You're going to be a new parent and are starting to make purchases for your little one. The first major purchase you will make is a baby crib. An infant spends more than 1600 hours sleeping during the fist year alone. Most of that time will be spent in the new crib. When choosing a crib look at baby crib reviews to determine the best crib for your situation.
Quality
Convertible Bed Rail
Baby cribs are available in almost any price point from about 0 and up. The lower priced cribs typically are not made as well as those with higher price tags. They may not be as sturdy either. However, it isn't necessary to purchase the highest price crib either. Think about your budget when considering the purchase.
Start by looking at cribs that fall within a certain range of prices. Higher quality cribs are made of solid woods or high-grade materials that are meant to last a long time. The upper end cribs are typically heirloom quality. If you plan to have several children who will use the crib you may want to opt for at least a middle-grade crib to ensure that it will stay sturdy for some years.
Features
Features are an important factor when looking at baby crib reviews. To start with consider whether you need to have one or both sides of the crib drop down for easy access. If the crib is to be placed next to a wall there is the need for only one drop side, whereas if the crib is placed in the middle of the room the crib may be able to be accessed from either side.
Mattress height can be adjusted on almost any baby crib. Make sure that the crib has several positions and that they are made to lock in place securely. The drop sides should have similar adjustments available as well. Be sure that you can make the proper adjustments and that the sides do not easily push down. The mattress must fit snugly into the crib.
Some cribs come with rolling castors attached. These provide the ability to easily move the crib as needed. Check to make sure that they can lock in place so that the crib cannot be moved easily. A teething rail is sometimes provided and is attached to the top of the rails.
Convertible baby cribs are a popular choice. These are cribs that can easily convert to a toddler bed, daybed or full size bed as the child grows. This makes the transition easy as the child gets bigger as well as saves you money. Most convertible cribs require the purchase of an additional optional hardware kit to make the transition possible. Toddler beds and daybeds often use the same crib mattress. When converting to a full-size bed the sides or ends are transitioned to the headboard and footboard and a new bed frame and mattress are required.
Safety
Many safety guidelines are in place for baby cribs. The safety standards have been in effect since 1973 with occasional updates. New cribs all conform to these standards and should contain a sticker which tells you that it does indeed conform to safety standards.
Many baby products have been recalled through the years due to safety concerns. Always check with the store or manufacturer to ensure that the crib you choose has not been part of a recall. If a crib is recalled there is often a retrofit kit available to make the crib safe again.