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Thursday, September 6, 2012

Mini Cribs Save Space and Money



One of the first things I shopped for when I was pregnant was a crib and bassinet for my little one.

I had some requirements:
1. Affordable
2. Sturdy, Safe, and Practical
3. Multi purpose
4. Compact

I was able to find some products that met these requirements, and they have all worked well for me and my baby.

DaVinci Annabelle Mini Crib in Espresso
I decided to get a mini crib because we do not have much extra space in our 2 bedroom apartment for baby. We have a home office/guest bedroom in our second bedroom, so baby would have to share our bedroom for a while. The mini crib is a nice compact size, and can fit through doorways when assembled, which is something standard cribs cannot do.

It is a little harder finding a mattress and bedding (the thin pad that comes with it is not great), but the mini crib is worth it for the convenience and smaller size. The crib was easy to assemble, and it comes in several colors. It is solid wood but fairly soft, so it can be scratched or gouged. Most cribs are multipurpose these days, and this crib converts to a twin bed frame with the DaVinci Full/Twin Size Conversion Rail Kit. You can also find coordinating dresser, changing table, and toy box to outfit your nursery.

I wanted to get an organic mattress, but the selection is pretty slim for the mini crib size, so I went with the Crescent Mini Crib 50 Coil Mattress. It is made to fit the DaVinci crib, and it has worked great so far. I like that it is a more substantial mattress compared to the thin pads and was a pretty good price. To make myself feel better about not going organic, I wrapped it in polyethylene plastic, which is supposed to lessen the problems with chemical off gassing.

For bedding I purchased a couple Flannel Bassinet Pads, which wash up nice in case of accidents, and also add a little softness to the plastic mattress cover. Sheets for mini cribs are also hard to find, but I found these 100% Cotton Jersey Knit Porta-Crib Sheets fit just fine and were a decent price. I always get two of everything so I can put a set on while one is in the wash.

GracoTravel Lite Crib With Stages
In addition to a crib I wanted a bassinet for when baby is tiny that I can keep close to my bed for nighttime feedings. I found the travel lite crib, and it turned out to be exactly what I was looking for. It has adjustable heights, so the highest setting can be used as a bassinet. It is easy to set up and take down, and has wheels on one side so you can easily move around. The smaller size allows it to fit through doorways as well, so I was able to move from bedroom to living room and use for naps as well. It also works great for traveling, and the lower settings work well for a bigger baby. My little boy is pretty tall, so he may outgrow it soon as a travel crib, but I did get a lot of use out of it. I also used the Flannel Bassinet Pads, and I searched for sheets until I realized a standard pillowcase fits perfectly over the pad.

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