Are wooden cribs really that bad?!?!

ikissedthecook · December 2010

Over the holiday my sister asked me what kind of crib I was planning on getting. When I told her it was a wooden crib she flipped out. She acted like I was an idiot for even considering it. She told me that they are impossible to clean, they gather bacteria, they are too expensive, and they get damaged way too easily. She said if the baby pees on it it will be RUINED! I told her about the high safety ratings of the wooden one I was looking at and that I thought the metal ones she was talking about were ugly. She continued to tell me that I should listen to her because she's been a mother (once)! I could understand if she were talking about the beautiful wrought iron cribs they make (that are waaay out of my budget) but she's not. She's talking about the little rinky dinky under $100 ones that they sell at Wal-Mart and the like that look like they'd fall apart if you cough on them (I'm sure they are completely sturdy, but that's just what they look like to me).

So, are wooden cribs really that bad? What are your thoughts? Anybody else looking at wooden cribs and why? Or is there anybody else who thinks wooden cribs are of the devill like my sister? Does anybody have any pleasant experiences with wooden cribs that they would like to share with me? I'd love to hear it all!

cvl105 · December 2010

I was planning on a wooden crib....so I'll be interested to hear what others have to say. Sounds like your sister may be off her rocker though...as most cribs are wood I believe and everyone I know gets wood ones.

ccmarinho · December 2010

I think your sister is flipping out a little too much! My sister has a wooden crib for her baby and it is working just fine. Looks beautiful, too! I plan on getting one similar! I agree with you on the cheap-o metal ones. I would be worried about the crib falling apart all night! Good luck!

CarlaAndJames · December 2010

I have never heard that, and I don't think I've even SEEN a nonwooden crib in any of my shopping around.

Just tell her you've decided on the wooden crib, and if it gets ruined she'll get to say I told you so. Got to love all the unsolicited mommy advice we get!

gymnst1013 · December 2010

Aren't most cribs wooden cribs? I would say they are fine. We are going to be getting an Amish made one. I'm quite certain it will be wooden and I'm not worried about it. Everyone I know with children has a wooden crib.

ishka338 · December 2010

cvl105:
I was planning on a wooden crib....so I'll be interested to hear what others have to say. Sounds like your sister may be off her rocker though...as most cribs are wood I believe and everyone I know gets wood ones.

This is what I was thinking. I'm pretty sure they are sealed and it would take a lot of pee or chewing to actually ruin the entire crib. I'm sure if they were that bad, there wouldn't be thousands of them out there.

ccmarinho · December 2010

gymnst1013:
Aren't most cribs wooden cribs? I would say they are fine. We are going to be getting an Amish made one. I'm quite certain it will be wooden and I'm not worried about it. Everyone I know with children has a wooden crib.

Sounds like your crib is going to be beautiful! What a great idea!

EMLYNNLERETTE · December 2010

Wooden for me! I didn't know they made metal ones anymore?! I have only seen them in antique shops!

ikissedthecook · December 2010

CarlaAndJames:

Just tell her you've decided on the wooden crib, and if it gets ruined she'll get to say I told you so. Got to love all the unsolicited mommy advice we get!

That's a good plan because boy would she love to be able to say that! That's something I never understood about weddings and babies. Just because somebody has one they think they are an expert. She fought me on everything about my wedding too and it still turned out pretty darn good. I'm prediciting similar results with the baby.

ikissedthecook · December 2010

ccmarinho:

gymnst1013:
Aren't most cribs wooden cribs? I would say they are fine. We are going to be getting an Amish made one. I'm quite certain it will be wooden and I'm not worried about it. Everyone I know with children has a wooden crib.

Sounds like your crib is going to be beautiful! What a great idea!

I agree! You'll have to PIP it when it's done!

Telly21182 · December 2010

As with everyone else, I thought most cribs were wooden. The only other thing I've seen is metal and I think they're cheap and dangerous looking. Wood for me!

JenHamricPhotography · December 2010

I am pregnant with my third and my other two each had wooden cribs. No bite marks, no peeing to ruin it, and it cleans REALLY well.

colik23 · December 2010

I feel completly opposite of your sis. We have a wooden crib from DS, which he still uses...for now. I think it is great! He teethed on it a bit, and you can just buy the wood markers to fill in the spots, and cleaning was a breeze. DS had a few accidents in it, but the mess just wipes on off, no harm no foul!! Your sis is crazy, get the wooden crib if it is what you want.

gymnst1013 · December 2010

tristahadfield:

Haha. I agree with like... every PP here. Aren't they all wooden? Hehe. My SIL got one of those beds that changes into a toddler bed, then the sides turn into headboards... Basically the bed lasts forever, you just have to get mattreses. Amazingly pretty. However Kaitlyn had gnawed the front of her crib. Ya- it did ruin the "pretty" factor, but when she is 18, and looks at her footboard and sees all these teeth marks... I think she will smile. )

A metal crib would NEVER last that long!

MH and I have a wooden bench that his parents had when he was a kid. He teethed on it and refuses to let me refinish it because it will get rid of his teeth marks. He loves them. It's really cute.

Ambeerose · December 2010

I have a wooden crib for my DS and that this baby will be using too. I thought it was kinda weird that she said if the baby pees on it, it will be ruined. WELL DS did shoot pee on it a few times and nothing is ruined lol, and all I do is wipe it down every once in a while with wood cleaner and it's fine. Go with wood, I'm not really sure what other materials there are except metal ones which I haven't seen many of.

ikissedthecook · December 2010

colik23:
I feel completly opposite of your sis. We have a wooden crib from DS, which he still uses...for now. I think it is great! He teethed on it a bit, and you can just buy the wood markers to fill in the spots, and cleaning was a breeze. DS had a few accidents in it, but the mess just wipes on off, no harm no foul!! Your sis is crazy, get the wooden crib if it is what you want.

Thank you for your input! I never thought about the wood markers to fill in the spots and I'm glad to hear they aren't that bad to clean! This makes me feel better.

Pockety · December 2010

I'm getting wood for sure!

The only place that I ever heard of a metal crib was from a crib rental place, a long long time ago - they'd rent cribs to people who were in town visiting, etc. Their cribs were metal so that they could be completely sterilized between customers. In that case (or maybe for daycares, etc.) I can understand wanting the ability to sterilize, but for home use, I really can't see why it'd be necessary.

Galena99 · December 2010

unless you are giving birth to the baby from the exorcist, you would never have to worry about much of any bodily secretions on your wooden crib. We used ours with DS and it looks brand spankin' new (not even any teething marks).

I would also rethink the markers to use on the bitten wood, you don't know what chemicals are in them for your new baby to ingest.

ikissedthecook · December 2010

Galena99:

unless you are giving birth to the baby from the exorcist, you would never have to worry about much of any bodily secretions on your wooden crib. We used ours with DS and it looks brand spankin' new (not even any teething marks).

I would also rethink the markers to use on the bitten wood, you don't know what chemicals are in them for your new baby to ingest.

Ahhh, I hope not! But maybe there's something to say there about my niece, lol. I was kind of thinking that I wouldn't imagine that much pee getting on the crib, but I thought maybe I was underestimating that.

As far as the markers go, I think that's just to "pretty" it up again once the baby grows up, or at least that's how I took it.

MommaA117 · December 2010

ours will be wooden too.

Birdies08 · December 2010

I never even considered a non-wooden crib! I would say definitely go for solid wood (and preferably hard wood), but personally I would not be interested in a metal crib.

Galena99 · December 2010

You can always buy those teething guards to put on the rail. This way you won't have to worry about teeth marks.

I wonder what other "witty" comments your SIL has for other topics. Keep us posted!

DuckDuckGoose123 · December 2010

I don't think I've even seen a non-wood crib before. To me it's like a metal bedframe - they can be nice (if they're wrought-iron or whatnot), but the cheap ones are so flimsy.

Pee doesn't ruin wood. Dining tables are wood and all kinds of food (including hot stuff) gets spilled on them and they don't get ruined. I'm not sure where your sister got that idea. Pee wipes off So does poo.

ikissedthecook · December 2010

DuckDuckGoose123:

I don't think I've even seen a non-wood crib before. To me it's like a metal bedframe - they can be nice (if they're wrought-iron or whatnot), but the cheap ones are so flimsy.

Pee doesn't ruin wood. Dining tables are wood and all kinds of food (including hot stuff) gets spilled on them and they don't get ruined. I'm not sure where your sister got that idea. Pee wipes off So does poo.

Aw darn, I wish I had thought of that when I was talking to her! I wonder what her reply would have been, because you are definitely right. I think she may be thinking of how wood can get wood rings, like when you sit your glass on it, but that's only after mositure has been sitting on it for a long period of time. Give it a quick wipe up like you do your dining room table, and it should be good to go!

bcspagirl · December 2010

WOODEN CRIBS ARE AMAZING ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE THE TRANSITIONAL BEDS!

Both my boys have the wooden transitional cribs we changed my oldests to the toddler bed and are about to change it to the full size bed my youngest still really loves his as a crib so we are letting it stay like that untill he is 2 and a half.

Wooden cribs will NOT get ruiened if they get peed on just keep wood cleaner around the house to clean the bed! both of my childrens bed look as if we just bought them and they have been being used since the day we came home from the hospital with each. It is amazing for me to be able to say this because my 3 yo is rough on his bed to say the least but you cant tell because i take care of their beds. so long as you clean it if it gets dirty you'll be just fine!

lovesazzie · December 2010

I have a wooden crib - a white Munire Essex. My only complaints are that while moving, some of the paint chipped off, and that my son now likes to bite the railing and paint comes off there as well.. and the teeth marks.

It is VERY easy to clean - not like it really even gets dirty, it mostly just needs to be dusted... and your child is not going to pee on the wood part, you know? They will pee on the mattress part and if you have a mattress pad there's really nothing that could be ruined. I think your sister is crazy!

mommy411 · December 2010

Maybe she is the 1% with a metal one.....weird

Bran_ham · December 2010

Huh? I thought most if not all were wooden. I don't know what your sister is talking about. DS has a wooden one and it's lasted just fine, teeth marks and all.

maddiemoon43 · December 2010

I've never seen metal cribs in our stores around here...and only wood in Wal-Marts that I have been to in Canada too. I guess there are likely wood/laminate/composite ones as an alternative to solid wood, but they are designed to look like wood and clean like wood. Good luck with your sister...she sounds like loads of fun.

TheMrsHodges · December 2010

cvl105:
I was planning on a wooden crib....so I'll be interested to hear what others have to say. Sounds like your sister may be off her rocker though...as most cribs are wood I believe and everyone I know gets wood ones.

Exactly what I'm thinking. She must be off her rocker, because as far as I know the majority of cribs are wooden, I've actually never seen someone with a crib that wasn't wooden. I have never heard someone worry about a baby peeing on the crib and ruining it. My crib is going to be wooden.

ElleB* · December 2010

She's bonkers.

We are definitely getting a wooden crib, but going into it with the understanding that like wooden floors and wooden tables, it almost certainly will get nicked, scratched, etc. The crib that my two brothers and I had (which is since gone) was definitely chewed on, but we liked it because it was clearly "ours".

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