Kids Bedroom Furniture

What To Look For When Buying A Baby Crib

If you’re in the market for a baby crib, there’s a few things you’ll want to keep in mind while shopping around.

Firstly, even though ‘vintage’ and ‘retro’ design styles are very popular right now, you might want to avoid purchasing any crib made before 1973. There weren’t any federal guidelines before that year, so cribs that were made before 1973 are more likely to have safety issues. Also, secondhand cribs built before then were almost certainly painted with lead paint, could very possibly have splinters on the wooden parts in addition to discontinued and dangerous features. One big issue with older cribs is that the slats are too far apart presenting the potential for your baby’s head or limbs getting wedged between them.

If you do have your heart set on an older model crib, be sure to give a good inspection. Check out its stability, slat size and space and look for any sharp edges, protruding metal pieces and other safety hazards that you’ll have to address before using it.

On a newer model crib, look for slats that are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. Also, in accordance with the federal safety guidelines, the drop-down sides have to be at least 9 inches above the mattress when lowered to prevent your baby from accidentally falling out. When the drop-down sides are in the raised position, they need to be at least 26 inches above the support, even at their lowest position.

Comparison shop and give each model a thorough hands-on assessment. Raise and lower the sides several times to see which one is easiest to operate. Since there’s a good chance that many times when you operate it, you will have a sleeping baby in your arms, a quiet, child-proof, one-handed release mechanism is a very important feature.

Give the crib a good shake in the store! If it wobbles or rattles, that can either mean that it was put together incorrectly, or it’s just not safe overall.

The interior of a baby crib should securely accommodate a standard-sized crib mattress. It should measure at least 51 3/4 inches long by 27 3/4 inches wide so if you can fit two fingers between the side of the mattress and the crib, the mattress is too small.

On any type of crib, avoid those types of decorations that could break off and create the potential for a choking hazard. Also, cribs with cut-outs might look pretty, but could pose a trap for your baby’s arm or neck.

With the wide ranging variety of cribs available, you should have no problem finding a safe and attractive place for your little bundle of joy to lay their precious head.

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