Mini Crib and then what?

[PGTB]

I am considering purchasing a mini-crib as a space saving option and to be able to fit it by the side of my bed.

Thinking of getting LA Arched Metal compact crib, they are fairly inexpensive, non-toxic (no compressed wood, toxic paint or glues to worry about, etc), have wheels to move from room to room and fold for storage.

I was a bit concerned with the fact that this is not a standard crib, the mattress dimensions are 24"x38", so the baby would outgrow it faster than a standard crib. I am thinking reading the info from standard child growth charts that it should last at least for 18 months... maybe I am wrong.

Do any of you have experience with the so-called mini-cribs with the same mattress dimensions? How long did it last and what did you do afterwards?

I am curious what type of options I would have when my baby outgrows it. If I have to buy a regular crib afterwards, how long would my baby spend there before he outgrows standard size crib and has to go to the toddler bed?

I am planning to use this as our one-and-only sleeping option for the baby since newborn stage (the crib has 3 height settings and is appropriate for a newborn with the highest mattress position).

[Karinyc]

I don't have personal experience, but have researched as a space-saving option. They've seem to have gotten better (design, materials used, etc.) over time. From what I gather, most people on the boards seem to use pack-n-plays instead of the mini cribs. But, I'd personally prefer the mini crib as a sleeping option (and the fact that you can move many of them around the apartment & fit nicely if you're sharing a bedroom). There were several threads on mini cribs at http://www.ohdeedoh.com/
That's were I first learned of them. It's a great site for those with small living spaces.

Most mini cribs I've seen convert to a twin bed after its initial use. They should last to around 2 yrs of age. After, I would probably get a toddler bed (takes up less space). There are also some great toddler bed threads on the ohdeedoh site.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I really liked the Pack n Play Lite. It was a nice, small size. We used the bassinet as a sleep area in our family room. The bassinet was outgrown at 15lbs, I think. But, the main sleep area could be used longer. Problem was lack of mattress height settings so baby was way down there.

My ds2 is still sleeping in his regular, full sized crib at 2yo. He will stay in there till he can climb out reliably (3-4yo, likely) then we will move him right into a twin sized bed, no toddler bed.

Beth

[mousemom]

We considered getting a mini crib to save space since DS shares our bedroom. I think it would have worked fine for awhile, but now I am glad that we went with a regular full-size crib. DS is on the low end of the growth charts, but I think he would have outgrown the mini crib by now (or at least be uncomfortable in it) and we would have needed to buy a full-size crib, since he will still, hopefully, be in his crib for quite some time. We used the full-size crib as his sole sleeping option from the beginning (well, other than sleeping on us or sometimes in his bouncer).

[PGTB]

So, would the mini-crib at least last for a year? They are bigger than mini co-sleeper arrangements or bassinets. The mattress is 38 inches long, and should theoretically fit a child of 18 months even in higher percentile for height pretty well. I heard that Snugride 35 car seat sometimes can last for 2 years and that has a height constraint as well, probably similar to the mini-crib...

When can a child move to a toddler bed?

[PGTB]

I don't have personal experience, but have researched as a space-saving option. They've seem to have gotten better (design, materials used, etc.) over time. From what I gather, most people on the boards seem to use pack-n-plays instead of the mini cribs. But, I'd personally prefer the mini crib as a sleeping option (and the fact that you can move many of them around the apartment & fit nicely if you're sharing a bedroom). There were several threads on mini cribs at http://www.ohdeedoh.com/
That's were I first learned of them. It's a great site for those with small living spaces.

Most mini cribs I've seen convert to a twin bed after its initial use. They should last to around 2 yrs of age. After, I would probably get a toddler bed (takes up less space). There are also some great toddler bed threads on the ohdeedoh site.


I am on the same page as you are, I am not a big fan of pack and play type of contraptions for sleeping purposes. I have my reasons. Most of them are also quite bulky and heavy, and in no way superior to simple inexpensive metal cribs which fold and can be wheeled from room to room.

The reason I am choosing metal crib vs. a wood one is because I am trying to limit our baby's exposure to the harmful chemicals contained in the compressed wood, glues and liquid paint. I've read stories from people buying nice nursery furniture supposedly made of solid wood that stinks so badly of chemicals it makes adults sick. We already have furniture in our bedroom, hopefully after two years it had a chance to off-gas, but still I am sure it contains harmful chemicals as we never really researched that furniture could be toxic.

Babies are extremely vulnerable to even lower levels of toxins, so after reading all these online materials and the interesting theory of why we get SIDS (due to the harmless mildew feeding off the fire retardant chemicals in baby mattresses and emitting neuro-toxin gases) I am taking a turn to ensure that at least items we buy for our baby in his 1st year of life would be as natural and organic as possible. With wooden cribs using compressed wood (even those who claim they re solid wood) and who knows what glues and what paint, it becomes a bit more complicated to find the right product, we are running out of time and I am running out of energy.. And, on top of it I really don't want to spend lots and lots of money on some natural unfinished heavy and huge solid wood crib that I find quite unattractive due to my personal taste.

I am sure if you buy a crib from Ikea or some other responsible manufacturers and let it stay for let's say 6 months to air-out, it should be fine. Ikea also is held to German standards as far as levels of formaldehyde and other harmful chemicals are concerned, so they might be a safer choice.. but not fool proof.

But we have no time to off-gas baby furniture appropriately, besides we already have our adult furniture emitting these chemicals, so we want to buy something that definitely doesn't have the plywood with high levels of formaldehyde or doesn't need glues or liquid paint. Metal cribs use powder finish, which doesn't require VOC heavy solvents unlike liquid paint for wood furniture, so they are naturally non-toxic. They are not as desirable and not as traditional I guess because they are considered more institutional and sterile. They definitely don't look like 'dream nursery' catalog photos of elaborate fancy wood cribs. I actually find them simple and streamlined and fitting into our modern simple decor with white furniture quite well. And the prices for LA metal cribs cannot be beat! They are cheaper than some pack and play systems! They also have full size cribs as well, but I won't be able to fit that by the side of my bed.

[PGTB]

I had a lot of concerns about finding mini crib bedding (http://www.homeandliving.com/baby-bedding-sets-mini-crib.html) for our mini crib but I found a cute pink option at homeandliving.com

I didn't have much problems finding the bedding for it, it's either listed as 'mini crib' size or as 'porta-crib' size, I would also make sure it says that it fits the mattress 24"x38". I guess it's because I didn't have to worry about the colors or coordination with certain nursery themes. Our mini-crib is going into our bedroom that has neutral white/silver colors, so I just went for neutral/white bedding, it was easy enough. I can see that it might be harder to find some specific patterns or colors especially if looking for organic bedding. I got American Baby organic bedding in neutral and I love the texture of their sheets.