What To Expect: 4 Tips For Choosing A Crib For Your Baby

When you are expecting a little bundle of joy, there is no doubt that you have many things on your mind. At the top of that list is probably going to the furniture store and selecting a crib for your baby. If you do not already know how to do this, it could seem overwhelming. Since your baby will spend at least two years in this crib, you want to make sure that you select one with comfort and safety in mind. Here are four ways to select a crib for your baby.

The Slats Of The Crib

Make sure that the slats of your baby's crib are not greater than 2 3/8 inches from each other. You want to ensure that these slats are close enough so that your baby does not slip through them. A good rule of thumb used to be to look at the size of a can of soda and make sure that the slats are not wider than the top of the soda can. However, as soda cans greatly vary in size these days, bring your measuring tape.

Crib Mattress

Look for a foam mattress to place inside your baby's crib. Crib foam mattresses range in thickness from 3 to 6 inches. The density of the foam mattress should be 1.5 pounds/cubic foot. Sometimes the crib mattress manufacturer will not list the density on the crib mattress label.

Crib Frame

Make sure that the frame of the crib is enough to snugly hold the crib mattress so that there are no spaces on the sides of the mattress. If there are spaces on the sides of the mattress, this could pose a danger to your baby because the baby could get stuck in this space. Additionally, you want to make sure that once the crib mattress is installed the sides of the crib are tall enough to hold your baby safely within the crib.

Convertibility

Do you want your crib to turn into a toddler bed when your child is ready? Some cribs are versatile so that they convert into a toddler bed when your baby turns two. If this is something that you would like, consider this when selecting your crib.

The preceding four tips will help you select a crib for your baby. Ideally, you'd want to set the crib up at least a couple of months before baby arrives. Check with a furniture store (such as Home Furniture Co., Inc) for additional tips on selecting a crib for your baby.