Baby Cribs - Different Types of Baby Cribs

Things Have Certainly Changed

If you think baby furniture is limited to one specific style (as it used to be in the old days), then think again. Today's baby cribs and baby furniture is as varied as any other kind of furniture so it can be purchased to blend in with the general furniture style of your home. If your furniture is French Provincial - there are luxury baby cribs available in that design. The same goes for Swiss Sleigh styling, Italian, and Heirloom designs. Designer baby cribs take nursery décor to a whole new level as the standard-sized rectangular walled bed with spindles on the long side gives way to round baby cribs and corner cribs as well.

New Innovations for Baby Cribs

The standard idea of a baby crib continues to be the best option for most nurseries, but the innovations and new options are exciting and fun. Convertible cribs grow with the baby, through toddler age and in some cases, beyond. The sides drop down or are removable and the mattress lowers to create a toddler bed. Some even convert to a full-size or queen-size bed! Even though they're expensive at the start, the convertible cribs will save money in the end because the need to buy another bed when the baby becomes a toddler is eliminated.

Corner cribs work especially well in a space-challenged situation. If the room is very small, then a corner crib is just the ticket for room conservation. The other great thing about a corner crib is that if there are twins, you can easily utilize the space efficiently by putting a corner crib in two different corners. The babies share the space without it being overcrowded.

Round cribs are very novel, unusual and quite attractive. They have no corners or hard edges, and no short sides, either. If the nursery is large enough to handle a round crib, then it will provide the bonus of not having a side of the crib to bang a little head on when baby is learning to pull up and bounce. Falling backward in a round crib means no bangs on the head. Purchasing baby bedding for a round or corner bed can be a bit more challenging. Check in with the baby furniture designer for bedding ideas and availability.

Choosing A Baby Crib

When choosing a baby crib, it's advantageous to pick one with an adjustable mattress height feature. When baby is a newborn and until he or she learns to roll over, the setting can be at the very top, where reaching the baby is easiest. As baby grows, the platform that holds the mattress can be dropped to an appropriate height.

Soft woods like pine dent and mark easily and tend to be more likely to acquire structural problems like warped slats. Choosing a hardwood for the baby crib construction is a good idea. If you intend to use the crib through more than one child, strong wood is the best choice. Maple or oak are good selections for crib construction. Metal is sometimes used for the manufacture of cribs because it is strong and sturdy. However, it is less attractive than wood. One place you do want metal is on the hardware for the crib because it is far more durable than plastic fittings. Metal is also important as the mattress support. It's far better than wood when it comes to withstanding the bouncing of a jumping toddler.

Used Cribs and Recalls

If you are buying a used baby crib, be sure to compare it to the JPMA standards for crib construction. If the crib doesn't measure up, we recommend you do not buy it. There are sites you can check on the internet, like parent.com, to find out about baby crib product recalls and baby crib reviews in order to know what is new and important in the structure and construction of baby cribs.