To find the best cribs for babies in India, we hand you a quick buying guide to cover various points like why you need a crib – types of cribs – are solid back cribs safe? – how to choose the best baby crib. Read On.
When babies are in their infant stage, they spend most of their time sleeping. In the initial few months, an average of 15 to 17 hours out of 24 is spent in slumbering. Therefore, providing comfortable bedding equipped with all the coziness is essential.
A sound sleep helps babies to grow well and nurture superbly. So keeping this in mind, again the need for high-grade sleeping accessories become essential. Comfortable mattress, cozy pillows, and warm blanket are not enough if you don’t have a safe and secure sleeping place for the baby. It is when baby cribs come in handy.
Although in India the culture of co-sleeping is more prevalent, having crib has its own set of advantages. Many parents get disturbed with the thought of letting their tiny tot sleep alone in the crib. On the other hand, some believe that they make the best place when it comes to the safety of the baby.
If you too are facing this common dilemma, and in apprehension, whether to invest in a crib or not, the content below will help manifolds. Here, we have discussed every bit and pieces of information about the cribs. So let us dig deep into the topic and get detailed know-how about cribs.
What is a Baby Crib?
Baby crib is one essential furniture meant for the babies to sleep.
It is also known as an infant bed. Secured with barred or latticed sides, it ensures that the baby will remain safe inside it.
They are either made up of solid wood or metal but needs to get cozier by using right mattresses.
Why do you need a crib (how they differ from bassinets and cradles)?
Baby cribs are generally larger which confuses the parents whether to get one for their newborn or not. It is when they think a bassinet or cradle will suffice, lesser knowing the fact that getting a crib is a lucrative investment. You save your money and efforts by investing in a crib rather than a cradle.
Babies grow at a breakneck pace in the initial few months. Once you get a bassinet or cradle, you need to replace it as soon the child grows. While bassinets and cradles work well till four to five months, you can use crib until the child turns 5. However, it mostly depends upon the size of your crib.
Other than this, cribs secure more marks when it comes to the safety of the child. As soon your baby learns to move back and forth, the chances of him upending the cradle increases manifolds. On the other hand, cribs made up of solid wood, eliminate this uncertainty.
The only perk one gets with bassinets or cradle is their small size due to which maneuvering also becomes easy. However, this perk becomes a curse as soon the baby starts kicking legs too often and moving. Therefore, getting a crib is far better choice than getting a cradle for your little one.
What are the different types of cribs?
Cribs come in different forms majorly based on their structure, size, and ease of portability.
- Standard Cribs: Standard cribs remain just at one place in the house and are not portable. They are generally made up of solid wood and are heavy. Standard cribs lack in designs, drawers or any other functional element. However, they are good to go if you are not looking for anything but only a safe place for the child to sleep.
- Travel: Traveling cribs are foldable. They are meant primarily for the parents who travel often. Made with soft materials like foam and mesh they get folded easily and carried anywhere with ease.
- Multifunctional: A multifunctional crib is equipped with drawers to keep the essentialities of the baby. There could be one changing table as well so it one versatile product for the baby.
- Specialty: Specialty cribs utilize eco-friendly materials. While going for a specialty crib, you need to look for every desirable feature as they may lack a few.
- Convertible: The design of convertible cribs makes it possible to convert them from a daybed to a headboard. It makes a convenient option to splurge.
- Portable: You can easily maneuver portable cribs from one room to another. Also, it is easy to fold them and store when not in use. Generally, the solid wood doesn’t make them apt for traveling.
Are solid back cribs safe?
Cribs come in two designs- solid back cribs and slated cribs.
While the slated cribs comprise slats from all the sides, the solid back has a bumper at one side and slats at the rest of the three. Generally, parents remain in apprehension as to whether the solid back cribs are viable or not. It is the reason why slated cribs always remain the foremost choice of many.
If we sideline the dilemmas associated with solid back cribs, they have proved to be highly usable and looks more luxurious as well. The few drawbacks as experienced by the parents are:
- Suffocation- Some parents believe that the presence of a bumper at one side may cause suffocation to the child. If the child, while sleeping shifts towards the bumper side, the dangers of him getting stuck and feeling suffocated increases.
- Leverage in climbing- As soon the child starts standing, he finds the support to move ahead. Bumper makes an excellent place for them to assist in climbing above the crib. Here, the chances of falling off the crib enhance manifolds.
A buying guide to Baby crib
A crib is a one-time investment. Therefore, to make your purchase lucrative, pondering over certain aspects become necessary. Also, when it comes to purchasing any furniture for the baby, you need to remain highly vigilant about the features and safety issues. So, here are the points that require special attention while getting a crib.
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A big NO to drop-side rail-
The cribs with side rails that easily drops should be a straight no. No matter how secure its tightening feature is, you never know when your child could exert the desired pressure and drop it. It could become highly dangerous to use.
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Look for the distance between the slats-
Distantly placed slats may cause a threat to the infants as well as toddlers. The chances to fall and trapping the head is high with them. The slats in the cribs are not more than 6 centimeters distance, makes an excellent choice.
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The height of the corner posts-
You need to be check the cribs with corner posts for their height. Corner posts flush with the top of the headboard and footboard and with perfect height are good to go. Or else, it may cause the strangulation hazard.
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The height of the crib-
Ensure that you don’t give the grib a height that is uncomfortable fro you and the baby. It should be low enough for you to reach out the baby and carry him easily.
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How well it is constructed-
Look upon the materials used in the manufacturing. Also, give importance to the fastening of the slats. Double check the whole crib by shaking to make sure it is stable and sturdy. A tightly assembled crib surpasses the uncertainties associated with it.
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Quality of mattress-
A high-quality mattress which is firm enough to provide proper support to the baby is best to explore. With cribs, getting a soft mattress could lead to suffocation and SIDS. Therefore choosing a mattress with the right firmness and perfect fitting makes the best choice.
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Certified or not-
The last but not the least point that needs heed is the certification of the crib. Make sure that has passed some consumer safety certification. It enhances the value of the product and ensures that it will be safe for the baby. A poorly made crib could be highly fatal.
Best Cribs for Babies in India
Now that we have discussed every critical point related the cribs, it time to look for some of the best cribs present in the Indian market.
1. Luvlap C-50M Baby Multipurpose Wooden Cot with Mattress – Large (Cherry Red)
The best thing about this product from Luvlap is certified as European Standards EN passed. It is perfect for babies until they turn one year old. Another thing that allures people the most is its convertible feature. You may use it as a crib or a cradle with little efforts.
It has the maximum weight holding capacity of 15 kg. The use of pine wood imparts the desired durability to it. The polished finishing adds to the outlook and makes it a perfect piece of furniture to place in the room. The outer dimensions of the crib are 99 x 52 x 77 cm.
2. Mee Mee Baby Wooden Cot with Swing and Mosquito Net (Brown)
Mee Mee has always managed to impress people with its high-grade products. This wooden cot is no exception as they have every desirable feature making it safe and secure. Its premium quality wood contributes to making it sturdy, stable and highly durable. The best thing is it is big enough to use until the child turns 5.
Another enthralling feature is its adjustable heights and length. As the child continues to grow, you can quickly adjust the length of the crib. Likewise adjusting the height is also hassle-free. There are four wheels at the base to make the maneuverability of the cot easy. The brakes in the wheels make sure that crib will remain stationary whenever required.
3. Fisher-Price Charlotte Rose 3-in-1 Convertible Crib, Snow White
You can’t doubt the authenticity of baby products coming from Fisher-Price. Being a trendy brand among the parents, its cribs have managed to receive “A” rating. Although this product is a little more expensive, the quality is exceptionally high and commendable. It is built with premium quality, high-grade solid wood which correspond to its durability.
You can convert it into a bed for the toddler, daybed, and full-size bed with little efforts and in lesser time. It comes with every essential hardware and tool required to assemble it. A warranty of one year backs it so you can consider buying it without any dilemma.
4. BabyCenter India Baby Wooden Cot 892 – Natural
The cribs from Baby center India are made up of high-grade solid tropical hardwood to enhance their durability. Special heed is given while designing and manufacturing the whole crib so that it meets the stringent Bs En standards. Therefore you can’t doubt the authenticity of this fantastic product.
There is a three level adjustable base with the help of which adjusting it as per the comfort of the baby becomes easy. Safety and comfort are the topmost priority of this crib which makes it worthiest of all. Some of the safety measures in this crib are:
- Reliable quality safety knob
- Non-toxic teething rails with four castors
- Two castors equipped with brakes
- Rounded and soft corners
5. Baybee Premium Deluxe Handcrafted Elegant Wooden Cradle cum Cot with Crib Bedding Set
This handcrafted crib, not only looks alluring but comprises every essential feature that elevates the worth. It is the reason why it is EN 716 Certified and follows every stringent rule set for the safety of the child. It is made up of elegant handcrafted wood which imparts it a highly sophisticated look. Other than this, the use of BPA materials ensures that it is perfect for the babies and toddlers. Since it can hold even 60 kg of weight, you can use it for your entire life. You can adjust the side rails to lengthen the crib as the baby continues to grow.
The crib encompasses ample of extra storage space to keep the clothes, toys and other essential baby’s products. It comes with premium quality quilt bed and mosquito net to make it one complete package to splurge.
Final Words:
So, choose wisely and ensure the safety of your baby while he is asleep. With a crib, you don’t need to keep an eagle eye on him all the time. In the meantime, get yourself a cup of coffee, sit back and relax. It’s time to take a deep breath and enjoy your “me time”!
Check Other articles here –> Best Baby Gear in India