The Best Baby Cribs, How to Pick One

Photos: Anna Kooiman, Bondi Beach, Sydney Australia, Kath Mclean

As a first time mom, I am so so so excited about setting up the nursery. It feels like such a right of passage as a woman - and it makes this whole pregnancy thing seem REAL!

When it came time to choose the perfect baby crib, I had so many questions. After a lot of research about safety and a lot of scrolling through my Instagram feed at cute possibilities, I settled on a lovely white crib by Incy Interiors. It should be arriving any day now. I can't wait! I imagine a lot of you will have the same questions I had when I started this process, so I wanted to go to an expert for you!

I asked the founder of Incy Interiors why she started the company and why she continues to be passionate about helping new moms find the perfect cribs/cots for their nurseries. Here is Kristy's response and a Q and A about how you can choose the best crib/cot for your needs. You will notice that Aussies call the piece of furniture 'cots' while Americans call them 'cribs.' 

KRISTY: Incy began when my son was 2 and was ready to move into a big boy bed.  At the time I was working at eBay Australia travelling regularly to the US/Europe and seeing all the amazing products available there.  I had an image in my mind of a dark brown iron bed.  I searched high and low for it.  I tried to get one made, I tried to buy old ones off eBay but they had lead paint and I tried to import one but I just kept coming up with barriers.  I harped on and on at anyone who would listen about my quest for this bed.  Finally my husband said to me one day ‘for god sake stop talking about it and you just doing it’.  This was the push I needed and from then Incy was born!  I feel so lucky that I get to do what I love everyday with a team of incredible people producing beautiful products for our customers at such a special time in their lives.

ANNA: What are the top things to look out for when buying a crib/cot?  

KRISTY: The number one thing you should look for when buying a cot is that it meets your country's national safety standards.    The standards are very specific (down to the mm) on how the crib/cot should be structured to make it as safe as possible for your baby.  Once you have safety sorted, the next thing you should worry about is finding a cot that fits with the rest of the style of your home.

ANNA: How have you seen cribs/cots change over the years? Are old cribs/cots with drop sides and bumpers safe? 

KRISTY: Cots styles have changed since Incy began almost 7 years ago.  Cots are now more stylish and for more with the rest of the style of the home.  It is always advisable to follow SIDs recommendations which state nothing in the cot except a fitted sheet.  With regards to drop sides, we deliberately don’t include them on any of our cots because they do have a higher incidence if injury for both adults and children.

ANNA: What about height for the sides and for the mattress?  

KRISTY: The distances for heights of sides and mattresses are all specified in your country's safety standards and differ depending on the design of the cot so rather than making yourself an expert of cot design, just ensure you are purchasing a cot that complies with the standards.

ANNA: Once set up, how can you tell if a crib/cot is stable? 

KRISTY: A simple shake test of the cot should tell you if the cot is stable.  If for any reason you don’t think the cot is stable, it is best to contact the manufacturer immediately.

ANNA: Where in the nursery should the crib be placed?  

KRISTY: It really is up to the parents where the cot displaced in the room.  As long as the cot is away from blind cords and doesn’t have anything hanging over the cot you can really place it anywhere in the room that you think best fits with the layout of the room.

ANNA: What do new moms need to know about the crib mattress? 

KRISTY: New mums need to be aware that it is recommended that a baby sleep on a firm mattress.  Lots of new mums want their babies to be as comfortable as possible and worry that the mattress is too firm but this is what is recommended.

ANNA: Any tips for crib bedding? 

KRISTY: As mentioned SIDS recommends that only a fitted sheet is used in a cot.  Given this I would look to brands like Kip & Co, Sack Me or Miann & Co for statement sheets.

ANNA: What is your best selling crib/cot and why?

KRISTY: We have two best sellers– the Ellie cot which is a complete showstopper in a unique rose gold finish and the Teeny cot in white which is a much more neutral choice that works for both a boy or a girl and also with many different styles.

ANNA: What do you think about space saving cribs/cots? 

KRISTY: If you are tight on space, a space saving cot is of course a great idea.  Unfortunately lots of the space saving designs mean the cot is smaller and the child will outgrow their cot before they are ready for their first bed.

ANNA: What do you think about cribs/cots that convert into toddler beds?  

KRISTY: Toddler beds are a great idea.  They are a good stop gap between the climbing out of the cot stage and first big beds.  All Incy cots have an optional conversion kit available.

ANNA: Anything else you want to add? 

KRISTY: The only thing I would add is that all of the above questions are all very serious.  Having a new baby is such a special time in your life, please make sure that your enjoy the experience.  Manufacturers like Incy spend countless hours pouring over standards, having sample made and tested to take the stress out of selecting a safe product for your child.

A big thanks to Incy Interiors for collaborating with AnnaKooiman.com for this Q and A post and social media posts.