What you need to know about cribs and cradles
Preparing your baby's nursery: Cribs and cradles
A crib (or cradle) is the ideal first bed for a newborn, and can be more cosy and welcoming than a full-sized cot. They are often slightly larger in size than a Moses basket, and can be used for the first four to six months of your baby's life.
What to look for
Cribs are usually wooden, but some newer models have metal frames. You can choose between swinging and static cribs.
A swinging crib is useful for rocking your baby to sleep, just make sure that it can be locked into a static mode too for when your baby would like to be still! You can also buy cribs that resemble hammocks, whose swaying motion is especially good for soothing very fractious babies.
Stability is a key factor for your crib or cradle. If you have put the crib or cradle together yourself, give it a good shake to check its sturdiness. A correctly-fitting mattress is important, too. Check there's no gaps between the crib and the mattress.
We love that the Sweet2Sleep is an award-winning co-sleeping solution, a bedside crib that keeps baby safely in view and reach all night