Your Guide to Shopping for Luxury Baby Cribs

The luxury baby furniture market is full of wonderful products designed to pamper an protect your little one. Even when shopping for high end baby furniture and luxury baby cribs, however, it’s important to be aware of important baby crib safety guidelines. Just because a crib is touted as “high end” or “luxury” doesn’t mean that it’s safe. Here, we’ll highlight some important crib features new parents need to look for when shopping for luxury baby cribs.

Baby crib safety ratings changed in 2011, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the newest set of standards before beginning your search. Keep an eye out for current baby crib recalls, and make sure the cribs you look at have firm, tight-fitting mattresses, aren’t missing hardware or slats, and have no cut-outs in the head- or foot-boards. Slats shouldn’t be further than 2 3/8″ apart, and corner posts shouldn’t be higher than 1/16″.

The sides of luxury baby cribs are very important considerations. As of June 2011, cribs with drop-sides are no longer considered safe. Look for a crib with fixed sides or, if you really need a moving side, look for a crib with a drop-gate that folds down.

Wheels are useful features, as long as they are safe. Make sure the casters are sturdy, since you’ll be using them each time you vacuum under the crib, change sheets, or fetch toys. If you aren’t sure that you’ll use the wheels, keep them off the crib, but hold onto them. They’ll probably come in handy when your baby is three or four months old.

Adjustable mattress height is available on virtually all luxury baby cribs, allowing you to gently lay down a sleeping newborn or keep an older baby from pulling herself up and out of a crib. Wire spring mattress supports tend to be sturdier than wood slat or metal bar mattress supports, though both are still allowed under the new 2011 requirements.

Convertible cribs are an attractive option to many parents, though they can be quite expensive. If you’re considering a convertible crib, think about whether you’ll be reusing the crib for a second child, or if you really will convert the crib when your child outgrows it. Many toddlers move straight from a crib to a twin bed, so convertible cribs can often be skipped in order to save money.

Choosing a crib can be very complex if you haven’t looked carefully at the important considerations for baby’s safety. Make sure you familiarize yourself with standards and safety issues before starting to shop. The best luxury baby cribs don’t just look great — they keep your little one as safe as possible. Find more on this topic here: recrib.com