Facts are facts: babies can’t sleep in a full sized bed and 5 year olds aren’t going to be too keen on the idea of sleeping in a crib. Your child has constantly changing needs during the first few years of life. A solid oak four poster crib may be stunningly beautiful, but when you consider how short of a time period your child will actually have a use for such a bed, it can be difficult to justify the expense. Fortunately, crib manufacturers have gotten the hint and there are now options for buying a crib to grow with your child.
What is a Convertible Crib?
A convertible crib is one that begins its life as a traditional crib, but has the ability to grow with your child. Upon reaching the toddler stage, one side of the crib may be removed to create an instant toddler bed. Some models may include extra rails that are shorter than the crib rails, allowing you the option of having them on both sides if your child needs them.
When the child is ready you can change the configuration once more to become a regular bed. Again, models will vary; some will use the rails as the head and footboards for a full sized bed while others may use the original crib head and footboards for a twin sized bed.
What to Look for in a Convertible Crib
A well made convertible crib is designed to be your child’s bed from infancy to adulthood. For this reason, it is extremely important to look at the craftsmanship of the bed. A high quality convertible crib will generally cost more up front than a standard crib, but you’ll never have to buy anything else with the exception of a larger mattress (after the final conversion) and bedding materials.
It may be possible to find a convertible crib for around $200, but you’d probably be better off to just purchase a traditional crib of better quality at this price. When buying a crib to grow with your child, consider how much you would be likely to spend on three different beds and base your purchase on this figure. Chances are good that you will find a very nice convertible crib for far less than the sum total of the alternatives, but don’t go cheap if you want the bed to last as long as it is supposed to.
You should decide if you want solid wood or metal. Most of your available selections will be some type of wood, but there are metal choices available if that is your preference. Pay close attention to how sound the construction is and how easy the bed is to reconfigure.
Take into consideration also that your child’s own personality will begin to develop at some point. Try to stay away from beds that force a particular theme. That lovely little while bed with painted pink bows would be great for a little girl up until about 10 or so, at which time you’ll probably catch a lot of grief about her being too old for it. This will kind of defeat the purpose if you have to go and purchase a new bed anyway, so try to stick with a neutral tone. Let the choice of bedding be where the design comes in.
When you are buying a crib to grow with your child, it really boils down to a delicate balance of quality, functionality, and appearance. Take the time to look at everything that is available and do a lot of comparison shopping. Purchase a bed that is affordable but not cheaply made and, unless your child is particularly destructive, you shouldn’t have the need to purchase another one unless you just want to.