Posted by Kelly Kuch on Fri, Apr 24, 2009 @ 03:15 PM
For 2 weeks only all Drop-Gate Convertible cribs are on sale. 10% discount, available online with FREE SHIPPING or through your local participating retailer. Ends May 10, 2009.
Click Here for more details.
Ocean crib, as featured in Wall Street Journal "drop-gate cribs, in which one side folds over, are generally considered safer than drop-side cribs"
Posted by Kelly Kuch on Thu, Apr 23, 2009 @ 10:54 PM
If you are newly pregnant and just shopping for baby products, you may be unsure of what a "drop-gate" crib is and what it does, since it is unlike anything in the market. Here is everything you need to know:
A Drop-Gate crib is one in which the top 6-9 inches of the crib folds down. To operate you push in a finger latch on both the left and right side simultaneously, allowing the gate to fold down.
Added Safety
Since users must have an arm span the width of the crib to open or close the gate, Baby's Dream drop-gate design provides added safety by preventing small children from accessing the baby. Additionally, the gate itself has a beveled construction to prevent finger pinching. Many consider drop-gate designs safer than drop-side cribs (where the entire front frame moves up and down).
Easier Access
The extra room the gate provides parents to bend over into the crib is very helpful (up to 9 inches). Parents of all heights sometimes have difficulty putting a sleeping baby to bed on stationary models where it can sometimes be a very high side to bend over. Test out cribs when shopping, and envision when the mattress is at the lowest level and your baby is the heaviest if you will easily be able to reach. Many times shorter parents find drop-gates easier.
2-in-1 Functionality
The gate performs double duty by being used later on as the guardrail when converted to toddler bed. This could be a savings of up to $50 in some cases since there is no additional purchase required.
Where to Buy?
Drop-gate cribs are sold exclusively through Baby's Dream Furniture retailers or online at www.babysdream.com.
For detail product demonstrations, refer to the online video "Watch & Learn About a Convertible Nursery" www.babysdream.com. Baby's Dream is the exclusive supplier of Drop-gate crib models and has been top-rated by Baby Bargains and Consumer Reports.
Posted by Kelly Kuch on Tue, Apr 21, 2009 @ 05:50 PM
By Ross Felfeli, CEO, Baby's Dream Furniture, Inc.
Unlike the "Energizer Bunny" that "keeps going and going and going and...", many cribs sold today stop being of any use by the time the baby is around 2 years old, or until he can climb out of it.
The exception to this is the so-called "convertible crib". No, this crib does not have a plastic top that you roll back when the sun is out to let the baby get some fresh air. The "convertible" in convertible crib refers to its unique ability to change from a crib to a toddler bed to either a twin bed or a full bed, depending on the model and the manufacturer.
Convertible cribs have gradually become one of the most popular types of cribs sold in America. It is easy to understand why. Simply put, convertible cribs are one of the best values in the market. By paying a little more for a convertible crib, the consumer gets a bed that her child can use from the day he is born until he leaves for college.
With so many manufacturers offering convertible cribs, it is important that the consumer knows what to look for when buying nursery furniture.
Safety
The most important thing is that the crib meets all government and industry safety standards. Therefore, the consumer should know whether the crib meets or exceeds all ASTM and federally mandated standards. Cribs that have met those standards have been certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturer's Association (JPMA). This certification is usually printed on the crib's box, on a sticker on the crib itself, and on the manufacturer's product literature or brochure. Pay attention to consumer buying publications such as Consumer Reports for top-rated cribs.
Quality
Ask the consumer to "kick the tires" as if they were buying a car. Since kicking the crib might hurt the consumer's foot and result in a lawsuit or insurance claim, it is better to just have the consumer grab the top side rail of the crib and shake it a little to see if it is stable. Does it wobble? Is it heavy enough to stay put in one place when the baby can stand and shake the crib? All frames should be made of smooth hand rubbed solid wood surfaces and assembled using steel bolts and steel inserts to reduce the possibility of stripping during assembly and/or conversion of the crib.
Gate Operation
Another important thing is to check and see how the gate operates. Is the operation quiet and smooth? After all, parents don't want noisy hardware to wake up the baby when they put him down and try to close the gate. Is it easy to open and close the gate or lower and raise the front side of the crib? It should be easy for an adult but next to impossible for the baby or his 4-year-old sibling. There are also cribs that have no moving hardware and have completely stationary sides, making them safe to use and easy to operate.
Design
The next thing is what the crib looks like when it is converted to a toddler, twin, or full size bed. Many so-called convertible cribs will only convert to a toddler bed. A true convertible crib will change from crib to toddler bed to a full size or twin size adult bed. Usually, the conversion requires some sort of metal or wooden rail that either comes with the crib or that the consumer has to buy separately.
Value
Convertible cribs provide great value. Little to no additional purchase is necessary to convert into the toddler bed and full-size bed position. This feature provides value for years to come and saves consumers the cost of purchasing additional furniture for their child. This also helps to ease the child's transition from crib to "grown-up" bed because they remain in the same environment that they have grown comfortable with. All in all, a good convertible crib should be an investment that will, literally, last a lifetime.