Crib Buying Guide

Choosing a crib for your baby can be a little daunting with all of the options that are available. There are many convenience choices and safety options, and if you've never had a baby before, you may be somewhat concerned about choosing an unsafe baby crib. Once you have confirmed that your crib options are safe, then you will want to consider your personal convenience and decorative features. Some available convenience features include:

• Drop-down crib railings, which make it easier to lay down your child or pick him or her up. This is especially convenient for shorter parents.
• Convertibility, so that your child could potentially use the same bed all the way through high school. Convertible cribs will often change into toddler beds, daybeds/loveseats, and/or full-size headboards and footboards.
• Shape of the baby crib, which may be a matter of design as well as what you think will be comfortable for your baby. Common shapes include rectangular and circular.
• Rolling casters, which enable you to move your sleeping child to a convenient place for you to watch him or her during sleep. If you are concerned about the crib rolling unnecessarily, check for locking casters.
• A storage drawer, which could hold extra crib sheets, pajamas, and receiving blankets.
• An adjustable mattress support, which is very helpful for extending the life of the crib since your child will be able to use it longer. Adjust the mattress support down one notch when your child can sit up, and down one more notch when your child can stand.
• A twin crib feature. Some baby cribs come as two attached cribs and offer convenient sleeping space for two.

The style of your crib is also important, especially if it is a convertible crib that your child will use through teenage years. Your crib could be a piece of furniture that could last your family for generations, so quality may also be important to you. A multitude of contemporary and classic cribs are available.

Another convenient option while shopping for cribs is to shop for an entire nursery set. With this opportunity, you will be able to outfit your entire nursery with one style decision!

By knowing the available feature options of a crib, you should be able to make your crib decision more easily by seeking out the type that you want for yourself and your child.