convertible crib or standard crib

CJPowers

I have been really thinking about the pros and cons of both.  I think that a convertible crib will save money in the long run (although more expensive up front).  The standard crib, however, will take up less space in the nursery.  One pro of the convertible crib is that it will last till the child is 18 since it converts to a full size bed.  The con is that you have to have the same style bed for all 18 years and that if something happens to the bed (teething as an infant) you are stuck with that bed or have to pay for a new one. Another problem I have heard with the convertible crib is that the matress for an infant needs to be firm, but the toddler bed matress should be softer.  So you need to get a new mattress.  Also, I have heard the bar on the toddler bed is no good.  That it is better to get a small toddler bed close to the ground. 

What have you done in the past?  What are you thinking of doing?  I'm not sure what to get.   DH says convertible crib, my mom says standard crib, and I am just not sure.

speckledfrog

I'm getting a standard crib.  Our LO will have a twin sized bed, so a convertible crib is unnecessary for us.

skibunny59

We will probably get a convertible crib since most of the cribs we have seen at stores have been convertible cribs.

BunnyJenny

I got the convertible crib and the mattress flips for more support one side and softer on the other side.

I think there are pros to both..... take the car seat debate. I wanted to get a convertible one because it grows with them (and they are so expensive to upgrade) but eventually I was convinced to get the travel system because you don't have to wake the kid up every time you get out of the car...that was such a big pro I couldn't ignore it...

It really depends on you and baby. I had room for the convertible crib so that's what I went with but if that's really a con for you then get what works for you. 

 

penguinem

My DD has a convertible crib that i love dearly because my father built it. However, and maybe I wouldn't feel this way if he hadn't built it, I am pregnant again and I don't want to take it from her! My DD knows it will turn into a toddler bed and would be confused if I took it for the baby. I realized the convertible cribs are marketing genius! If I had it to do over I would get a crib and use it for all my kids, not get a new $400 crib for each one .

CJPowers

penguinem:

My DD has a convertible crib that i love dearly because my father built it. However, and maybe I wouldn't feel this way if he hadn't built it, I am pregnant again and I don't want to take it from her! My DD knows it will turn into a toddler bed and would be confused if I took it for the baby. I realized the convertible cribs are marketing genius! If I had it to do over I would get a crib and use it for all my kids, not get a new $400 crib for each one .

Although you spend $400 each time you have a new child on a new crib, you don't have to buy a toddler bed ($200) and then a twin bed ($400) so I guess you are saving money in the long run.  The convertible crib will grow with your DD for life. right?

ashunt279

This is our first baby.  We have a guest bedroom with a queen size bed in it.  My plan is to buy a standard crib and when the kid is old enough for a bed, we'll just put the mattress on the floor so if they do fall off there isn't far for them to fall.  We'll be able to use the crib for baby #2 whenever that happens.  I know it may sound silly but I think it may work for us.

ryaroberts

I'll have 2U2 and I bought a new convertible crib for both.  I love that they'll grow with them for life and I didn't want to take away DS's bed for DD.  There are plenty of super affordable convertible cribs, they don't all cost $400+.  As for the teething issue, they make rail covers for that that are cheap and easy to use and prevent the chipped rails.  I think it would be silly to have to buy each bed seperately when one will do just fine.

sterfehr

We bought a convertable crib for DS that has a changing table and dresser attached. It was $400 but it saved us from buying the dresser and the changing table and it saved space in the nursery. He is still using it at 2 1/2 as a toddler bed, but I have started talking to him about the big boy bed that I will transition him to in a couple of months. I am getting him new Toy Story sheets and making him a comforter to help get him excited. Then, we will still have a couple months before the baby is born so he doesn't feel like she's taking over his bed.

In the long run, it will have saved us money. DD can use it as a toddler bed when she's old enough and it does turn into a full size bed whenever we need that option. I feel like we're playing musical beds - the bed my SS outgrew will be DS's and so on. It's saving us money though!

246baje

sterfehr:

We bought a convertable crib for DS that has a changing table and dresser attached. It was $400 but it saved us from buying the dresser and the changing table and it saved space in the nursery. He is still using it at 2 1/2 as a toddler bed, but I have started talking to him about the big boy bed that I will transition him to in a couple of months. I am getting him new Toy Story sheets and making him a comforter to help get him excited. Then, we will still have a couple months before the baby is born so he doesn't feel like she's taking over his bed.

In the long run, it will have saved us money. DD can use it as a toddler bed when she's old enough and it does turn into a full size bed whenever we need that option. I feel like we're playing musical beds - the bed my SS outgrew will be DS's and so on. It's saving us money though!

Are you planning to change the convertible crib from a toddler bed back to a crib? Because I'm pretty sure I've read that once you convert it from a crib it is not safe to convert it back to a crib.

That said we are buying a convertible crib for our baby.

gekeler6

I bought the convertible cribs for my first set of twins and we never used them as toddler beds.  We wanted a different style once they were out of the cribs.  We change things up quite a bit in our house with bedrooms and decos, so for us we just buy new stuff when the time comes.  I honestly don't know if a peice of furnture would last that long in my house.  You can always find good deals when the time comes to switch things up.   I think Target has great prices on cribs and target furniture is a good quality.  Its the type of quality that looks nice and is stable and lasts long, but doesn't break the bank or make me want to scream if the baby chewed on the side of it.  I don't like investing a lot of money in furniture for my kids until they are old enough to understand being respectful of items in the house.  That's just my personal experience and opinion.

kara4683

How do you make the track down on the bump.com?

JFH2010

I think I'll go with standard, because I don't think we'll want to keep the same bed for LO for 18 years. We move a lot and it's nice to be able to jettison furniture without feeling like we're wasting a ton of money. The only semi-expensive furniture we own is our own bed - everything else can be left behind if we choose. I'd like to keep it that way with LOs furniture.

jf198400

We have a standard crib, although it does convert to a toddler bed.  DD has marked up the side with teething.  We really only have space for our kids to have twin beds, not full size.  And I plan to have several kids so DD will be moving into a twin bed so LO2 can have her crib.

sarahvarno

We just purchased our cribs and almost all of the ones we chose were convertible. Very few we saw in store were standard.

kipikookoo

I would probably just get a cheaper crib because the baby will probably chew through it when its teething and then you wouldn't want to keep it anyway.

Lisa9926

My preference is to always get the convertible.  However, each person is in a different situation. I think it really depends on how much money you have to spend up front.  If you can afford really good quality furniture that has finishes that won't get scratched up (see if they scrach easily in the store and pound on them a bit to see if it's solid), go for it, but be prepared to spend at least $1,600 or more (I get the long dress, tall dresser, conversion kit, and crib).  If you don't get the really nice stuff, it's not going to last and you will have to replace it anyways at a point.  Also, you need to make sure your baby's room is big enough for a full size bed for when you convert it. 

If you don't have the money to invest, or your rooms are tiny, then just get the standard crib and you can get less expensive furniture because it doesn't have to last.

Mrs.Wifey318

I have a convertible crib and it is a waste IMO. DD has scratched and scared her crib so bad that I had to do major touch ups to use it for this baby. There is no way it will last until she is older. We will use it with DD #2 until she is ready to move into a twin bed then sell it or something. I would go with the standard. Convirtible cribs are a good idea but they get so much wear and tear that it is hard to keep them nice.

Mrs.Wifey318

CJPowers:

penguinem:

My DD has a convertible crib that i love dearly because my father built it. However, and maybe I wouldn't feel this way if he hadn't built it, I am pregnant again and I don't want to take it from her! My DD knows it will turn into a toddler bed and would be confused if I took it for the baby. I realized the convertible cribs are marketing genius! If I had it to do over I would get a crib and use it for all my kids, not get a new $400 crib for each one .

Although you spend $400 each time you have a new child on a new crib, you don't have to buy a toddler bed ($200) and then a twin bed ($400) so I guess you are saving money in the long run.  The convertible crib will grow with your DD for life. right?

 One thing to think of is to go straight from the crib to the twin bed and skip the toddler bed all together. This is what we just did with DD she loves her big girl bed!

xoladiebug

Mrs.Wifey318:

 One thing to think of is to go straight from the crib to the twin bed and skip the toddler bed all together. This is what we just did with DD she loves her big girl bed!

Thank you for posting this because that's what I intend to do too.  My parents didn't have convertible cribs for us kids and we went from crib to twin bed...pushed against a wall with a rail for safety.  I didn't get my first headboard until I was in college LOL! 

CJPowers

well it is hard to find standard cribs that are safe (without drop down rails, no lead, etc.) All of the cribs being sold now are convertible cribs.  I think I saw over 200 convertible cribs and 5 standard cribs in the baby furniture store we were in the other day.