A baby crib or infant bed is the most useful and valuable furniture in a nursery. Your baby is going to spend lots of time snuggled up and sleeping in its cradle hopefully. Today’s infant beds usually come in different style plus they offer various functions. It’s of great significance that you select an infant bed that suits your baby. This guide will help you know the variety of infant beds available so that you can be able to determine what’s perfect for your space as well as lifestyle.

Safety

Your child is going to use the baby crib until the baby is around two years old. Therefore, it is a good idea to buy a type that adheres to all the safety regulations. The U.S. Commission or CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has put strict standards for the retailers and consumers.

Also, the JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, Inc.) has developed a complete Certification Program for helping caregivers and parents towards buying juvenile products built with the safety kept in mind. You should buy a crib that has a JPMA Certification Seal which shows the crib was tested and verified for safety and quality.

You should follow all directions to ensure that all bolts, fittings, and screws are secure. Once a child starts using the crib, you should regularly inspect the crib for any loose or missing hardware and tighten them as required.

Crib Types and Style

Nursery sets and cribs are available in a variety of design styles, including traditional, modern, ornate, and country casual. Also, baby cribs are available in different colors, with the most popular colors being gray, white, black, and wood stain (dark and light).

Five main types of cribs are available in stores.

Standard Baby Cribs

These types of cribs are a good option if you are thinking of having another baby in a few years. They are usually designed to be safe, strong, and long-lasting. They have fixed-sides that can’t be moved, as CPSC banned the drop-side cribs in 2011 because of safety reasons. Assembling the standard crib is much easier than the other types of cribs. They also cost much cheaper because of their design and simple construction. Standard cribs are available in different colors, shapes, and styles.

Mini and Portable Cribs

You can setup this type of crib in your nursery and use it as an ordinary baby bed; then you can fold it down and take or move it to a different location, making sure you child remain comfortable. These types of cribs are perfect for people that have small families and homes and love traveling. Mini and Portable Cribs are smaller compared to standard cribs, but they are stylish and safe. Some mini cribs could convert into twin and toddler beds down the road.

Convertible Cribs

These cribs are built to last; a convertible crib is capable of taking your newborn baby all the way to a teenager, converting from a baby crib, then to a toddler bed plus day bed and others can convert into a full-sized bed. Convertible cribs are usually more expensive compared to the other cribs, but are worthy of your money because you have finished having children and you need something the kid might be using for years to come.

Crib and Changing Table Combos

They contain a baby crib plus a changing table that is attached, which gives you two of the most important pieces of nursery furniture in one which saves space. It’s a good choice for small rooms; however, you can use it everywhere. In later years, most of these combos could separate. The crib can convert to a youth bed, and you can use the changing table as a night table.

Material

Currently, wood is the popular choice for most baby cribs. It provides stability, and it’s long-lasting and can match with your choice of furniture in your home. Higher quality woods like mahogany, oak, and beech costs more but are durable. Other materials in baby cribs are plastic and metal.

Cost

A convertible style crib is an economical choice because your child can use it for many years and you save a lot of money because you’ll not have to buy a new bed for your child.

To conclude, you can use these tips to help you choose a baby crib that suits you and your child.

Resources

Guidelines for co-sleeping safety  –  Is Co-Sleeping Safe for Your Baby?

Baby Care

“Happiest Baby on the Block” classes are offered at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland and at Great Starts Birth and Family Education in Seattle.

Crib Wedge Safety  – Helping Your Baby (and You) Get Some Rest

Sleep Strategies

If you’re looking for a baby night light projector, you will soon realize that there are a lot more options available than you ever could have imagined. It’s not as simple as it may have originally seemed. That’s why I am here-to help you narrow down your choices and pick out the best one for your needs. It also helps to have a little list of things that you absolutely must have or want, so you know what you’re looking for. So without any further delay, let’s begin!

The Rotating Star Light Projector by Noza Tec, the Cosmos Starlight Projector by SlowTon and the Elecstars LED Night Lighting Lamp all have three modes and project realistic sky moon and star light. They all offer a warm night mode that is perfect for a soft nightlight. The color-changing mode gradually changes the color from blue, red, and green while the rotation mode button can make the constellations move over the ceiling. They doesn’t get hot, either, even when left on all night. They are all fairly quiet, as well. They can be powered by AAA batteries or an AC Adapter. (Not included.) The Night Light Lamp by LESHP and the Anpress Novelty 360 Rotating Round Light Projector Lamp by Anpress offer warm light, blue, red, and green light and have 3 modes as well. They have warm light, color-changing mode, and rotation modes that let you rotate the projectors a full 360 degrees. The Anpress Projector Lamp boasts of higher power beads that make for a bright lighting range.

The Star Starlight Night Light Bedside Lamp by SHAVA has nine modes that give you different combinations of warm, red, green, and blue lighting options. It has three push buttons and can project up to 6 ft, making it ideal for a larger room. It has a little rotary motor, so the stars and moon actually move slowly. To turn it off, you have to go through all of the light options first. It takes 4 AAA batteries or you can use a USB cable to power it-it doesn’t come with one, but if you have an iPhone, you can use its charger to power it as it takes the same one.

The Constellation Night Light by Tysonir uses 3 AA batteries, or a USB cable. It can be rotated 360 degrees and has 4 LED starry bulbs. It has light patterns that can be rotated with the effect of none different colorful lights. It has three buttons-an on/off button, color change button, and rotate button for your convenience.

The SOAIY Remote Aurora Projection Lamp comes with a remote control, multiple lighting modes, and has a built-in speaker so you can plug in your phone or iPod to play music. It has three Auto Off Timer and Stay On All Night Options, so you can preset it to turn off at a specific time. It also has realistic Aurora Borealis and Nebular projections.

The Sun and Star Lighting Lamp by ANTEQI takes 4 AAA batteries or you can use a USB cable to power it. It is quiet and has three model lights-warm light, monochrome blue, red, or green, or colorful overlay. It makes very little noise.

The Constellation Night Light Projector Lamp from Peachy Nights has three settings-warm light, monochrome lighting, or rotary. It takes 4 AAA or AC Adapter as a power supply. This one actually comes with the USB cable.(Batteries and AC adapter is not included.) It has an option to make the starry night move or remain stationary. This one can even blink. It is a bit on the delicate side and the cord is on the short side, but otherwise a great product.

All of these Ceiling Projectors share a lot of the same similarities, such as three mode lighting features, the option to use batteries or and adapter, and of course, the starry constellation on your ceiling. But the one that really stood out to me was the SOAIY Remote Aurora Projection Lamp because of its extra features that actually lets you play your music through it and its remote control feature. Any of these would make a great choice, but if you like to have a lot of options, the Star Starlight Night Light Bedside Lamp by SlowTon is also a great choice, because of its nine modes and many color combinations. It is also great for a larger room, as it projects up to 6 feet. Hope this helps you decide!