Thinking of buying a bed for your baby?
Well, the first thing to know about it is that there are actually several types
you can buy, ranging from travel cribs to toddler beds.
If you’re not quite sure which type suits
you best – or what the types are in the first place – we’re here to help.
Today, we’ll go over the main types of baby beds and what they’re for.
1. Regular Crib
Easily the most recognizable of the lost,
the regular baby crib is very likely the crib you think of when talking about baby
beds.
It refers to the traditional crib, without
features such as caster wheels, convertible design, and so on. You get four
sides, a base, and slats, essentially.
Regular cribs are also fixed in the sense
that they can’t be collapsed for easier storage. That said, they can be
disassembled, but usually with more effort than travel cribs – you usually need
tools like screwdrivers or even carpenter’s pincers for it.
The upside to these cribs is that they’re
as ubiquitous as they are affordable. Regular cribs are usually the least
expensive baby bed types, although it depends on the make and materials.
2. Portable Crib
The portable crib is somewhere in between
the regular crib and the travel crib. Easier to move around than the former,
it’s also not quite as lightweight as the latter.
Most portable cribs sport features like
caster wheels, to make them easier to move from one place to another. A fair
number of them also fold up or collapse for even simpler transport.
However, most portable cribs are still
designed to be a bit sturdier than travel cribs. Most of these are still made
of materials like wood, for example, so they can only collapse or fold up so
far.
Still, they’re a good compromise if you
want something between the classic durability of the standard baby bed and the
convenience of the travel crib.
3. Travel Crib
Travel cribs are easily the most portable toddler baby beds you can find. These are often made of very lightweight materials,
with frames of aluminum and sides of mesh, for instance.
They also collapse into very small,
easy-to-carry bundles or shapes. This is usually where travel cribs depart from
portable cribs: most travel cribs can be packed and picked up even by smaller
users, and even have their own storage bags.
Generally, you look for travel cribs if you
need something that you can move long distances. For example, if you need a
crib that you can pack up and put in the car for a trip to the grandparents’
house, this is the answer.
4. Bassinet
The bassinet is a baby bed used by little
ones from birth to four months old. Unlike your usual crib, it’s shaped more
like an oval than a rectangle, and often has cloth or mesh sides.
This makes it sound somewhat like a travel
crib – and that’s a fair comparison. Like travel cribs, bassinets are very
portable.
Unlike cribs, though, bassinets are
designed to be fairly tall. Your average bassinet will put the baby at around
an adult’s waistline, which makes it significantly taller than the average
crib.
This is useful if you can’t lean down too
far into a crib for some reason. It makes reaching for and laying down the baby
much easier.
It’s also a good option if you’re pressed
for space and need something easy to move around the house.
The downside to bassinets is that they’re
not as sturdy or long-lasting as cribs, as their size means a baby can only use
them as a bed for so long.
Moreover, some have concerns about the high
center of gravity for these baby beds, which may make them a little more prone
to tipping over.
5. Convertible Crib
Finally, we have the convertible crib,
which is one of the most popular baby bed types nowadays. The convertible crib
is – as you might expect – a crib that can convert into another type of baby
bed.
For example, you can find convertible cribs
that can be converted from baby beds to toddler beds. Some can be converted
again after that into daybeds.
These cribs are finding increased
popularity these days thanks to their versatility. Due to their convertible
nature, they can be used long after the baby has grown up, with some even
continuing to use the daybed versions as seats in their teens.
The best convertible cribs are also quite
sturdy, as they use much the same hard materials as regular cribs. This makes
them great options for most parents.
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