Ams Skinner

Important Considerations When Buying a Baby Furniture Crib! | Print View | PDF View

If you are expecting a new baby, this is undoubtedly an exciting time. Along with all of the other preparations you are making, chances are you'll be looking to purchase a baby furniture crib. If so, you should make sure you choose a crib that is safe, durable, and affordable.

When it comes to safety, realize that there are many new safety standards on the horizon. This can be a bit confusing, but in the end it results in greater safety for babies and peace of mind for parents.

An adjustable mattress height and drop sides (one or both) are features on most standard cribs. Drop sides make is easier for parents to pick baby up out of the crib, and the mattress adjustment can be set high to easily lift the baby when he or she is small and can't climb out. For older babies, a lowered mattress can help keep baby from climbing out and getting injured.

Convertible baby furniture cribs allow the crib to be changed into a toddler bed, and possibly into a full-sized bed. Psychologically, the conversion helps a child to adjust into sleeping into a bigger bed.Portable cribs are another alternative, however a parent needs to be told that portable cribs do not have to meet the stringent safety demands that other cribs need to adhere to.

Parents need to carefully look for any recalls from the Consumer Product Safety Commission that may include the crib they are considering. Often recalls are made if the space between the slats are too wide, as they should not be larger than the width of a standard soda can, 2 3/8 apart. Other problems may involve a strap system to hold the mattress that has been known to fail as opposed to a metal spring system.

Other reasons for recall include a mattress that does not fit properly, leaving a gap between the crib and the mattress where baby may become trapped. Incorrect, loose, or missing parts are also a major safety hazard. The most common reason for crib recalls is a failure of the drop side mechanism. For this reason, you should avoid buying used cribs unless you can locate the manufacturer name and product code, or you have the product booklet from the manufacturer. You will need this data to investigate whether that particular crib has been recalled.

Look for different designs for cribs, including a fold-out side design instead of the dangerous drop side hardware that can trap the babys head. There may even be laws surfacing that will totally ban drop side cribs, thus parents need to follow the news carefully before investing in a baby furniture crib. The safety commissions are also considering that cribs should be closer to the floor than the standard crib so that if a child does fall out of a crib there may be less resulting injury.

Again, always check any crib against the Consumer Product Safety Commission.Your best bet though is to purchase from a baby furniture crib dealer who is genuinely concerned about safety and are aware of the different features that are coming out regarding cribs. Read their advertisements carefully, safety consciousness is easy to spot.

Comments (0)  |   Mon, 11 May 2009   |  

0 Responses

Leave a Reply

You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.