Choosing the Right Crib For a New Born Baby

0

It’s a great feeling for parents to have their baby around the house; babies are bringing amazing joy and a new life to each and every home. However, we as parents must make our home a baby-friendly safe zone. Babies have extraordinary needs that we should fulfill and as they can’t protect themselves we should do everything to keep them secure and unharmed; our babies’ safety is our first priority.

Same thing goes when choosing the best and the appropriate new baby products like cribs and beddings. We should choose those that passed strict quality and safety guidelines and we shouldn’t go for anything less.

Crib is framed furniture where our newborn babies sleep and settle most of the time. There are five types of cribs you can choose from: the standard, canopy, convertible, round and portable.

  • Standard Crib is the most common type of crib. It can either have a single-drop side or double-drop side.
  • Canopy Crib has four corner posts which can hold metal frames. Within these metal frames you can set fabric canopies for a more classic and elegant look.
  • Convertible Crib is the most convenient and highly recommended of all crib types. This is because it can transform from a standard baby crib to a toddler bed or to a full size day bed.
  • Round Crib is a new type of crib which is fast becoming popular. It has a round shape and single-drop side.
  • Portable Crib is narrower and smaller than the regular sized cribs. This type of crib is collapsible so you can carry it anywhere, anytime.

Aside from the crib type, there are still several factors you should consider when choosing the best crib for your newborn such as design, features, materials used and size.

  • Although there’s no standard size for cribs body, you should measure the interior of the crib or the sleeping area. It should measure around 51 ¾ inches in length by 27 ¼ inches in width; this is also the standard measurement of crib mattresses.
  • Cribs have different features such as adjustable height, rolling casters, teething rail, wheel, cradles, safety gates and more. When buying cribs for your babies you should know all these features; don’t hesitate to ask.
  • Cribs can be made of hardwoods like birch, pine, beech and others, as well as plastics, metal and fabric. When choosing cribs that are made of these materials make sure to check for imperfections like splinters, loose threads, jagged edges, cracks, uneven parts and paint coating or finish. Make sure that the paint use doesn’t contain lead or any harmful chemical and is not chipping fast. It is also recommended to shake and rattle the crib to see how sturdy it is; however don’t shake to hard.
  • Always check for the cribs designs, make sure that these special designs and features will be useful for you. Remember, extra feature and elaborate designs means additional cost.
  • Check if the crib is 100% safe for you baby, especially the drop-down side and adjustable height. Make sure that the cribs can handle extreme force and weight and won’t break down easily.
  • Finally, always look for the Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association (JPMA) safety seal.

Of course, whenever you buy cribs for your babies, you should also buy beddings and crib mattresses. In doing so, there are also important factors you should consider such as materials used, design, color and size.

  • When choosing mattresses make sure that it will fit the interior of your baby’s crib. Standard measure is 51 ¾ inch by 27 ¾ inch.
  • As much as possible do the finger test. To do this simple place the mattress into the crib, insert two of your fingers between the mattress and the cribs railing. If your fingers fit, the mattress is too small; it should at lease one-finger spacing. This is to ensure that your babies won’t and can’t crawl underneath the mattress.
  • When choosing the crib’s beddings make sure that it fits the mattress snugly. Make sure that the beddings and sheets secured and is never loose this is to avoid accidents like suffocation and straggling.
  • Of course, choose beddings that are made of durable, comfortable and baby-friendly materials. It is recommended that you buy at least two set of beddings so that you can change it as often as possible.
  • It is also important to check the beddings for unwanted tears, stains and holes.

Leave a Reply