Should You Buy A Crib Before A Baby Is Born?

Have Your Crib Ready Before Your Baby Arrives.

Even if you don't want to use the crib immediately, there is another incentive to have it ready before your kid arrives. Off-gassing. Yup.

Most cribs include at least one harmful chemical, such formaldehyde in wood glue or another volatile organic compound (VOC) in the paint or wood stain, as I've mentioned in previous posts in this series on eco-friendly, non-toxic cribs.

It's a good idea to get the crib ready and the room ventilated for a few days or weeks before the baby arrives.

Someone else putting up the nursery can help prevent you from being exposed to harmful chemicals while you're pregnant. The crib should be assembled in the intended room.

It may be difficult to transport a fully built crib through some doorways because of its width. You should measure the width of your doorways ahead of time to ensure that your chosen portable crib will fit through each one.

Preparing your crib ahead of time also gives you more time to find or order any pieces that may be missing. Don't try to make do without missing or lost components. Instead, get in touch with the crib's manufacturer for a new part.

What Problems Arise When Parents Attempt To Construct Cribs On Their Own

In a normal situation, I'd be the first to "MacGyver" a piece of furniture out of spare parts from a salvaged item. Not a crib, though, because of the weight that would be placed upon it.

You probably aren't an expert in furniture design and engineering who enjoys reading safety regulations for pleasure, and neither am I (OK, so I do read such regulations, but my carpentry abilities are... shall we say, growing). Cribs are constructed in accordance with these regulations.

Time to reconsider your position

Additionally, and this may seem strange, you may fall in love with a crib's design only to despise it after it's installed in its permanent location. There will be time to reconsider if you set it up before the baby arrives.

A crib may also have a practical issue that you notice, such as legs that protrude dangerously past the outside of the frame and cause you to stumble and fall. It baffles me that anyone would consider this a decent idea for a piece of furniture that will be moved about frequently in low light.

You've made the executive decision to go out and get a crib immediately, but you're not sure which model would be best. Let's check over the alternatives and discuss what you should look for in a crib.

Many Variants Of Baby Cribs Are Available.

A crib isn't just a crib, despite what you would believe. Travel cribs, foldable cribs, compact cribs, cribs on wheels, and cribs with teething guards are just some of the options. Some cribs feature an adjustable mattress, while others have a stationary foundation. Consider the following when making your crib selection:

• Measurement of available room
• Portability
• Need for Storage
• AestheticssDurability
• Toxic chemical safety / ease of use
• Flexibility and adaptability in assembly.

As implied by the list's final item, certain cribs can be modified or transformed to accommodate your child's changing needs. As the name suggests, these convertible cribs may serve multiple purposes, from bassinet to crib to toddler bed to full-size bed for your child, with just a few simple adjustments and the addition of a few accessories.

The Benefit Of Buying Additional Components For The Crib At The Time Of Purchase

My recommendation is to purchase all the attachments for a convertible crib at the same time you purchase the crib itself. Accessories, like toddler rails, can add up to an additional $15 to a whopping $150, so it's typically more cost-effective to buy them in bulk.

It's possible that the crib you bought two years ago won't be manufactured anymore, leaving you without a toddler guardrail or other attachments.

Pick a crib that has a mattress that can be raised and lowered, as this is a major consideration. Because of my height, I struggle to safely and comfortably carry an infant out of a low crib. Scooping up a newborn from a higher mattress is much more convenient, especially if you have to do it multiple times a day (and night).

As your baby hits new developmental milestones like sitting up on their own, you can easily modify the mattress height to accommodate them. As soon as they are able to pull themselves up to a standing posture, the mattress height should be lowered to prevent any injuries from climbing.

I would advise getting a crib with at least three different mattress heights, since this will allow you to use it from birth all the way up until your child is a toddler and can potentially climb out on their own.

Storing a Crib

Where one chooses to keep their baby's crib is a matter of profound individual preference. A crib that doubles as a dresser, changing station, and/or bookcase is a great option if space is at a premium in your nursery, or if you're hoping to maintain a certain aesthetic theme.

These cribs are of higher quality, but they are a bit more cumbersome to move around, more expensive, and more time-consuming to assemble. Also, I wouldn't put anything underneath a crib where a baby is sleeping because of the possibility for it to obstruct airflow or off-gas.

Appearance / Style

There appears to be a current fad for all-gray, Scandinavian-style baby cribs. If you pick up a copy of Dwell magazine, you're bound to find a baby nursery that follows this pattern. However, you can find cribs in a wide range of colours and styles, from muted earth tones to vibrant reds, greens, and blues, and even multicoloured, tailor-made cribs.

My advice would be to purchase a neutral coloured crib (white or grey) and then accessorise it with vibrant bedding, a fun mobile, and other fun items. In this manner, it is less time-consuming, financially prudent, and

Greener than buying a new crib if you want to update the look of the baby's room. You shouldn't paint a crib yourself unless you know for sure that the paint is non-toxic and that your painting skills are up to snuff. Babies often use their cribs like enormous playthings and gnaw on the wood for hours.

Selecting a crib that is a neutral colour and style makes it much easier to coordinate it with other pieces of nursery furniture like a dresser, side table, or changing table.

However, the rising popularity of low-profile cribs is a design trend worth noting. Because the front rail of these cribs is lower than on most other models, even shorter people like myself may reach in and securely remove a sleeping baby from the crib without risking serious injury to our own backs.

Are You a Candidate for a Mini-Crib When It Comes to Space Requirements?

A mini-crib could be an excellent solution for families that are short on room due to living in a small apartment or a micro-home. Although compact enough to double as a bassinet, these cribs nonetheless provide sufficient space throughout the infant's first two years.

You can keep the crib right next to your bed for the first few months, then transfer it to a dedicated nursery if you have one, and finally, when your little one is ready, they can graduate to a regular bed.

Depending on their height, weight, and propensity to climb, escape, or roll off a bed, some children may continue to utilise a crib even after they become four or five years old.

Some portable cribs, such as the mini-cribs, fold up for easy transport.

Portability

However, not every crib can be easily taken apart and transported in the trunk of a car. If you will be flying, taking the train, or otherwise not having access to a vehicle large enough to fit a complete cot, a travel crib is your best chance.

If you need to keep your baby contained and safe while in the workplace, on a business trip, at a friend's house, or even just hanging out in the yard, a portable cot is a great investment.

Given that most portable cribs aren't constructed of wood but rather metal, plastic, or fabric, it's worth devoting a whole article to the topic. The risks to human health from each of these materials will be discussed in further detail later in this article.

Suffice it to say that if you're constantly on the road, have a baby that is constantly on the move, and plan to bring them with you overnight and to events and meetings where you won't be able to maintain constant watch over them, a travel crib is a great idea. It's much simpler to roll up a play mat and take it with you when you go to a friend's house.

Durability

The portability, non-toxicity, and safety of a crib, as well as its longevity, are all impacted by the quality of its materials and construction. Keep in mind that I said a crib would probably be used for the first couple of years, and that your child won't be ready to go on to a "big kid bed" until they are around three.

Your investment in a crib may pay off for you over the course of several years if it can be transformed into a bed. The crib can be used for another child or donated to a relative, friend, coworker, charity, or shelter once your baby is ready to go to a bigger bed.

A crib's longevity is a major factor in determining its eco-friendliness. Multiple babies may sleep safely and comfortably in a solid, stable crib without ever having to worry about it falling apart or becoming unsightly. Softwood or composite wood, which is commonly used to make cribs, is susceptible to dings, dents, and even severe damage over time.

These may seem like only cosmetic flaws, but they can actually put your kid in serious danger; for example, a plywood mattress base that begins to break and droop.

Cribs built from hardwood are often significantly more sturdy and long-lasting than those crafted from softwood or fibreboard. These cribs are more cost-effective in the long run than less-full alternatives because they can be constructed and dismantled repeatedly and resold with more ease. However, the shipping costs for hardwood cribs are more than those for softwood or fibreboard cribs, and their weight makes them less portable.

Compare And Contrast The Bassinet And The Crib.

If you're trying to decide between a bassinet and a crib, it could help to familiarise yourself with the key differences between the two.

Bassinet

There are official definitions for both "basinette" and "crib" that may be found on the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website. The CPCS describes a bassinet as "a small bed designed primarily to provide sleeping arrangements for newborns and supported by freestanding legs, a stationary frame/stand, wheels, or a rocking base" (bassinet).

A bassinet can be anything that can be attached to another surface, such as the portable bassinets for newborns that can be clipped onto the side of many contemporary play yards. Strollers that include a newborn bassinet function or a bassinet that can be detached for travel purposes must also meet all applicable safety standards.

Crib

The CPSC distinguishes between full-size and non-full-size cribs in its detailed descriptions. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) specifies that a "full-size crib" is one that can accommodate a newborn with a length and width of at least 52 3/8 inches (133 millimetres) and 28 inches (71 centimetres), respectively.

Alternatively, a non-full size crib serves the same purpose and "appearance" as a full-size crib but is more manageable for parents and babies both. If the length of the crib is less than 55 inches (139.7 centimetres) or greater than 49 3/4 inches (126.3 centimetres), or if the interior width dimension is greater than 30 5/8 inches (77.7 centimetres) or less than 25 3/8 inches (64.3 centimetres), then the crib is not a full size crib according to the CPCS.

A crib that isn't full size must meet at least one of the following standards.

• You can fold it down without having to take it apart, so it takes up less space when not in use.
• It's not like a playpen in that there are no screens or netting to keep things in.
• It features detachable legs and tough sides.
• Its shape deviates significantly from the conventional crib, which is typically square.

Only hospital cribs, which must conform to stricter standards and be built to fit hospital equipment, can deviate from the standard crib size.

Conclusion

Getting a crib shouldn't be as difficult as many make it out to be. It might be confusing to determine when is the best time to buy one. Find out when in your pregnancy you should go out and get a crib, and this article will help you do just that. Most cribs include at least one harmful chemical, such formaldehyde in wood glue or another volatile organic compound (VOC) in the paint or wood stain. It's a good idea to get the crib ready and the room ventilated for a few days or weeks before the baby arrives.

Content Summary

1. The first pregnancy can be a very overwhelming experience for a woman.
2. Advice from seemingly everywhere you turn can be utterly bewildering and at odds with itself.
3. When you add in the stress of prenatal visits, rearranging your life to accommodate a new baby, and the infamous pregnancy brain, it can be difficult to keep everything straight.
4. The question "when do you need a crib?"
5. could appear to be somewhat inane.
6. Doesn't everyone see the simplicity of the solution?
7. If you're expecting a child, of course!Just barely.
8. Although a crib can be used from day one with a newborn, many parents prefer to utilise a bassinet or co-sleeper instead for the first few months.
9. A crib is an important part of any baby registry, so it's fine to do some research on them even if you won't be using one right away.
10. This is one of the more expensive purchases, so your loved ones may want to help out financially, and it's also not something you want to struggle with (making the decision or putting together) when you're exhausted from caring for a newborn.
11. To begin, you'll need to prepare a room in your house for your newborn.
12. However, getting a crib shouldn't be as difficult as many make it out to be.
13. It might be confusing to determine when is the best time to buy a crib, as people make this purchase at varying stages of their pregnancy.
14. Finding out when in your pregnancy you should go out and get a crib is the first step in preparing for your new arrival, and this article will help you do just that!
15. Have Your Crib Ready Before Your Baby Arrives.
16. Even if you don't want to use the crib immediately, there is another incentive to have it ready before your kid arrives.
17. Off-gassing.
18. Yup.
19. Most cribs include at least one harmful chemical, such formaldehyde in wood glue or another volatile organic compound (VOC) in the paint or wood stain, as I've mentioned in previous posts in this series on eco-friendly, non-toxic cribs.
20. It's a good idea to get the crib ready and the room ventilated for a few days or weeks before the baby arrives.
21. Someone else putting up the nursery can help prevent you from being exposed to harmful chemicals while you're pregnant.
22. The crib should be assembled in the intended room.
23. It may be difficult to transport a fully built crib through some doorways because of its width.
24. You should measure the width of your doorways ahead of time to ensure that your chosen portable crib will fit through each one.
25. Preparing your crib ahead of time also gives you more time to find or order any pieces that may be missing.
26. Don't try to make do without missing or lost components.
27. Instead, get in touch with the crib's manufacturer for a new part.
28. What Problems Arise When Parents Attempt To Construct Cribs On Their Own In a normal situation, I'd be the first to "MacGyver" a piece of furniture out of spare parts from a salvaged item.
29. Not a crib, though, because of the weight that would be placed upon it.
30. You probably aren't an expert in furniture design and engineering who enjoys reading safety regulations for pleasure, and neither am I (OK, so I do read such regulations, but my carpentry abilities are... shall we say, growing).
31. Cribs are constructed in accordance with these regulations.
32. Time to reconsider your position Additionally, and this may seem strange, you may fall in love with a crib's design only to despise it after it's installed in its permanent location.
33. There will be time to reconsider if you set it up before the baby arrives.
34. A crib may also have a practical issue that you notice, such as legs that protrude dangerously past the outside of the frame and cause you to stumble and fall.