section.
What Are Crib Types?
Sure you’re curious about the types of baby cribs available in the market. By the end, you should have a wide picture of the ideal baby cribs you would opt for regarding your present needs and preferences. Let’s now see how to get baby to sleep in the crib of the different makes and designs.
Standard Cribs
Steady, durable and the most simplistic of its kind! Standard cribs are not particularly ideal for you if your family is constantly on the go since they are relatively heavy. They can come in a simplistic traditional design, modern designs with boldly rounded edges and a huge list of industrial style cribs offering you iron slats and rails.
Their durability give parents an allowance to have more children use it in the future. They can be plain or have colorful finishes and you can also choose spindle cribs which carry a variety of different shapes, from circles to rectangular cribs. It simplifies your choice when considering how to choose a crib.
Convertible Crib
How long do babies sleep in cribs? Normally, the trend since ancient times has been to have babies in these small cages till they learn how to climb over and get out on their own. This takes around 2yrs and normally indicates they have outgrown their present sleeping arrangements.
In comes the longer-lasting lifetime crib! But exactly what is a convertible crib? In essence, these are baby cribs which grow as your child develops. This means it will eventually end up in the child’s room and take him/her through the better part of their adolescent years. They come in options of 3 in 1, 4 in 1 or 5 in 1. This indicates the features the bed can offer. This is important to consider if you are thinking of how to convert cribs to toddler bed.
The options include a full-sized bed, a day bed, a toddler bed and also the best baby crib. No more need of worrying over how to convert a crib into a full size bed. Remember to choose a reasonable color scheme since some may only be appropriate at the infant stage – you don’t know how fast they’ll outgrow that. With this, you won’t have to bother about how much weight can a crib hold as they are strongly meant to support the real weight.
Round Baby Crib
You don’t have to restrain yourself to the obvious traditional rectangular baby cribs. Rounded cribs are surrounded by slats all round with four posts and come in different designs. Some of these allow for curtains all round and a roof which is a design mostly for girls. Don’t hassle about how to put a baby crib together as it is easier than most designs.
Mini Crib
You might be discouraged by the size but apparently, it is uniquely designed to increase efficiency. Most allow for an adjustable-height mattress enabling you to easily reach out for your kiddos. Their small sizes are exclusive for small-sized nurseries or parents who opt to have their baby cribs in their small rooms. Consider buying one with casters for easier movement.
Travel Crib
Perhaps you are always on the go and don’t want to leave your kid behind. Or you just can’t have enough vacations. Your child should not stop you from taking part in these. They should be involved. The travel crib is suitably designed to be lightweight mostly made of mesh or aluminum. They have a bonus of being foldable allowing you to carry it along as hand luggage in the plane. For older kids, consider the best travel toddler bed which will host their weight and size.
What is the Difference between Crib and Bassinet
Unlike cribs, bassinets are generally smaller and more versatile. They are most ideal for your small fry during the first few months but won’t be much of use once they have outgrown it. They allow the parent to keep a close watch on the kiddos even when they are working. Eventually, you should consider a bigger bed option.
What to Look For in a Crib?
Other than the features mentioned, a feature that most parents disregard in the long-run is the paint color. Rather than thinking about how to paint a baby crib, choose one whose color options appeal to you. You can also paint it before assembling it. For convenience, think long-term when looking for bassinet vs cribs.
Things to Remember
Since safety is the first prerequisite, remember to counter check the sidebars and corner posts if they meet up to required standards. The bed’s stability and firmness should appeal to you – you shouldn’t have doubts about it. The finishing should also be perfect for your baby cribs.
How Long Do Babies Sleep in Cribs?
Normally, they can go up to 2yrs depending on their rate of growth and the size of the crib. Bassinets and mini cribs, however, have a shorter duration period.
What to Do When Baby Climbs Out of Crib?
The alarm bells have already rung – now you know you’re the crib has served its purpose. If it’s convertible, you can turn it to a toddler’s bed or if not, think of getting a bigger bed. Told you, you won’t know how fast they’ll outgrow it!
Do Cribs Expire?
As a top mom, it is always good to think long-term. Will the baby cribs expire and what happens then? Often, people lack creative ideas of what to do with old cribs. Depending on how strong the bed was, it can be converted into several things including a study table for the kids, an outside loveseat, plate/magazine rack, or even an herb garden. Get creative and get to recycling your baby cribs.
Your mind should now be exploding with multiple ideas of what baby cribs you might consider for your coming bundle of joy.
