Crib Shopping Tips?

Achieverjo

I'm a first time mom and also thrifty. I've been window shopping at big box baby stores only to be horrified at how expensive cribs are. To me, $400+ is way too expensive.

Though these high-priced cribs look more designer, I feel like the price is more of a marketing trick similar to how wine is sold. If you don't know any better, one might assume a higher priced item is better. But that might not be true.

I've found a few on Amazon and Ikea that I like. Was wondering if there was any veteran mom advice out there about picking a crib that is safe and affordable.

I'm not looking for an heirloom crib... Just something practical. There's so many recalls, it doesn't seem worth it to invest in something to pass down to the next kid or generation. For example, drop-sided cribs from the 90s. They are considered dangerous now.

rschenck14

Hi,
So just something to consider for you.  We bought our crib from Pottery Barn and it was expensive, however it converts to a toddler bed and a full sized bed.  So just something to consider if you are thinking about using a crib long term.  This is what we purchased:
https://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/larkin-4-in-1-crib/?pkey=bcribs&&bcribs

momofmanyinthemitten

We went with convertible cribs. We have two that we alternate between babies. While we won't probably use them as full size beds, the toddler bed function is nice to have. Ours are Davinci Emily, less than $200. Both are still in great shape after nearly 5 and 3 years.

rebelone

I like thrifty. My family got me a convertible crib from Walmart for 100-something. It converts into a toddler bed. It's pretty standard, nice looking and sturdy. 

Achieverjo

These are great tips! Did your family order from Walmart online? My local store doesn't have any displayed.

Davinci is one of the brands on my list of possibilities! It's reassuring to hear from someone that's bought one.

mechekitty

I'm not sure if you know anyone crafty, but a good friend of mine actually built a crib for his son. He went to those big box stores and measured the cribs there for accuracy, then found a guide online, bought the wood and built it himself. It looks amazing too! I'm not sure how safe it is, but I have a lot of homemade furniture that is sturdier than anything I could have bought at the store.  

rebelone

Achieverjo said:

These are great tips! Did you order from Walmart online? My local store doesn't have any displayed. Davinci is one of the brands on my list of possibilities! It's reassuring to hear from someone that's bought one.

Yes the crib was ordered from Walmart online. I had a registry for my 2 year old and put the crib and mattress on the registry. Since my family lived across the country, they ordered the crib off the registry. Then MH went to pick it up from the store, since site to store has free shipping. There's so many nice looking cribs on the website.

[Deleted User]

We ordered a convertible one from amazon... I believe it was under $200 and came with the mini toddler bed rails.  We will be using it with our second so there's no need to go to headboard with it.  Our three year old is over 40lbs and has no issues with it.  I've even laid in it with her and there's no issues.  Good luck!

mumidi

We got one from babies r us that was on clearance. It's very nice and converts. I think it was less than $150 and we got it during the trade in event. Nothing wrong with not spending a fortune.

RoseShadow873

I'm confused hearing about whether or not a crib is safe. What can be dangerous about a crib? Do some have sharp parts or literally fall apart when the baby is in it? I'm just wondering what it is that can go wrong.

Achieverjo

RoseShadow873 said:

I'm confused hearing about whether or not a crib is safe. What can be dangerous about a crib? Do some have sharp parts or literally fall apart when the baby is in it? I'm just wondering what it is that can go wrong.

I can't speak for everyone, but I've seen some blogs where the structure of the crib becomes defective. Or the crib arrives and its paint is chipping off prior to use.

mrstrax

Be sure you look at the mattresses that are available as well. Some shaped cribs are really pretty, but then you have to pay a premium for the right shaped mattress too.

As for safety, so long as you have the right spacing between slats and no drop side (they're illegal to sell now) you should be just fine. I mean I wouldn't buy something homemade from a garage sale or anything, but the brands sold by the box stores go through the same safety requirements.

Achieverjo

mechekitty said:

I'm not sure if you know anyone crafty, but a good friend of mine actually built a crib for his son. He went to those big box stores and measured the cribs there for accuracy, then found a guide online, bought the wood and built it himself. It looks amazing too! I'm not sure how safe it is, but I have a lot of homemade furniture that is sturdier than anything I could have bought at the store.  

I love this idea! But the person I know would be the baby's father, and his honey-do list is already very long! Haha 8->

Also this is just brilliant! Kind of laughing at imagining him measuring it in the store.

MamaRoni

kielpinskim said:

We went with convertible cribs. We have two that we alternate between babies. While we won't probably use them as full size beds, the toddler bed function is nice to have. Ours are Davinci Emily, less than $200. Both are still in great shape after nearly 5 and 3 years.

I have 2 of this one and used them with my twins when they were born 7 years ago... and now wi th my almost 3 yr old

I also have a beautiful one from million Dollar baby that my 8.5 yr old used and still does... it's now a gorgeous full size

littleredx2

I've purchased both the expensive crib (paid 1200 for the 3 piece set) and the cheap crib (purchased from Wal-Mart/Wayfair for around $150). I've become much more thrifty with my subsequent kids than I was with DS1 lol. I see no difference in the actual crib structure, both convert to toddler and full side beds. We never use this function however as twin beds seemed more practical for us. Both are sturdy and look nice. Both are safe! My BFF has an IKEA crib and I love it too. I really don't think it matters too much the cost, just read the reviews on what you like and see how it holds up. We've used both our expensive set and cheap set for over 3 years now with multiple babies and both are still holding up the same :-)

The only things I've noticed is that I don't care for the cheaper dressers. The one that came with our expensive crib set is much preferred over the one we purchased as Wayfair (not a set). It's probably not even the cost as much as I think I just need to see the dresser in person, ie: pull out the drawers and such to see how much noise they make, how sturdy it is, etc.

momofmanyinthemitten

Achieverjo said:

mechekitty said:

I'm not sure if you know anyone crafty, but a good friend of mine actually built a crib for his son. He went to those big box stores and measured the cribs there for accuracy, then found a guide online, bought the wood and built it himself. It looks amazing too! I'm not sure how safe it is, but I have a lot of homemade furniture that is sturdier than anything I could have bought at the store.  

I love this idea! But the person I know would be the baby's father, and his honey-do list is already very long! Haha 8->

Also this is just brilliant! Kind of laughing at imagining him measuring it in the store.

I'd love to have someone build me a co-sleeper that attaches to the side of the bed and is the same height, so all I have to do is roll over, pull out a boob, and let baby fall back to sleep at night. DH delegates hanging pictures to our handyman, so this project would never get done in our house.

mrstrax

kielpinskim said:

Achieverjo said:

mechekitty said:

I'm not sure if you know anyone crafty, but a good friend of mine actually built a crib for his son. He went to those big box stores and measured the cribs there for accuracy, then found a guide online, bought the wood and built it himself. It looks amazing too! I'm not sure how safe it is, but I have a lot of homemade furniture that is sturdier than anything I could have bought at the store.  

I love this idea! But the person I know would be the baby's father, and his honey-do list is already very long! Haha 8->

Also this is just brilliant! Kind of laughing at imagining him measuring it in the store.

I'd love to have someone build me a co-sleeper that attaches to the side of the bed and is the same height, so all I have to do is roll over, pull out a boob, and let baby fall back to sleep at night. DH delegates hanging pictures to our handyman, so this project would never get done in our house.

I have the plans for one saved on Pinterest but I doubt DH or I will get it done by April. I'll probably end up getting one of the in bed co-sleepers. DD ended up jn bed with us most of her first 4 months out of pure laziness, so I'm sure this one won't be better when I also have a toddler to chase! That or a Moses Basket with a stand. Depends on if I find one used or not.

ashleymarie1027

We got our dresser and crib from target and I love both. They were inexpensive (crib ~$150, dresser ~ $250) and have good construction out of solid wood parts. That being said, you have to assemble yourself. The crib was easy, but the dresser took DH and BIL 4 hours to assemble.

So if you have the time, I highly recommend the target option. They usually have one or two setup in the store for you to see. But they won't sell you an already-put-together one

runlong3

ALL cribs have to pass CPSC standards for safety. So it's exactly the same thing as car seats - they all have to meet certain requirements in order to be sold. What you're paying for is things like convertible beds, higher quality finishes, etc. One isn't really going to be safer than another. 

Jules08

For DS we purchased a convertible crib from Target for $165; a Graco crib.  It has held up over the years and we will be using it for this baby.  For DS we only used it as a crib and a toddler bed and we will do the same with 2.0.  (Eventually we'll convert it to a full and give it to DS and then give 2.0 DS's twin bed.)

As far as safety, just make sure the crib is sturdy and quality (you can read reviews online or check out a baby bargains book).  Also, no drop down sided cribs.  No one (even at thrift stores or garage sales) is legally allowed to sell a drop sided crib, even with modifications made to lock the drop side in place.

pinottoparenthood

We bought our crib at Ikea... I think it was $79? It is definitely smaller than some of the more expensive cribs, but it works great in our son's modern nursery. We have been 100% happy with it.

pinottoparenthood

We have this one so I it's $119 now... they do have cheaper ones but we liked the look of this one. I think it might have been even little cheaper when we bought it a few years ago.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30248575/

pinottoparenthood

Also I think anyone who buys a $500+ crib is kind of crazy. Why? What's the point? They only sleep in it for a year or two.

adifrog

I bought a crib the week after I found out I was PG. I'm on the Nextdoor app and one of my neighbors had an unused crib and mattress set they were selling for $125. (They thought a grand baby was coming to live with them but plans changed.) Sometimes your neighborhood/social media can come in handy!

AnnikaD20

I've been pretty happy with our Ikea crib, which we got 2nd hand from a friend who was done having kids. It converts to a toddler/ full bed too, although I think we're just going to keep it as a crib since baby 2 will be using it soon.

yodiggity

pinottoparenthood said:

We have this one so I it's $119 now... they do have cheaper ones but we liked the look of this one. I think it might have been even little cheaper when we bought it a few years ago.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30248575/

Did a standard crib mattress fit? Ikea's beds are weird sometimes.

brie_and_almonds

I got a cheap Graco Lauren from WalMart. It has been great and held up well. We did use teething rails on it when DD was in woodchuck mode. The mattress we bought cost more than the crib (and my DD hated it for a long time).

If I were doing it again, I would get a shorter crib (probably an IKEA one) because I am quite short (5'2") and I have a hard time reaching to get my DD out, especially since it's on the lowest setting now. Also, I would get a reversible mattress with an "infant" and "toddler" side.

pinottoparenthood

yodiggity said:

pinottoparenthood said:

We have this one so I it's $119 now... they do have cheaper ones but we liked the look of this one. I think it might have been even little cheaper when we bought it a few years ago.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30248575/

Did a standard crib mattress fit? Ikea's beds are weird sometimes.

@yodiggity I looked at the dimensions of their crib mattress online and was able to order one off Amazon.

jonesl12

rschenck14 said:

Hi,
So just something to consider for you.  We bought our crib from Pottery Barn and it was expensive, however it converts to a toddler bed and a full sized bed.  So just something to consider if you are thinking about using a crib long term.  This is what we purchased:
https://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/larkin-4-in-1-crib/?pkey=bcribs&&bcribs

Did they come to your home and assemble or is there an option for that ? I was looking at a similar one on the site but I would have to buy a conversion kit. Yours came all in one without buying a kit separate ? If so that's awesome. Did you get the grey dresser /changing table? I'd like to get a set so they match

Lilpenguin3

Baby bargains has them all rated by quality and price. I got it at the library. I plan to go to Wal-Mart or Target for the crib and get a nice solid dresser and put the changing pad on top.

amandac12581

I'm loving the Ikea crib @pinottoparenthood shared. I'm thinking something like that for the crib and buying a nice solid dresser to match. I'm trying to be more conservative in my spending. I know that first time parents sometimes go crazy getting everything that's "top of the line" for lack of a better term. I don't want to be that parent.

amaniupendo

Bought a cheap graco Lauren. Looks brand new still (using as a toddler bed now). I have no interest in making it a full (want a loft bed for kid) so spending lots of money would be silly for us. Now I can spend that money on this awesome loft bed I found for her Christmas gift.

jonesl12

pinottoparenthood said:

Also I think anyone who buys a $500+ crib is kind of crazy. Why? What's the point? They only sleep in it for a year or two.

If it's a convertible crib and they can use it for a long time then paying under 600 for a crib, toddler bed, and full/twin bed is a steal. Compared to what we paid for our master bedroom sets its really not so bad. Quality is important

Edited because I can't talk and type at the same time apparently lol

pinottoparenthood

amandac12581 said:

I'm loving the Ikea crib @pinottoparenthood shared. I'm thinking something like that for the crib and buying a nice solid dresser to match. I'm trying to be more conservative in my spending. I know that first time parents sometimes go crazy getting everything that's "top of the line" for lack of a better term. I don't want to be that parent.

@amandac12581 I didn't want to spend much on the nursery, either. We love the crib, it has a really modern look... like I said, it is smaller, but it works because his room is pretty small. Our rug was like $79 from Urbanoutfitters, and we sanded/spray painted an old dresser white and put new knobs on. So we spent next to nothing on his nursery! Unforunately, I have more than made up for it buying clothing for the past 2.5 years

cchild101010

DD's crib came from babies r us as a discontinued Black Friday deal. I paid $299 for the crib and dresser. The dresser was a floor model and had a minor scratch and the crib was in the box. It converts to toddler bed and full size bed. I'm really hoping to find some Black Friday deals this year too (last year Amazon had a great deal on car seats too). I'm like you, I want something safe, nice looking but don't want to spend $500+ on an entire set.

rschenck14

rschenck14 said:

Hi,
So just something to consider for you.  We bought our crib from Pottery Barn and it was expensive, however it converts to a toddler bed and a full sized bed.  So just something to consider if you are thinking about using a crib long term.  This is what we purchased:
https://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/larkin-4-in-1-crib/?pkey=bcribs&&bcribs

Did they come to your home and assemble or is there an option for that ? I was looking at a similar one on the site but I would have to buy a conversion kit. Yours came all in one without buying a kit separate ? If so that's awesome. Did you get the grey dresser /changing table? I'd like to get a set so they match

Hi,
We did have in-home delivery and they came to our townhouse, carried the crib parts and dresser up 2 flights of stairs and assembled everything in the babies room.  We did buy the toddler conversion kit as well and then you also have to purchase the bed conversion kit too for later down the road (They were stored in closet until needed).  We kept her in the crib up until July 4th so she was over 2 1/2 and then we converted her to toddler bed.  We have the white set (grey was not available back in 2012) and we opted to get the extra long Larkin dresser with the changing topper (which is removable and its like a normal dresser).  We also got the nightstand as well.  We really love the items we got from Pottery Barn and are happy with the service and quality.  My husband said the crib was very easy to convert when the time came as well.  Order the items early because everything is custom made so it can take 3 to 4 months to come in.  Good luck!

K&Elizabeth

If you do get a convertible crib, check out the process for getting the convertible parts. Some cribs come with the parts and some you have to order. I got burned when we went to order the convertible parts when my DD was big enough for the toddler bed. The crib style was discontinued and they no longer made the parts.

hurricane1212

We have a graco Lauren, an ikea crib, and a hand me down from a friend. I love the ikea crib the most and it was super cheap. It just feels so sturdy compared to most. The graco Lauren was a gift from my mom. She ordered it on walmart.com for $140 for DD (she's four now). Its a fine crib, but definitely not as tough as the one from ikea.
My suggestion is go cheap, like you intend to. They will bite it, poop on it and basically destroy it. I would never spend thousands on a nursery bedroom suite. Dds nursery was adorable and safe and we spent less than $500 on the entire room.