The evolution of baby crib
Baby cribs have evolved over the centuries from simple bassinets to modern day technological marvels. In the past, baby cribs were typically made from wood or metal and were designed to be lightweight and easy to move. Generally, the sides were low and had slats for air circulation. In the mid-1800s, baby cribs began to look more like the modern day style with high sides and a slatted bottom. During this period, cribs also began to be made from more durable materials such as iron or brass. Many of these cribs had decorative features such as intricate carvings, intricate designs, and even lace. By the mid-1900s, baby cribs were even more advanced and began to have adjustable heights, wheels, and other features. During this time, the mattresses were made from foam or rubber, and cribs were becoming more customizable. Today, baby cribs are even more advanced and come equipped with a variety of features. They are made from durable materials such as plastic, wood, and metal and come in a variety of sizes and styles. Additionally, they often have adjustable heights, wheels, and other features such as bassinets, side rails and toy bars.
Our guide will list eighteen factors you need to consider when choose a baby crib. Then we will showcase four types of baby cribs and their features.
Eighteen factors to consider when choosing a baby crib
1, Material
When it comes to materials, more than 90% of baby cribs currently on the market are made of wood, and other cribs are made of metal which are not suitable for babies. Wood can be divided into 100% solid wood and solid wood plus composite board. Many merchants will tell you that their baby cribs are made of solid wood when they advertise, but they often won’t tell you whether it is 100% solid wood or mixed with composite board. So ask clearly when buying. Of course, they are all purchased online now, and you can see them in the details. The current mainstream baby cribs are mainly made of pine, birch and beech. Pine wood is more afraid of moisture, and it is very easy to deform. Birch is just the opposite of pine. This kind of wood has good hygroscopicity and is easy to crack in dry places in the north. The advantage is that it is smooth and wear-resistant.
Compared with the above two kinds of wood, beech wood is hard, bears heavyweight, and is not easy to deform. The disadvantage is that the price is relatively high.
2, Size
At present, the length of the mainstream baby cribs on the market is between 120-130cm, and there are some expandable cribs that can reach 140-170cm; the width of most cribs is between 60-80cm. The specific size of the crib to choose depends on the specific use. For example, if you want your child can sleep until they are at elementary school stage, you can consider buying an extended crib.
3, Paint surface
Does the crib need to be painted? Mom and Dad may have heard that painting is not environmentally friendly and that babies will bite it. In fact, painting cribs can prevent corrosion, moth and cracking, prolong the service life, and it is less likely to breed bacteria, which will endanger the baby's health. The problem with the non-painted bed is that it is easy to crack and burr, which will cause harm to the baby. In addition, the saliva and milk cannot be wiped off after it is attached. However, it should be noted that the paint on the crib is not ordinary paint, but water-based environmentally friendly paint. At present, most brands on the market have already adopted water-based environmentally friendly paint. In addition, if you want to buy a painted solid wood crib, it is recommended to buy it at least one month in advance and put it in a ventilated place. If you choose to buy a paint-free crib, it is recommended to choose products produced by big-name manufacturers as much as possible.
4, Guardrail
Regarding the guardrail, let’s talk about its height first. Usually, the height of the guardrail should not be too low to prevent the baby from climbing out by itself, and it does not need to be too high, so that we will not be too tired when we bend over to hold the baby. It is recommended that the height of the guardrail be higher than the mattress 40~50cm is better.
The second is the spacing of the guardrails. Generally, the spacing of the guardrails is 5.5cm~6cm, which is more suitable to prevent the baby from sticking his head out or getting his hands and feet stuck during activities.
Finally, it should be noted that there are generally two types of guardrails: lifting guardrails and detachable front guardrails. Although the lifting guardrails are convenient, there are certain safety hazards. For example, the gap between the guardrails and the bed board may get stuck. Babies are very smart and have a strong ability to imitate. They are very easy to open the guardrail and fall, so my suggestion is to choose a detachable guardrail.
5, Mattress
At present, the cribs on the market have multiple gear adjustments, generally 2-4 gears, and some even have as many as 9 gears.
When the baby is young, it can be adjusted a little higher, because the baby is still young at this time and will not turn over, and it can be adjusted a little higher to make it easier for parents to pick up the baby.
When the baby is older, it should be lowered to prevent the baby from turning over by itself.
Another thing to pay attention to is the fit between the mattress and the bed. When you get the goods, you should check to see the gap between the mattress and the bed to prevent the baby's fingers from getting stuck.
The last one is the softness and hardness of the mattress. There is no uniform standard for this. It can only be observed when the baby starts to sleep in the crib to see if the baby sleeps comfortably.
6, Bed circumference
The bed circumference can prevent the baby from bumping, but it does take certain risks, so whether to buy or not depends on your own choice. If you want to buy, here are the following suggestions:
One is to try to choose the original one of the same brand, which is better matched with the crib, and the possibility of problems is low. The bed surrounds that have accidents in the news are often bought separately by themselves, and they cannot completely fit with their own cribs.
The second is to check carefully after installation. For example, the straps should not be left too long, they should be seamlessly fitted with the mattress, and they must be stable after installation.
7, Pulley
It is recommended to choose the pulley with universal wheel + lock + mute function, mainly in the following three aspects:
1. When the father is not at home, the mother of the crib with universal wheels can also move easily, which is convenient for taking care of the baby;
2. For safety considerations, the pulley should have a locking function to prevent it from sliding;
3.The mute function is mainly to prevent the baby from waking up when moving.
8, Price
When it comes to price, the material has a great influence on the price of cribs. The price of pine and birch cribs ranges from $50 to several thousand dollars.
If the family conditions are good, it is normal to spend tens of thousands to order. If the income is not high, it is no problem to spend $50 to buy what you think is suitable.
The specific price of the crib to buy depends on everyone's own choice. Parents want to give their children the best within their ability, but you get what you pay for.
9, Safety Standards
When buying a product, safety issues are the first to bear the brunt, especially cribs, which must meet strict safety standards.
The safety standards of cribs vary from country to country, among which China's 3c standard is relatively low, while other standards such as ASTMF1169 in the United States, SEN716 in Europe, and AS/NZS2172 in Australia and New Zealand are all high standards and suitable for babies.
10, Bedside fence
Babies are always active and like to poke their heads or body out to spy on the outside world, so the bedside fence is necessary. Its length is preferably less than six centimeters, and the shape is preferably round. Some parents only pay attention to the beauty of appearance and like to buy cribs with gorgeous decorations, patterns and carvings. This kind of view is unscientific. This kind of bed has certain safety hazards. If the clothes worn by children are hooked by those protruding carvings, the children will make large movements and are easily injured.
11, Protective layer to prevent cracking
Parents are required to attach protective covers to the rails next to the bed. As we all know, children who are teething have the habit of gnawing on things. With a protective cover, you can worry less. If parents choose a crib made of metal, the railings and paint materials of the crib must be safe and non-toxic, and must not contain toxic elements such as lead and potassium.
12, Cushion pad
Baby's head protection is very important. Parents should put pads around the crib to protect the baby's head. It is best to tie six knots around the pad, and its length should be carefully measured so as not to hurt the baby's neck. If the baby accidentally steps on the pad, parents should quickly remove the pad, otherwise the baby will crawl out through the pad.
13, Mattress
The gap between the mattress and the bed frame should be minimized as much as possible. It is not good if the baby accidentally puts his limbs into the gap while playing, so the distance between the mattress and the guardrails on both sides should be within two centimeters. . If the parent has adjusted the mattress to the highest position, the length between the mattress and the edge of the bed must be greater than 40 cm. As for the material of the mattress, the traditional cotton bedding is the best.
14, Position adjustment card lock
The adjustment control of the adjustment lock must ensure that children cannot use it. In simple terms, it refers to a tool that prevents children from lowering the bed by themselves. When some merchants are making cribs, in order to ensure that the card lock does not fall off naturally, they have made a unilateral lowering control setting, which is very convenient.
15, Decorative patterns
As the saying goes, the more beautiful things are, the more harmful they are. Beautiful decorative patterns often have potential safety hazards. If the baby eats brightly colored stickers, it will be in big trouble, and too bright patterns will affect the baby's mood. In addition, brightly colored paints may contain heavy metals such as lead, which can lead to lead poisoning, followed by symptoms of anemia. Therefore, you have to be careful in the choice of decorative patterns.
16, Use of guardrails on both sides
50cm higher than the mattress is the appropriate guardrail height. If it is too low, as the child grows up, the baby will grab the edge of the bed and stand up, which is prone to accidents. If the height is too high, it will be difficult for parents to pick up and put down the baby. Therefore, when parents buy, it is best to choose adjustable bed boards and cribs with sliding fences installed, so that parents can be more convenient when taking care of their babies.
17, The use of gauze
In summer, when the sun is strong, gauze plays an important role. The gauze net in summer reduces the bites of mosquitoes for children, and when the sun is strong, the light can be adjusted appropriately. Therefore, parents must pay attention to the various details of the gauze curtain when choosing.
18, Wheel and swing function
Braking device
Many parents prefer the roll and rocker features when choosing a crib, however, they should be used with great care. A small bed with a braking device is safer, so when parents choose to buy a crib, they must firstly confirm with the merchant whether the braking device of the bed is strong. If the situation permits, it is suggested that parents can test it by themselves. If it loosens with a little force, it is absolutely not allowed to buy.
Assembled tightly
For a crib that may shake, make sure that all the components are tightly connected during assembly, and it must not be loose and easy to fall.
Do not buy an unfixed bed
A bed that cannot be fixed is not suitable for an older baby, and when the baby grows up, the need for a bassinet no longer exists. Therefore, it is best to buy a crib with four wheels, and it is even better if two of them are equipped with brakes. Long service life and high cost performance.
Four types of baby crib
Classification: solid wood cribs ( painted and unpainted ), bamboo cribs, rattan cribs, mixed-material cribs.
1. Solid wood crib
At present, the main raw materials of cribs are New Zealand pine and sylvestris pine, which are very different. Pinus sylvestris is hard and rough. New Zealand pine is soft and planed clearly.
2. Bamboo crib
Bamboo crib is a new type of crib at present, and its characteristics are as follows:
Moderate hardness: Neither too soft nor too hard, it is difficult to bend under any pressure.
"Color and fragrance" are complete: The color is very beautiful, and the surface structure is also very good. There are bursts of bamboo fragrance, refreshing and pleasant.
Moth-free: Items made of bamboo have the characteristics of preventing moths, creating a safe and healthy sleeping environment for babies. Items made of bamboo not only do not condense dew, not easy to be contaminated with dust, but also are easy to clean. Generally, there will always be bacteria such as mites on the bed, and bamboo products can avoid the harm of parasites.
Adjust temperature: It can automatically adjust the humidity, and it can also resist humidity, warm in winter and cool in summer.
Anti-myopia: Bamboo absorbs ultraviolet rays, makes people live in it, and the eyes are comfortable, which can prevent myopia.
Eliminate noise: It has the function of eliminating noise, which makes you feel at ease.
Coolness: Bamboo products have a low temperature and are cold in nature, so parents can add other bamboo materials to the bed board to neutralize the temperature.
3. Rattan Crib
Because the required cost of making this bed is particularly high, and the making of wild rattan needs a lot of manpower and material resources again, so its product quantity is less.
4. Mixed-material cribs
Mixed-material cribs are cribs that are made from a combination of materials such as wood, metal, plastic, and fabrics. These cribs can be more stylish and modern than traditional wood cribs, while still providing a safe and comfortable sleep environment for your baby. Mixed-material cribs often come in unique designs, allowing you to customize the look of your nursery. Additionally, some mixed-material cribs are made with non-toxic finishes and materials, so you can rest assured that your baby is sleeping in a safe environment.
In order to create good resting environment for the baby, parents will prepare a crib for the baby. American researchers have indicated that in order to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID), authoritative organizations such as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Hong Kong Department of Health recommend that infants should not sleep in an adult's bed, but should sleep alone in a safe crib. There are many cribs on the market at present, and the most popular ones are multifunctional baby cribs. Let’s understand what the characteristics of multifunctional cribs are.
Five features of baby crib
1. Adjustable mattress
Most baby cribs have adjustable mattress settings that allow the mattress height to be adjusted as the baby grows. This is important as a baby's height increases and the mattress needs to be raised to prevent them from climbing out.
2. Safety standards
All baby cribs should meet safety standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This includes no drop sides, no corner posts higher than 1/16 of an inch, and no cutouts or open slats wider than 2 3/8 inches.
3. Convertibility
Many cribs can be converted into a toddler bed, day bed, or full-size bed as the child grows. This is a great feature that can save money in the long run.
4. Special features
Some cribs come with special features such as a changing table, storage drawers, or a night light. These features can be very useful and can make the transition from crib to bed a much smoother one.
5. Durability
Durable construction is important for any baby crib. Look for cribs that have strong, stable frames and sturdy hardware.
Conclusion
Having a complete knowledge of baby cribs can help you make smart sourcing and boost your business.
