Do babies need cribs?

Question

I have a 5 month old baby who sleeps in a mini crib since my baby was born. It is getting to small and I was wondering if I need to buy a crib or can I just get a full size bed? What are the pros/cons of a crib vs bed?

Answer 1

The whole point of a crib is having a safely walled in place for your baby to sleep in case he wakes up. If you don't want a crib you'll need a completely baby safe room and baby gate on the door of it. Also, the mattress to the bed will have to be put ON the floor so that baby doesn't fall when he wakes up.

Answer 2

We have a crib that converts in 3 steps into a toddler bed. Right now my daughter is 3 months old and the crib matress is on a high level. Later when she is bigger the matress will go lower with all sides of the crib still closed. And finally the two side railings of the crib can be taken off, and she has a toddler bed in wich she can sleep until she is 4 or 5. After that it is time for a real bed. I am quite happy with our crib/ toddlerbedl.

Answer 3

I have had 4 children and I am a firm believer in cribs. I have known 2 women that let their babies sleep in thecar seat chair as infants and for the life of me I can't fathom it. A baby is no different than us it needs room to stretch and as it gets older needs to be able to move safely. The crib is the safest way i think for a baby to sleep. You can see the baby and no blankets or other stuff will get on the baby . If you get a crib which I hope you do make sure you get the bumper cushion that goes inside next to the railings. This crib can keep the baby safe for at least 3 to 4 years. A bed on the other hand will not be safe once the baby starts to crawl or walk or stand.

Answer 4

We used a crib with my son who is now 3 and he switched to a toddler bed by the time he was 1 so it was a big waste. He also slept with me or in a swing for most of the first 6 months of his life. He didn't like the crib and did just fine as long as we put one of those top of the stair gates at his door so that he didnt get up in the middle of the night and wander. With our daughter we have a pack n play but have no intentions of putting her in a crib. We had already given the other one away and the way it's looking right now she may end up being in bed with us most of her first 6 months as well since she really has never slept in the basinette part and is usually in our bed or a swing. It's really whatever works for you. When it comes to kids there's really not a lot of that HAVE to have.

Answer 5

A full-size bed is dangerous for a baby! She could roll or fall onto the floor. If the bed is against a wall, she could roll into the gap between the mattress and wall. A baby should sleep on a very firm mattress and a bed mattress is inappropriate.
She should sleep in a crib until she is at least 2 years old.
A crib is an extra expense, but your baby's health and safety is more important than saving a bit of money.

Answer 6

I think it is the best option to buy a crib, but yestday i read an article about baby cribs. Because I and my girlfriend want to buy a used crib, but that can be dangerous because of the toxic paint. So if you going to buy a crib, buy a new one.

Answer 7

We have a crib, and a bassinet pack and play. One is in our room and she has a crib in her room. And my daughter is 2.5 months old. I would not even dream of putting her in anything she can roll out of. But I am also ... lets say thrifty for the sake of argument. I don't see the purpose of buying anythign you can't use for a while. So the bedroom set we bought is a heavy cherry wood bedroom set that is a crib that converts to a toddler bed (same mattress) then later you can order the bed rails and it makes a fullsize bed. She will have this bed until she moves out and gets a place of her own.. and the possibility of keeping it longer. That is a sound investment to me. The safety of a crib, the convenience of taking off one thing to make a toddler bed, then later having her bed still match all of the furniture in her room and all we have to do is buy mattresses. I would not put a baby in a bed.

Answer 8

You can get cribs that convert into a bed so it will grow with them. Cribs prevent them from falling out onto the floor and hurting themselves. Also the smaller confined space gives them a feeling of security versus a large open bed.

if you decide not to get a crib just get a mattress for now and place that on the floor and make sure there is nothing they can put in their mouth, pull over or hurt themselves on. As they will explore their open world when they wake up.

Answer 9

Well, if she is already in a crib, I would say to buy another crib that is larger until she is older. Our daughter is almost 3 months and just kind of sleeps wherever right now (In our arms, bassinet, bouncer, in our bed). But that is just because she will not fall asleep in the same place no matter what we do. We have tried to get her to sleep on her own in bassinet beside us and she will scream for up to 11 hours straight (we could not let it go on longer, so it might could have. We did the cry, hold for 3 min technique). We plan to try her in big girl bed about 1 1/2 to 2 years.

Answer 10

YES!

As soon as baby can roll over or lift his/her head he needs to be in a crib, not a cradle or bassinet. Those are great for newborns who are essentially immobile, but dangerous for a baby that is starting to move around.

Cribs offer protection since all sides are blocked and baby cannot accidentally roll off in any direction. Mattresses are also very firm to provide support and lessen the chances of baby suffocating, especially if you use side or tummy laying positions (recommend side if you don't like the back).

Selecting a crib is important since not all are created equal. Research the crib for recalls and check how sturdy it is. You don't want a crib that the screws can easily come loose because some babies have been able to wedge their heads in the space between the loose sides and died. All cribs should be checked for screws that are loosening as it is. Also- you want bars that aren't too far apart. Some of the older cribs are much further apart, the newer ones are pretty good about it.

The cons of having a bed all involve safety issues and so there is really no contest here. A softer mattress allows more opportunity for suffocation. There is nothing to protect baby from falling- and if you try to barricade him/her with pillows that poses an even higher risk for suffocation (babies do not need pillows- nor should they have any!). If baby happens to be sleeping with you there is even higher risk of you rolling over or placing a limb on baby that could lead to suffocation. Just isn't worth the risk.

The ideal crib has sparse coverings. A single fitted sheet and perhaps a waterproof pad (if that much), enough blanket to cover and keep baby warm (but no more heavy or bulky than necessary). Some people like bumpers- they aren't needed and I've even heard that they can also be a suffocation risk. No toys or stuffed animals- nothing baby could potentially push up against and smother.

If buying one is a financial issue try the "play it again kids" type of stores where they sell used (but good condition) clothes and furniture. I think cribs run around $50-$100 there for basic cribs. Or, check Craig's list (http://www.craigslist.com) for baby furniture. Almost always something there.

Be sure to double check for recalls prior to buying- and check the sturdiness and make sure you will be able to properly assemble it.

Good luck and Happy New Year!