Some options are also suitable for older children.
If you want your child to sleep separately from his parents from birth, you will need a crib.
Budget models cost from 5,000 ₽ , but as the price increases, the number of additional options, such as transformation into other pieces of furniture, usually also increases.
Team criteria
I studied the models that are presented on marketplaces and in children’s stores like Obstetrics, and chose about 20 options. Here are the criteria I took into account.
Form. Beds can be round or rectangular – which one to choose depends on your preferences and the availability of free space in the room. It’s easier to find for a standard bed, but the round shape seems more original.
Bed size. The size of the round bed is 75 × 75 cm , it is suitable for children up to about six months. Most often, the model can be transformed into an oval one measuring 125 × 75 cm  – then it can be used for up to five years.
The rectangular shape has more options in size. Typically, beds 120 cm long and 60 cm wide are suitable for children under three years of age . The transformable bed increases to 170-180 cm in length, and you can sleep on it for up to 10 years.
Material. It is best to take wood products – this is the safest and most environmentally friendly material. Beds made from laminated chipboard, chipboard and MDF are also popular – these are types of fiberboard that are made from shavings using different technologies. Modern materials have a domestic safety certificate and will not cause harm to health. Sometimes there are also beds made of plastic, but they were not included in the review.
Possibility to assign to an adult. A side cot is an alternative for those who want their baby to sleep next to them, but are not into the idea of ​​co-sleeping. The baby may wake up at night from hunger, colic, or for another reason, and if the crib is close to the parent’s, the mother will not always have to get up to calm the baby.
Transformer. Outwardly, this bed resembles a classic one, but has additional functions and can change its appearance. For example, fold out into a longer one or turn into a cradle, playpen, table with chairs. Such products are also often equipped with a changing table or chest of drawers to make it more convenient to change the child’s clothes while he is small.
Bottom adjustment. The function makes staying in bed safer: the top position is suitable for a very small baby. But when he starts to roll over and sit up, which is about six months, it is better to lower the bottom, otherwise the child may try to get up and fall out of the crib. As a rule, there is bottom adjustment even in budget options.
Possibility of motion sickness. It does not occur on all models. Some cribs have legs or are equipped with wheels, which is convenient if you plan to move the furniture.
To lull the baby to sleep, the product must be equipped with a pendulum mechanism or runners. The pendulum bed swings longer and more smoothly. Sometimes a pendulum mechanism can be purchased additionally, but this possibility must be checked with the manufacturer. The runners are not sold separately, and when choosing such a bed, you must take into account that less rounded runners are more stable, but it is more difficult to set them in motion.
The product is also multifunctional. The size of the sleeping place for a newborn is 120 × 60 cm, the bed has two height levels. But when the baby grows up, you can replace the high slats with low ones and leave part of the space in the middle open. This way the baby will be able to leave the crib on his own. Even in this form, it can be assigned to an adult.
And to transform the cradle into a large bed, you will have to use the frame bases that are included in the kit. With their help, the size of the bed increases to 180 × 125 cm.
Another advantage is that you can simultaneously assemble a bed with a sleeping area of ​​180 × 125 cm and a small sofa.
The disadvantage is that there is no motion sickness mechanism, and it is not provided by the manufacturer.
How to choose a crib
- Think about the age you want to use the crib. Transformers are usually more expensive, but you won’t have to buy new furniture in three years. Depending on the model, you can also get additional items like a sofa or changing chest.
- Decide whether you will move the bed closer to the parent’s bed, since in this case a removable front wall is needed.
- Select a form. A rectangular bed is easier to fit into the interior; a round one may require more space.
- Decide whether you will rock the baby to sleep. You cannot purchase an additional pendulum mechanism for any model.