Baby Furniture Buyers Guide
Baby furniture is one of the most popular types of gifts given
at a baby shower. Gift shopping for nursery furniture can be
made easier if the new parents have a gift registry at some
popular stores in your area. However, this is often not the
case. Be sure to always enclose a gift receipt with your gift so
it can be returned if the new parents get duplicates.
Communication between the guests would be wise to prevent any
duplicate gifts. The guests could also choose to get together on
something more expensive such as a piece of nursery furniture.
The parents need items that will hold up well for their newborn,
so check to make certain the item you choose is sturdy and built
for safety.
Purchasing an expensive gift such as a piece of furniture for
the nursery would help the new parents tremendously as they are
probably strapped for cash at this point. What with the
pre-natel care and the upcoming hospital and doctor expenses
that come with any childbirth.
Baby
Cribs
Cribs will be the most important piece of
furniture the new parent will need for the baby. They come in a
wide variety of styles and finishes to match any nursery theme
or color scheme the parents might have for the nursery. They
come as standard cribs, canopy, convertible, sleigh and various
other types. Some of the more common features available would be
adjustable mattress heights, metal mattress supports, one of
three different kinds of release mechanism, rolling casters
and/or a teething rail. A baby can use the crib from birth until
around the age of 3. A safe and sturdy crib will cost from $150
to over $1000 depending on the quality of the wood and the
features provided.
Crib
Mattresses
A crib mattress is a very important item
for the baby as she/he will be spending over 50% of his time on
the mattress until he/she is around 3 years of age. Mattresses
come in basically two types: foam or innerspring/coil. Foam
weighs less while the innerspring/coil will last a much longer
time. Accessories include bedding, crib sheets, crib wedges and
waterproof mattress pads. High quality foam mattresses will cost
between $80 to $100, while an innerspring/coil mattress will
cost from $75 to $200.
Beddin
g-Bumpers-Sheets-Quilts-Shams
Most standard, canopy
and convertible cribs will use standard size crib bedding. A
round crib, porta crib, cradle and bassinet will all need
special bedding to fit the size of the particular item. A bumper
is a necessary item that is needed to keep the baby safe by
keeping the baby’s arms and legs from getting stuck in the
slats. A quilt or comforter should not be used in the crib, but
rather as a play mat for the baby. A diaper stacker is used to
store your diapers and to keep the nursery more organized.
Pillows are a safety hazard for the baby and should never be
used in the crib. Most bedding sets can cost from $50 to as high
as $700 for a set with better quality fabrics etc.
>Changing Tables
A changing table should be well
padded, have guardrails and include safety straps for the baby.
They come in several types such as the combination sytle,
dresser drawer and one with open shelves. Accessories include
changing pads, oraganizers and wipe warmers. A changing table
can be used from birth until about two years of age. They range
in price from $90 to $200 depending on the accessories and
storage space they have.
Rocking Chairs
A rocking chair would be a welcome
addition to the baby nursery or living room. The rocking chair
would give the mom-to-be lots of quality time with her newborn
baby.
Moses Baskets
Moses baskets are a rather unique
piece of furniture. A moses basket would be an unexpected but
welcome baby shower gift. Also something the mother could pass
on for a heirloom. This is an item that could be passed from
generation to generation.
Child’s Rocking Chair
A children’s rocking chair
would make a great gift. One that most people wouldn’t think of
giving. You wouldn’t need to worry about duplicating your gift
with some other guest with this gift.
Plaype
n & Play Yard
Play yards come in 3 different types.
The basic which can be used as a playpen or a crib. One that has
a bassinet built in for the newborn. A canopy style to keep you
infant shielded from the sun and to keep in cooler in the
outdoors. Accessories you can purchase seperately include a
changing station, netting for outdoor use and sheets. A play
yard can be used from birth until about 2 years of age. Good
quality play yards cost between $60 to more than $200.
Port
able Travel Crib
A portable travel crib would be
great for those over-night trips out of town or state to family
or friends.
Cr
adles
A cradle is used from birth until 4 months or
the baby is able to roll from side to side. Cradles usually
include a padded bumper, fitted sheet and a quilt or comforter.
One of the advantages of a cradle is that you can rock it and it
is lower than a crib.
B
aby Dresser
Every nursery needs a chest of drawers
for the newborn. You can buy them with a theme, in different
styles, shapes and colors. If you know how the new parents will
be decorating the nursery, you can match the baby dresser to the
theme.
NOSAVE /> High
Chair
All new parents need this very essential piece
of furniture. There are several types of high chairs:
Adjustable, conventional, booster and wooden. The high chair
should have an adjustable tray, locking mechanism, some kind of
restraint system and possibly rolling casters which are allowed
to be locked easily. Parents can use the high chair as soon as
the baby is born for bottle feeding if it is capable of fully
reclining.
Bassinets
A traditional piece of nursery furniture
would be a bassinet. The baby can use the bassinet from birth
until about 4 month of age. Bassinet sets usually include a hood
cover, fitted sheet, plain sheet and a bumper.
Car
Seats
A car seat is a necessity because every state
requires the baby be restrained while in a car. Newborns must
travel in the back seat in a car seat that faces the rear of the
car. After the baby is a year old you change to a forward facing
car seat. Car seats come in several different types. An infant
car seat, convertible and booster seats. Infant and convertible
car seats cost between $60 and $300.
Strollers
Strollers come as a standard stroller,
single, umbrella, double strooler or as a travel system which is
a combination stroller and car seat. Most strollers have a
canopy, front bar, harness, reliner and a storage space.
Accessories available include accessory bars, attachable toy and
activity bars, infant headrests, rain sheilds and stroller
connectors for attaching two strollers together. A stroller can
be used from around 4 months of age until about 3 or 4 years
old. Depending on the style and quality strollers can be
purchased for as little as $15 to as much as $1,000.
Baby Monitor
A monitor may be a luxery item, but
it can give the parents added reassurance that their baby is
safe. There are several types: audio, audio/movement and
audio/video monitors. Monitors can be used from newborn to
toddler. Depending on the type of monitor, you can buy them for
as little as $20 on up to $400, with the audio/video monitor
being the most expensive.
B
ouncer Seat
A very useful item is a bouncer seat.
They can come with an accessory toy bar, canopy, restraint and
variable speeds. A bouncer seat can be used from newborn until
the baby is 9 months old. The standard non-battery operated
bouncer seats cost between $40 and $75 while the battery
operated seats tend to cost a bit more.
© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.
About the author:
Randy has dozens more baby shower related articles such as Baby Diaper Cakes, Party Games for Baby Showers and Ba
by Shower Party Favors.