Baby Cribs - Finding The Right OnePosted by Nick Niesen on November 1st, 2010 Before you go looking at baby cribs you should determine your budget. A good idea is to have a price range to work with. This will allow for more choices in the long run. The main concern you should have whether you are buying a new crib or a used one. The crib must meet government standards. When you put the crib together be sure to so following the manufacturer?s directions exactly to ensure the greatest amount of safety for your child. It should also be used properly. Safety concerns include the mattress. The mattress must be firm and tight fitting and there should be no missing or broken hardware. There should be no missing or loose slats. The slats should not be any more than 2 3/8 inches apart - about the width of a soda can. There should be no cutouts in the foot or headboards. If there are corner posts they should be no more than a sixteenth of an inch above the foot or head bar. Drop sides on a crib is very convenient and is probably the most used feature on any crib. Fixed sides do not have the drop down feature and is great for tall people or those who will only be occasionally using the crib. There are several ways in which drop sides can be lowered. There is the knee push lever and all you have to do is lean your knee against the crib side and it will drop. This is convenient if you have your baby in your arms. The wheels on a crib are a great asset because it makes the crib easier to move to clean under or retrieve dropped toys as well as changing bedding. Make sure the casters are strong and turn easily. If you don?t think you will need them you can put them aside in case you change your mind. You should look at the mattress supports as well. Some have vinyl straps that could wear out and break others have metal bar supports which is a better option. The best option however is a metal spring system where the entire mattress is supported and is the most durable of the three options. Like it? Share it!More by this author |