Once your baby is six months or one year old, you must design their nursery to make them sleep separately. But this separation won’t be easy for you and your baby. You might need several nights of comforting and holding them to sleep to calm them.
However, in doing so, many moms think of climbing into the crib to sleep with their babies. Also, sometimes parents make the toddler sibling sleep with the baby in the same crib.
Well, this is truly a bad idea. Because one, the crib can’t hold that much weight, and secondly, this can be dangerous for babies too.
Cribs are expensive and can last up to several years, especially those that are convertible into toddler beds. So while letting more than one baby sleep in the crib or hopping in some time, you might wonder how much weight can a crib hold.
Now being aware of how expensive cribs are, you might question their usability. Here is why investing in a crib is an intelligent choice:
Safety from accidents
If you share the same bed with your baby, there are high chances you may squeeze them during deep sleep, or they get rolled in a blanket, get suffocated, or fall from the bed during sleep. In a crib, they are safe from the sides. Also, there is a bounded space so they can sleep openly without squashing.
Peaceful, independent sleeping pattern
There are always some disturbances in an adult’s room, and adults sleep later than babies. The baby can sleep on their fixed routine in a separate crib or room. Also, they become less clingy, can fall asleep without extra cuddling, and need their mother to hold them in their arms for hours. Even if they wake up in between, they can play independently alone and go back to sleep without help.
Lower risk of SIDS
Pediatricians recommend a separate sleeping place for babies. It is found that there is more than a 50 percent decrease in the risk of Sudden infant death syndrome with sleeping in a crib or bassinet.
What factor determines the crib’s weight-bearing limit?
A crib can, at max, have a 50 or 100 pounds weight limit. There are seldom cases when you get in the crib, and it won’t break, but that doesn’t mean you keep doing it. Although manufacturers mention the safety limit is a bit lower than the actual maximum, that is for additional safety.
The strength of your crib depends on the following factor, so you can have a better idea of whether to hop in or not:
The material
Construction material is the primary factor in deciding how much weight you can put in a crib. Usually, cribs are made from metal or wood. Cribs made from good quality wood or hard metal are more durable than plywood or hollow metal.
So if your crib is made from expensive wood, you can try sleeping in with the baby for once!
Frame
The frame structure also adds to the sturdiness of the crib. In some cribs, an additional center rod is attached, which keeps it from wobbling and gives extra support to the base—this helps in holding it up in case of extra weight.
Design and size
Another factor that contributes to making the crib hold against extra burden is its design and size. A bigger crib can hold more weight compared to a smaller one. Also, if the mesh design is not optimum, the crib can be imbalanced and can’t support the load uniformly.
How can you comfort your baby without climbing into the crib?
However, keeping the baby in your room while sleeping is recommended for up to 1 year. But if your baby is still anxious and crying when you make them sleep in a crib, sleeping with them in the crib is not the solution. Instead, you can go for these choices:
Use a bed with side rails attached
You can switch for a baby bed with add-on side rails to substitute for a crib. This way, they can sleep with you without any danger.
Opt for a floor mattress
Use an air mattress or regular one and pace it near their crib so you can make them sleep and be there for them always.
Smaller bedside crib
If the baby is small, you can buy a smaller crib you can keep in your room or beside your bed to have a co-sleeping experience without burdening the crib.
Play yards
Another effective method is to buy play yards with floor matters so they can sleep without any danger of falling. Also, you can get inside often to cuddle them.
Bottom line
Babies are not all the same and whether a crib will work for you or not is still a mystery. So before you plan out your baby’s nursery, go through all the points and how you plan to make them sleep so that you can invest wisely without making your kid panic about the transition.
It's not easy being a mom! Kelley Johnson is raising three children (ages 1, 3, and 7) and teaching them to be good people. Kelly is passionate about helping mothers care for their families by finding the best products! She earned her bachelor's degree in English from The College of New Jersey. Kelly likes to read, cook, and parent outside of work.
