The appearance of a baby in a family is a very joyful, exciting and at the same time responsible event. Parents begin to arrange the nursery even before the birth of the child, because the choice of furniture should be approached seriously and carefully. One of the most important attributes of this room is the crib. It would seem that it might be easier to buy a bed for a child, but in fact there are many different models with additional functions. It’s easy to get lost among such a choice, so in this article we will look in detail at what cribs with pendulums are, why they are better than regular ones, and how to choose them correctly.
Advantages and disadvantages of a crib with a pendulum
At first glance, it will not be possible to distinguish a regular bed from a crib with a pendulum, because their difference lies in the presence and absence of a rocking mechanism, which is not visible. Pendulum beds imitate swinging in your arms, which will be very convenient for parents with a frequently capricious baby. Children up to 5 years old can sleep in them, if, of course, the child’s weight allows it.
Pendulum beds have the following advantages:
- they provide smooth swinging;
- do not create noise;
- if necessary, for example, when the child has grown up, the pendulum can be blocked.
The convenience of such crib models is obvious. Your hands will be free and you can do other things at the same time. If your child wakes up at night, you don’t have to get up to calm him down - just rock the bed.
Beds with a pendulum also have some disadvantages:
- They are more expensive than regular beds.
- If the mechanism deteriorates, a creaking sound will appear.
- The crib cannot be placed against a wall, as it requires space to swing. However, when the mechanism is locked, this disadvantage disappears.
- You should not overdo it with rocking the baby: it can become a habit.
- If the baby has already grown up, but the mechanism is not blocked, the child may be injured.
Isofix system
Very often when it comes to equipping cars, the concept of Isofix or Isofix is heard. This is a special system for securing child car seats, developed and approved by ISO.
This is a standard that makes it possible to install a chair:
The main feature is precisely the absence of the need to use conventional belts, which are used to fasten an adult.
Here, special slides of a retractable design are used on metal anchors using built-in locks. These runners are placed in the car seats and are securely connected to the body.
The system is sometimes available as an option, but often as a basic component of all modern cars. Therefore, you should check whether there is a mount specifically on your car. And if you doubt the correct use of the car seat latch, watch the video or read the instructions. There is nothing complicated here. Everyone can easily do it with their own hands.
Types of pendulums for a crib
Pendulum mechanisms are presented in three types:
- With a longitudinal pendulum. The crib moves back and forth.
- With a transverse pendulum. Such models swing left and right.
- Universal. This type of crib combines both a longitudinal and transverse pendulum. The direction of swing is chosen by the parent himself.
When choosing a crib, this criterion raises the most questions among parents. Let's consider which mechanism is better to choose.
Interesting solutions in interior design
When choosing the color of a crib, an important factor is the preferences and tastes of the parents, but it is also worth remembering that the baby begins to explore the world by looking at the objects around him.
Usually cribs are made in various shades of wood color, but there are exceptions. A white crib, decorated with delicate tones of mint or blue, will set the baby in a contemplative mood and create a peaceful mood for his parents. It will fit perfectly into the design of a classic children's room in a romantic style.
Decorated with rhinestones or appliqués, it will occupy the child’s attention and teach him to concentrate. Complete with the same chest of drawers or wardrobe, such a crib will create a truly aristocratic atmosphere in the nursery.
Children's bed with longitudinal pendulum
The longitudinal pendulum creates an imitation of natural motion sickness, because in the arms of the parent the child is rocked back and forth. Many pediatricians recommend purchasing beds with a longitudinal pendulum, because they harm the vestibular system less than transverse motion sickness. However, it is worth noting that this is individual and, if possible, it is better not to rock the child at all. Some children fall asleep faster in these cribs. This is definitely a plus.
But the downside is the need to move the bed away from the wall, because it requires more space to swing than a model with a transverse pendulum.
Crib material
The best material for making a crib is solid wood. This bed will last a long time and will not harm the child. It is worth paying attention to the type of wood that is used in production.
Hardwoods, such as ash or oak, are expensive, but they will not leave teeth marks (when children are teething, they may chew on the bed rail). A bed made of birch or pine will cost less, but due to the fact that these types of wood are very soft, they leave bite marks.
For safety reasons, the bed should be covered with varnish or paint that is safe for the child. This information is contained in the furniture documents supplied by the manufacturer.
The cheapest beds are made from MDF. The wood chip board itself is not dangerous; only natural resins are used in its production. But the film covering the material may contain hazardous substances. Therefore, it is better to ask the seller about the coating and ask to see the safety certificate.
Transverse pendulum in a crib
It is more convenient to swing cribs with a transverse pendulum if it is parallel to your bed. But this cannot be attributed to a clear advantage of transverse mechanisms: the crib can also stand perpendicular, then it will be more convenient to swing back and forth (like a longitudinal pendulum). But there is a definite plus - the child will be able to rock himself to sleep. By tossing and turning from side to side in his sleep, he will rock the crib and be able to fall asleep on his own. Also, such beds can be placed closer to the wall, but there should still be a small distance for free movement.
Instructions for assembling a crib on hinges
Smooth monotonous movements and rocking help the baby quickly calm down and fall asleep. And a crib with hinges is best suited for this. This furniture is intended for children under three years of age.
The lower part of the crib is usually orthopedic and has two levels. Thanks to a special mechanism, the child can be rocked parallel to the floor surface.
The bed assembly process is as follows:
- Assembling the base of the crib. To do this, we attach each of the three guides to the bottom of the structure. The grooved sides should extend to the outside of the crib.
- Using screws (three on each side) we attach the front and rear backrest (Fig. 1).
- Installing the bottom. It can be installed in two different positions, this allows you to change the depth of the crib (Fig. 2).
- Install the sidewalls (Fig. 3). We connect the moving elements on the sides with the base of the crib (Fig. 4-7).
- To prevent the crib on hinges from rocking, you can install special clamps at the bottom of the sides.
Is a pendulum needed in a crib?
Each parent decides this question independently. Obviously, cribs with a pendulum have many advantages and make life much easier for parents. Some children are quite calm and do not require frequent and prolonged rocking, while others, on the contrary, cannot fall asleep without it. You cannot know exactly what the baby will be like, so purchasing a pendulum crib will definitely not be superfluous - even a non-capricious child will have to be rocked to sleep, albeit rarely.
Moreover, the pendulum mechanism can be locked, turning the crib into a regular stable structure. However, most pediatricians insist that you should try to rock children to sleep as little as possible - prolonged “shaking” has a negative impact on the vestibular system. You can do without a pendulum crib by purchasing, for example, an electric chaise longue or an electric swing. So, you can buy a regular crib, and if the child cries often, solve this problem with the help of other devices.
Types of mechanisms
On sale you can find pendulum cribs that swing from side to side, i.e. along or across. Rocking along is preferable, because this simulates rocking in the arms of a mother or in a stroller. There are also models that swing in any direction, but they are much more expensive.
If the crib is separated from the parent's bed, it makes sense to buy a crib with an electric drive. She can swing on her own. The bed is controlled using a remote control.
Which is better: a crib with a pendulum or a rocking chair?
Both rocking chairs and pendulum cribs are designed to rock a child to sleep. Rocking chairs have several advantages:
- Removable skids and additional wheels that can be included. When the child grows up, the runners are removed and replaced with a stand made of wheels or legs. Also, many models have several levels of lowering the bottom of the bed and the ability to change the height of the crossbar.
- Compactness. Unlike pendulum cribs, rocking chairs require less space and are easy to move.
- Simplicity of the swing mechanism.
Rocking chairs have a significant disadvantage: when a child begins to try to get up in bed and actively move, he can knock it over. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly change the runners to wheels or legs.
Shapes of children's beds with a pendulum
In most cases, cribs have a traditional rectangular shape. But you can also find models of unusual shapes, for example, round. As a rule, they have a diameter of no more than a meter, so children can sleep there for up to six months, after which they will need a more spacious crib. However, this problem is easily solved: almost all round models expand and turn into oval ones. The length can be adjusted according to the child's height. It is worth considering that mattresses for such beds are more difficult to find.
Round cribs do not have any special advantages over classic rectangular cribs. The only reason why they are chosen is their original and unusual appearance, which complements the interior of the nursery. They are also more compact, so they can be installed in the living room or parent's bedroom for convenience.
Set of beds with a pendulum
Many models of cribs are equipped with additional drawers under the bed. This helps save space in the room and conveniently organize the storage of things and toys. Some cribs are even built into dressers, which may also include changing tables. This is very practical, but you will have to quickly look for a replacement for such a crib, because the baby is growing quickly.
Sometimes the crib doesn't have any drawers. Then, to save space in the nursery, you can store organizers and boxes with toys under it, of course, if there is free space under the bed.
Advantages and disadvantages
Compared to conventional beds, the transformer has the following features:
- The design changes with the child - you can increase the sleeping area to 50 cm, because you can remove the cabinet.
- The width cannot be added - 60 cm is enough for a child of 5 years old, but this is not enough for a schoolchild of 8-9 years old.
- Products are made from different materials - wood, plastic, metal.
- Transformable children's beds are created based on the structure of the child's body, so he can expect a comfortable rest.
- Since there is a chest of drawers built into it, all things will be at hand.
- When choosing a bed with a changing table, it will be convenient for the mother to care for her child.
- The price of the design is average, but it depends on the number of items in the set.
- This bed is much larger in size compared to the classic one.
- The advantage of the products is the presence of drawers under the bottom.
Mobility of cribs with a pendulum
According to this criterion, cribs are divided into movable and fixed. The first ones are equipped with wheels that can be fixed. This is recommended when the baby begins to stand up in the crib. Some models have the ability to replace wheels with legs. Fixed cribs are the simplest and cost the least. They are not much inferior to models with wheels, because anyway the crib will rarely move and most of the time will be in a fixed position.
