Product Spotlight 8/2: Cribs, Travel Cribs, Sleeping Surfaces

kbrown2385 · August 2019

This week we are discussing cribs, travel cribs and sleeping surfaces.

Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.

For S+TMs:

Favorite [crib, travel crib, sleeping surface(s)]:
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
What you like about it:
What you don't like about it, if anything:
Is there a [crib, travel crib, sleeping surface] you didn’t use but are considering? Why?:
Additional thoughts on [sleeping surfaces]:

For FTMs:

[Crib, travel crib, sleeping surface] you're interested in:
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?:

kbrown2385 · August 2019

So I don’t necessarily have recommendations for specific cribs or what not. I just recommend following safe sleep practices. Have baby sleep on a flat surface, take out all the cutesy crib bumpers, blankets and stuffed animals so the sleeping area is empty besides the mattress and baby.

Here is a a copy of American Academy of Pregnancy Safe Sleep Guidelines. The only
thing I didn’t follow was keeping baby in my room for at least 6 months. We all slept poorly until we moved him into his crib.

https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Announces-New-Safe-Sleep-Recommendations-to-Protect-Against-SIDS.aspx

For ds we got a convertible 4 in 1 crib that was $250. It will be his bed until he leaves the
house. We’ve used it as a crib, toddler bed and now a full size bed. As a newborn we had him in the pack n play with the elevated portion until 8 weeks. He transitioned to the crib without issue.

biolprof · August 2019

Oh I didn't realize that it was a recommendation to have them in your room for 6 months. Interesting!

Also, it's weird to me that it has been known for a while not to have other things in the crib but you Pinterest nursery and it's full of pics with cutesy things in the crib. It infuriates me a bit!

My dad really wanted me to retrofit the old family crib (think crib he slept in) but I really don't feel comfortable with it. It's not drop side or anything but I think I made him feel bad asking him to make it into something else we could put in the baby's room. Oh well baby safety first.

This is probably best for the nursery thread but if anyone has done anything with an old heirloom crib to put in the nursery I would love to hear about it or just if you have ideas for my dad.

kbrown2385 · August 2019

@biolprof it’s the same with adding things to car seats. Just because people sell it doesn’t make it safe 🤷🏻‍♀️.

Do you have a pic of the crib? It would be so neat to refashion it into something else for the room.

biolprof · August 2019

@kbrown2385 I don't have a pic at the moment. I'll see if we can drag it out of the attic when I am at my parents this weekend.

leprechaunlady · August 2019

With dd we had a snuzpod which was in our room for the first 6-7 months, then when we moved her into her own room she went into a full size cot(crib) that we bought as part of a furniture set with a wardrobe & dresser with a changing table top.

It retails here for £189.99

i really loved this as it has a zip down mesh side but is essentially a co-sleeper that was attached to our bed. the top part can also come off so we took it downstairs & had her nap in it for the first while aswell which was great.

there wasnt anything I didnt like about it.

im contemplating a second one but so many prople have recommended keeping twins together to sleep that now im not sure as we would have to put one either side of the bed or end to end. Im really at a loss as to what is best for two right now that will fit in our room.

stashattack · August 2019

This is the crib Hubby likes so far on the used market. Normally $240 and the conversion kit is still for sale, so that's awesome. Even though the mattress and crib were only used 5 times, I'll probably still chuck or sell the mattress and get a new one. I'm just a lil weird about used mattresses.

Do you also need like a box spring to raise the mattress up with cribs?? Cluess FTM here HAHA.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/ek/nsw7sviknrta.jpg

kbrown2385 · August 2019

@stashattack no box spring, just the mattress 🙂

stashattack · August 2019

@kbrown2385 thanks!! It just looks like in stock photos there's something under the mattress that bumps it up, but that could just be photography fluff! LOL.

Xstatic3333 · August 2019

Favorite [crib, travel crib, sleeping surface(s)]: Ikea Gulliver
Link/picture: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80248525/
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $100
What you like about it: Cost, ease of setup, small footprint for our small house. We used this in our room for six months and then moved it all to his room when we were all ready. Can't do that with a big, heavy, fancy crib!
What you don't like about it, if anything: It's a crib. It's safe. It's great. I have no complaints! This was not a purchase I saw myself spending big money on and I have no regrets about that choice.
Is there a [crib, travel crib, sleeping surface] you didn’t use but are considering? Why?: I want to get some sort of vibrating bassinet contraption for the very early days. Hoping to see some good recommendations here but honestly it will probably come down to what I can get a good deal on!
Additional thoughts on [sleeping surfaces] Similar to @kbrown2385 the sleep safety stuff is pretty important to us. I just can't have piece of mind to relax and sleep myself if I'm cutting corners in any way. The very early days are HARD and for a few nights I was tempted by the now-banned rock 'n play. It was easier to get him to sleep in it, but I just couldn't stop worrying so we bit the bullet and decided we were determined to make crib sleep happen. It worked well, and I'm hoping #2 will also be amenable.

marebear15 · August 2019

@stashattack - Usually cribs have 2 or 3 different heights you can place the mattress in. The highest height is used as a newborn, and then the middle height when baby can sit, and lowest when baby can stand. I think ours only had 2 (don't remember), so as soon as DD could stand, we moved it down.

persnickity · August 2019

Favorite [crib, travel crib, sleeping surface(s)]: Travel crib we got the BabyBjörn travel crib
Link/picture: https://www.amazon.com/BABYBJORN-Travel-Crib-Light-Silver/dp/B00IM8G038
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $$
What you like about it: We've borrowed pack and plays while traveling and found this so much easier to set up. It's also a more comfortable mattress for DD. She tends to sleep better in it when we travel than anything else. Also set it up downstairs at first, so that we had a crib in each floor for sleeping.
What you don't like about it, if anything: it's expensive, but that's the only downside.
Additional thoughts on [sleeping surfaces]: @kbrown2385 is right to highlight the safe sleep rules. It's so important!! We didn't keep her in our room at all, started her in her crib in the nursery from day 1, but followed everything else. It added to my peace of mind. We actually kept blankets out until DD was 15 months from my worries about suffocation.

@xstatic333 we used the IKEA Sundvik crib. DH liked the solid sides look better, otherwise we'd have had the same as you.

EmilyE13 · August 2019

@kbrown2385 hit the nail on the head with safety being the most important consideration. Now that DD is almost 2, of course, she has so many toys and books in her crib it’s a wonder she even fits in it. 😜

For S+TMs:

Favorite crib: Pottery Barn Graham convertible crib
Link/picture: https://www.potterybarnkids.com/m/products/graham-crib/?pkey=ccribs&isx=0.1
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $$$ but looks it’s currently on sale
What you like about it: Sturdy, good looking, and will convert into a toddler bed. Now the question is whether we actually convert it or just get a toddler bed for DD and keep crib for this baby.
What you don't like about it, if anything: nothing—it was great.
Is there a [crib, travel crib, sleeping surface] you didn’t use but are considering? Why?: Thinking about the dock-a-tot but haven’t decided for sure.
Additional thoughts on [sleeping surfaces]: We kept DD in our room until she was over a year because she was still nursing at night, so we didn’t use the crib for night sleeping until later on.

kbrown2385 · August 2019

@Xstatic3333 I think that ikea crib is what we will be getting this go around with two.

Xstatic3333 · August 2019

I think you'll be happy with that @kbrown2385, between price point and less space taken up in their room it seems like a good twin solution.

stashattack · August 2019

Ok going on vacation got me thinking about travel sleeping arrangments. She'll be 7th months old on our trip next year to our timeshare, and since both grandparents are out of state, we will need something for her to sleep in when we travel when she's little.

Is something like a pack and play suitable for that? Like this one? https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/graco-reg-pack-39-n-play-reg-playard-portable-napper-changer-trade-in-affinia-trade/1043979103?keyword=pack-and-play

Or should I be looking at something else?

marebear15 · August 2019

@stashattack - At 7 months, a regular pack and play is suitable. She will be too large and mobile for the napper and bassinet. If this is the only trip you'll be using the pack and play for, you could look at the ones without all the expensive attachments.

stashattack · August 2019

@marebear15 Good point. I'm just not sure if between birth and then if we will be going down to visit the grandparents so idk if I'll need something for the pre-6 month mark or not. Can I have a crystal ball??? LOL I feel like that would make these decisions easier.

persnickity · August 2019

@stashattack you can still use a normal pack and play or other travel crib pre-6 month.

stashattack · August 2019

@persnickity thanks for the advice. Definitely going with a cheaper one then without all the bells and whistles.

marebear15 · August 2019

@stashattack - Exactly what persnickity said.
The only reason I have one with a bassinet, is because that's what I'm going to be using around the house for the first 6 weeks (maternity leave) and it's a lot easier than bending all the way over, especially if I have another c-section.

leprechaunlady · August 2019

@stashattack dd still sleeps in a travel cot like this at my mils house. We did buy an extra/better mattress for it, due to regular(ish) use. But anytime weve stayed in hotels etc she has been just fine in the ones that have been provided for us. The earliest she was in 1 like this was at 4 months, we usually just pop her in her sleep sack & take a spare sheet if staying somewhere unfamiliar.

stashattack · August 2019

Thanks Ladies. I also forgot that we will also be traveling for another wedding next april and will be stopping at my grandmother's old house to stay as the halfway point, so I feel like in the first year the pack and play will get a lot of use in the first year.

Want a personalized experience?

Product Spotlight 8/2: Cribs, Travel Cribs, Sleeping Surfaces

Re: Product Spotlight 8/2: Cribs, Travel Cribs, Sleeping Surfaces

Choose Another Board

Search Boards