Buying a Baby Crib

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When you are an expecting mother one of your first thoughts may be decorating the nursery. You want to create a beautiful and safe environment for your little bundle of joy. Newborns sleep about 18 hours a day, so your little one will be spending the majority of their day in their crib for the first few months. When you are choosing a crib you want something that will match your carefully planned décor, but you also need to keep some basic safety rules in mind.

Choosing a Safe Crib

All cribs need to have slats that are no more that 2 3/8 inches apart. This is extremely important for baby’s safety. If you are considering using an antique or heirloom crib it is imperative that you measure the slats before you use it. If the crib you chooses does not meet this safety standard than do not use it because it is not worth the risk of injury to your baby. Make sure to check the slats once a month to make sure that they are still secure and never use a crib where slats are missing. Many antique cribs have cutouts on either the headboard or footboard. Do not purchase a crib with these cutouts. When making your purchase measure the side bar to ensure that it is at least 26 inches above the top of the mattress when it is completely lowered.

Crib Mattress

Avoid mediocre mattresses that fit loosely in the bed. The mattress should fit in the base of the bed securely and be rather tight. Safety regulations state that two adult fingers, or about one inch, should not be able to fit between the mattress and the edge of the crib. If you can fit two fingers in the space the mattress is not an appropriate size. The sheets should also be a tight fit to make sure that they remain in place. It should be a little bit of a struggle to get them onto the mattress. The hard work is far better than risking your baby getting trapped. The crib should be adjustable so that as your baby gets older and more mobile you can move the mattress down. Never use a plastic cover for your mattress because this is extremely dangerous.

Posts and Hardware

Look for a crib with posts that are no more than 1/16 of an inch above the panels. Your baby’s clothes can get caught if they are any higher and this poses a strangulation risk. If there are canopy posts that are more than 16 inches above the panels this is fine.

You should check all hardware on a crib before you buy it. Hardware should always be tight and secure. Any loose brackets or screws can produce a hazard. The finish on the crib you select should be non-toxic. When you clean your crib you should not use abrasive or toxic cleaners because they can cause chipping and peeling.

Bedding

When you are shopping for bedding for your crib you should avoid pillows, quilts, stuffed toys and comforters. All of these things are suffocation hazards and should be kept far away from places where your baby sleeps. It is best to keep the temperature in the baby’s room at a level where no blankets are required and if necessary only use a light receiving blanket that you can tuck into the mattress. Another alternative is a sleep sack that will eliminate the need for blankets entirely. There are many beautiful crib bedding sets on the market, but they are neither necessary nor safe.

Other accessories for the crib such as bumpers and mobiles are okay until your baby can stand. Once your baby can stand these items should be removed. Bumpers should not be so stuffed that they look like pillows and should be secured at all times.

Drop Side Cribs

There are three types of drop side cribs; knee push, foot bar and double trigger. The knee push side works by leaning your knee against the side of the crib. These types are the easiest to use and are also the quietest. The foot bar work by pushing a lever with your foot and can be difficult to use if you are not good at balancing on one foot. The double trigger cribs work by using both hands to lower the sides. These are alright as long as you are not holding your baby.

Other Options

Other considerations are cribs with drawers under them. These are typically found on higher end cribs and are a great option for people with space issues. You can put off buying a dresser until your child is older. Many cribs also come on wheels and this is a great feature if you want to have the option of moving your crib frequently. It can easily be rolled from baby’s room out to the living room or kitchen.