Below we want to offer an extensive guide where you will find the measures of baby cribs, brands, and models most in demand. So that it can guide you when it comes to finding the best place for your newborn to rest.
The average term of hours that a baby sleeps until he turns two is 13 hours, which means that more than half the time he will be lying in his crib. For this reason, it is very important to get it right when buying your little one’s crib.
Especially in first-time families, you should spend a lot of time looking for suitable products for your baby. It is a new situation where there are several unknown aspects that can greatly influence the safety of your child, and the budget you have to spend.
How to Pick a Crib for Your Newborn Baby?
Many times buying the cheapest crib is expensive, it is not even necessary to spend thousands of euros to acquire the most expensive one at the moment, simply by having complete information you can obtain the most appropriate article.
Therefore, in this manual, we are going to detail all the information you need to know before buying the best baby crib. We will indicate the main safety aspects that they must have, we will see the most recognized manufacturers, all types of furniture, and we will analyze the different price ranges that you can find in the current market.
How To Choose a Crib? (The Measures of Cribs)
When we talk about a crib, we refer to the furniture that we will use to place the baby to sleep. Obviously, the place where he rests is not going to be the same as if he was born a couple of weeks ago as if he is already one year old.
Therefore, first, we are going to see the measures of cribs that we can find.
During the first months of your baby’s life, it is best to sleep in a bassinet or crib. They are smaller and therefore can be easily moved around any corner of the house.
The Measure of a Bassinet or Wicker Carrycot
The bassinet is an 80 × 40 cm wicker carrycot so that the baby can rest and we have it in our sight at all times. Its depth is usually 25 centimeters, so you can take it comfortably.
All have a base or structure on which you can place the carrycot without having to rest it on the ground or on any other uneven surface.
Measurement of a cradle
While it is a newborn, another option would be to use a crib. It consists of X-shaped legs with a fixed garment where the little one will sleep.
The difference between a cradle and a bassinet is that the first one is a little wider, its usual measurement is 80 × 50 cm, and they also have a greater depth. Some moms prefer the carrycot because it is much more comfortable to hold and leave the baby, while other mothers prefer the crib more due to the fear that the wicker carrycot may fall from a high height.
In the end, both one option and the other are equally recommended to leave the baby during its first months of life.
60 × 120 cm cradle
In general, the measurements of cribs for babies are 60 × 120 cm. It has always been the most purchased by moms since they have been manufactured with these dimensions for decades.
Usually, families tend to prefer this model because they plan to change the baby’s room in a couple of years. You must bear in mind that from 3 or 4 years old at the most, you will need to adapt your children’s bedroom to other needs. You will have to buy a bed, and set up a desk for him to start doing his homework; he will even start spending more time playing in his own room.
70 cm cribs
The use of Mexicanas that can be converted into a bed is becoming more and more demanded. Especially if you are, clear that you are going to maintain the same style in your child’s room for many years.
In this case, the measurement of the crib will be 70 × 140 cm, a little larger than usual. When you estimate that the child should already have a larger space to sleep in, you can turn this furniture into a practical 80 cm wide bed.
Perfection
As you will see later, today you can find cribs for babies that incorporate many more accessories such as a chest of drawers, a dresser, or even a chest of drawers to store your clothes.
This time the furniture is much larger and requires more space in your room. In this type of furniture, the size of the super cot for sleeping is wider than usual, specifically 80 × 130 cm.
A very important detail that you must take into account when you are going to choose the crib size for your baby, is that both the clothing (duvet, protector, and crib sheets) and the crib mattress you must buy are adapted to the dimensions of the furniture.
When To Put The Baby in The Crib?
Before we have commented that during the first months, it is most appropriate for the newborn to sleep in a mini crib or wicker bassinet. So when should we move the baby to the crib?
Above we must bear in mind that the mini crib or carrycot is in the bedroom with the mother, but the crib will be located in its own room, so the transfer can become more complicated than we may think a priori.
Each baby has a different rate of evolution and growth, the normal thing is that from 6 months it already begins to sit up. So it may be a good time to spend it sleeping in its own crib, it would even be advisable before it starts to stand on its own (approximately from the ninth month).
Important Characteristics of a Crib
Before reaching its first year, the baby should already be sleeping in its own crib, so below we are going to indicate which are the main aspects that you should look at when choosing one.
Perfect finishes
The most common baby cribs are made of wood, so it is very important to make sure that their finishes are perfect, specifically:
- It should not have angled or straight edges, this way you will avoid hurting your baby if it hits them.
- The screws must be perfectly coupled, without any rivet sticking out and not penetrating the wood, exposing its sharp point.
- Once assembled, the crib must be firmly fixed without releasing any element even if you move it with strong movements.
- Check that the varnish or paint on the crib does not come off when scratched. It is very important because when your baby’s first teeth start to come in, he will begin to nibble on whatever is within reach.
The optimal distance between bars
The distance between two bars is regulated by European regulations, and must be between 45 and 65 mm. In this way, the baby is prevented from passing his head, and it is also ensured that neither the arm nor the leg can fit between two bars.
Wheels with the braking system
Despite the fact that the crib will always be located in the same place, it is very useful that it has wheels to be able to move it, although with very short distances. In this way, you can better clean your room, or change the location where you sleep in case you detect that something is bothering you.
Of course, the wheels must always have a braking system to prevent the cradle from moving on its own. The usual thing is that its movement is blocked by moving a tab that incorporates the wheel itself, as you can see in the following image.
Folding side with a double safety mechanism
Many times, you will find yourself with the need to leave your baby already asleep in the crib. In circumstances like this, it is when you are grateful that one of the two rails can be folded down to accommodate the little one in his bed.
If you are going to buy a baby crib where one of the rails can be moved, it is essential that it has some mechanism to prevent the child from operating it by himself. The usual thing is that it requires performing some action with the two arms in a cross, for example pressing two buttons located at opposite ends.
Bed bases of various heights
There are many mothers who from the first day of life already plan that the baby sleeps directly in the crib, without the need to use a crib or bassinet.
In these circumstances, it is best to use one where the bed base can be placed at various heights, as shown below. We can ensure that you will avoid future back pain when you have to pick up or leave the little one.
Firm and breathable mattress
Another very important aspect that we must take into account is to choose a good mattress for the baby’s crib. Although it is not a characteristic of the furniture itself, you should buy a complement since no furniture incorporates the mattress by default.
When considering the best option, keep in mind that the baby tends to sweat a lot while sleeping. Thus, it is essential to choose that they are made of very breathable material where their core does not retain the body heat released by the little one. For this reason, synthetic foam mattresses are usually avoided and memory foam, coconut fiber or latex mattresses with a ventilation system are becoming increasingly popular.
The second main feature that the mattress should have for your crib is that it is firm and does not deform with weight. This is the second reason why the aforementioned materials are increasingly popular.
Use cotton crib clothing
Another very relevant aspect independent of the furniture is that the crib will need clothes or clothing to equip it. The normal thing is that you buy two sets of sheets, a protector or bumper to cushion a possible blow against the bars while your baby is sleeping; and finally a cover. For winter, the most normal thing is to use a duvet or duvet cover, and in summer a quilt or leave only the sheets.
The skin of a newborn is especially sensitive, so to avoid irritations, allergies or rashes, it is best that all these crib clothes be made of cotton, and if it is 100% much better.
Approved certification
If you are going to buy it, you are assured that the manufacturer complies with the European safety regulations for the crib, specifically UNE-EN 716-1: 2008 + A1: 2013. Almost all brands already expressly indicate that they comply with these safety regulations for the crib since it is a very important marketing element for them.
Avoid reclining bed bases
Soon we are going to show you all the types of baby cribs that you can find in the market, but many times manufacturers in their eagerness to innovate bring out certain special characteristics to stand out from the competition, but in reality, they are not very recommended for the boy.
A good example would be the use of reclining bed bases. If you ask any pediatrician, none of them will recommend it as they can alter the development of your back.
Do not use pillows with filling:
One last aspect to consider for your baby’s crib is that it is not recommended to use any type of pillow with filling. It can lead to plagiocephaly and problems with your little neck.
At most, you can use the pillowcase without any filler, no matter how fine it is.
Use of non-toxic paints:
As our baby’s teeth grow, he will want to nibble on many objects, and one of them could be a part of the bars. Cribs usually have a non-toxic varnish to avoid easily chipping the wood or easily scratching the paint. You can do the scratch test with your nails and see if the paint comes off easily.
Models of Baby Cribs
At the beginning, we have seen the different measures of baby cribs. In this section, we are going to immerse ourselves in the different types of furniture that you can find depending on the needs you have.
Crib with a beautiful design
If you are looking to decorate the entire bedroom of your boy or girl with the same style and theme, it is best to buy a collectible crib. In this way, you ensure that the design of all the furniture and the textile combines perfectly.
Maxi crib convertible into bed
We have already seen in the previous section of measures for cribs, that the maxi crib that can be converted into a bed is increasingly requested. In this way, you can take advantage of the same piece of furniture for many years.
As their name suggests, they are traditional cribs that can later be converted into a bed or a cot. When they are cribs, the size of the structure is larger because it incorporates a drawer under the bed base, or the crib itself has a changing table with drawers attached. Their first use will always be for a 60x120cm crib, and then they can be converted from a 70x140cm bed to a 190x90cm bed. The most common thing on the market is to find that it can only be converted into a large bed or a bed. If we want it to be able to adapt to the size of our child as it grows, we must already choose an evolutionary cradle.
Like almost all of them, they are usually made of MDF wood, and in general, the compact side head is usable as a head for a future bed or cot.
This kind of cheap baby crib is not, but we must bear in mind that if we opt for this option at the beginning we may need a barrier to prevent our child from falling out of bed. And it should also be taken into account that we will have the same design of a crib bed for a few years, so it may be difficult later to find other furniture that can be combined (such as a closet or a desk).
Evolutionary cradle
We can also find evolutionary cradles, where you can change their size depending on the size you want to obtain. It can be used from a cradle to an 80 cm bed.
As we have mentioned before, they would be convertible cribs in various positions. Taking the image as a reference, this crib would have 4 positions: a first one for the newborn that would have measurements typical of a bassinet, then two larger positions similar to those of a 60 or 70-cm crib, and finally it would become a 127x74cm bed.
Although they are not a type of cheap baby crib, it must be taken into account that they can last up to 10 years. Another important issue to consider would be to see the strength in the bed position since few children resist the temptation to ever jump on their bed.
Cradle with Rocker
One of the things that a baby likes the most is the pendulum movement, when you hold one in your arms and swing it, it stops crying automatically and stays well at ease.
So you can also find a baby crib that has a structure on its legs so that it can be balanced.
Co-sleeping cradle
Many moms prefer that their babies sleep in the same room during their early years. Either because they are breastfeeding, they are enthusiastic about attachment parenting, or for any other reason.
So this is best to buy a co-sleeping crib so that it can be attached to the double bed so that the place where your baby will sleep would be in this way.
Cribs for twins
It is a proven reality that there are more and more multiple births so in many births we can find twins or twins.
Obviously, the expense for everything will be double, and then you will have to resort to looking for cribs for twins. There are not many brands, but more and more beautiful and original models like the one shown below can be found.
Without a doubt, these are the most difficult cribs to find. Whoever is going to have twins, twins, triplets or any other type of multiple births, I first advise them to ask for blogs or forums to find experiences and opinions of other large families.
As I have mentioned, few stores offer special cribs for twins or triplets, and few pockets can afford to buy two or more cribs. Even so, in some children’s furniture stores you can find twin cribs or cribs convertible into a bed for two, since they are usually made to measure.
In this case, it does not matter if they are cheap baby cots or not, the important thing is to find one that fits the need to have several babies at the same time.
Super crib with changing table and drawers
In the measurements of cribs, we have already seen that many mothers prefer to use, super cots integrated into large furniture that also has other utilities incorporated.
As you can see in the following photo, having an attached changing table to dress the baby, or incorporating drawers to store clothes, are highly appreciated utilities.
In addition, this type of furniture can be converted into a bed, even some models even a desk. This is one more reason why this type of crib is increasingly popular.
Folding travel cot
The latest model of baby cribs is the folding ones that are used when you are on vacation. They are not highly recommended to be used for long periods, since they do not have all the characteristics that we discussed at the beginning.
But without any doubt, it is the best solution when you are going to be away from home with your baby for a few days. On top of that, many families also use it at home as a playground where the little one can play in a more controlled place with fewer risks.
Best Brands of Cribs
We have already seen the models of cribs for babies that you can find, with their measurements and basic characteristics. Next, we are going to indicate which are the most recognized manufacturers.
Da Vinci
If you are looking for a super cot that has a dressing room and several drawers, without a doubt the best brand is Alondra due to the wide variety of models it has in its catalog.
This company specializes exclusively in heavy baby furniture, but especially in super cribs, it is highly recommended.
Babyletto
If you are looking for a 60 × 120 cm crib, the brand that has the most variety in designs is Babyletto. This manufacturer has more than 40 years of experience dedicating itself only to manufacturing this type of furniture.
Its cribs are recognized throughout the world for the high quality of finishes it has and for the excellent children’s designs, it has. One of its star products is the Sweet Bear crib with its teddy bear.
Delta Children
If you are also thinking of equipping your baby’s room with cabinets, a dresser, or any other type of complementary furniture, the ideal would be to go to the delta children brand.
It is a manufacturer of children’s furniture, its specialty was designing beds for children, but in recent years they have diversified into many models of convertible cribs and super cribs.
Chicco Chicco
This company is a benchmark in terms of cheap and high quality co-sleeping cribs. If you are thinking that the baby sleeps from the beginning in the same room as the mother.
Where you have a cradle that you can use in a normal way with the 4 sides closed, in co-sleeping mode adjusting it next to the bed, also with a rocker option, and on top of that, it can be reused as a toy box, sofa or trunk.
We hope this guide is useful for you to choose the best baby crib according to the needs you are looking for. As you have seen, there is a wide variety of models, brands, and sizes of cribs. Now you just need to make sure that they meet the characteristics that we have discussed and buy the model that you like the most.