Baby Registry: Best Nursery, Crib, and Baby Sleep Products

Nursery

Babies spend a lot of time sleeping (14-16 hours per day as a newborn), so it’s important to get baby’s nursery environment right. Many parents find the following items to be helpful:

  • Crib with an organic or non-toxic mattress (organic due to off-gassing, not surface materials)
  • Wearable blankets and swaddles (to prevent suffocation from loose blankets)
  • Blackout curtains for the windows (for early bedtimes and to help baby not rise with the sun)
  • Sound machine (to play sounds that mimic the womb, white noise or soft music)
  • Video baby monitor
  • Nightlights (at least two: one for clearing the walking path and another near baby’s changing table for night changes)
  • Rocker-glider (for reading and rocking baby to sleep)

Innovative Baby Sleep Products

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations on creating a safe sleep environment include:

  • Place the baby on his or her back on a firm sleep surface such as a crib or bassinet with a tight-fitting sheet.
  • Avoid use of soft bedding, including crib bumpers, blankets, pillows and soft toys. The crib should be bare.
  • Share a bedroom with parents, but not the same sleeping surface, preferably until the baby turns 1 but at least for the first six months. Room-sharing decreases the risk of SIDS by as much as 50 percent.
  • Avoid baby’s exposure to smoke, alcohol and illicit drugs.

How Do I Make Baby’s Crib Safe?

  • There should be no cutouts in the headboard or foot board so a baby’s head cannot get trapped.
  • Do not use a secondhand crib with drop rails.
  • Crib bars should be spaced no more than 2 3/8 inches apart.
  • The mattress should be very firm. It should fit snugly, with no space between the mattress and crib walls (it should pass the no-wider-than-two-fingers test.)
  • Crib bumpers should not be used in cribs.
  • There is no need to put extra support in baby’s crib, such as rolled blankets, to keep them on their backs.
  • Bare is best. Do not put thick blankets, duvets, padding, mattress toppers, pillows, or stuffed toys in baby’s crib. These items can bunch up and smother baby or baby’s face can get pressed against a pillow. Consider using a wearable sleeper instead of a blanket.
  • The top of the crib rail should be at least 26 inches from the top of the mattress. Most cribs are adjustable, and you can lower the mattress as baby becomes more mobile.
  • Place the crib away from windows, if possible to avoid direct sunlight and cold drafts.
  • Do not place your crib near blinds, curtain cords, or baby monitor cords, as they pose a strangling hazard.
  • Do not hang hard, glass-encased pictures over baby’s crib or changing table.

Note: For more information about baby’s sleep, read our month-by-month Sleep Guide: Newborn to Age Three and Baby Sleep Training: Putting Baby on a Schedule (a summary of several books, including Babywise, Ferber Method, Weissbluth Method, Pantley Method, Dr. Sears’ Attachment Sleeping Methods, The Happiest Baby/5s, and more.)

Crib

Like car seats, all cribs, regardless of price, must meet federal safety requirements. Therefore, more expensive does not mean safer. Proper assembly of your crib is very important so follow the instructions. There are currently no federal standards for round cribs, bassinets, cradles, or co-sleeping cribs.

Safety Alert!

Used or Antique Cribs and Bassinets

I do not recommend buying a used crib or using a drop-side crib made before 2011. The U.S. Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned drop-side cribs in 2011 after they were blamed for the deaths of at least 32 infants and toddlers. Millions of older crib models also have been recalled for faulty rail design, spindle width, formaldehyde, and the use of lead paint. If you are using an older drop-side crib, be sure that a product recall kit or reinforcing brace has been installed.

Also, antique cribs may look nice, but the spacing between the slats rarely conforms to the current standard of 2 3/8 inches or less (to remove the possibility of baby’s head getting caught.) The paint on older cribs also may contain lead, which poses a serious health risk to babies and young children.

Brand recommendations:

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Best in Class

Best Value: Graco Benton 4-in-1 Convertible Crib ($160-180): If you are budget-conscious, safety-minded, and seeking style, then the Benton is a great choice. It has three mattress heights and is easy to assemble. This 4-in-1 crib easily converts from crib to toddler bed, daybed, and full-size bed with headboard.

Best Value (Runner Up): The Graco Charleston 4-in-1 Convertible Crib is also highly rated and not much more expensive than the Lauren at $200.

Best Inexpensive: IKEA Gulliver ($99): If you like simple, sturdy, and affordable then the timeless Gulliver is the value crib for you (it also comes in white.) Shorter parents like that the Gulliver bed base only adjusts to two heights so they do not have to bend as far to reach baby. The Gulliver also converts to a toddler bed.

Eco-friendly (expensive): Oeuf Classic Crib ($970): If safety and modern design are a worthwhile investment to you, then you will love this solid birch crib with non-toxic lacquer. Oeuf (pronounced uhff) is named after the French word for egg with the same double-O sound as took or book.

Eco-friendly (less expensive): Babyletto Modo 3-in-1 Convertible Crib ($249-279): This sleek, modern crib is made from sustainable New Zealand pine and non-toxic finishes. 

Best modern and sleek (and eco-friendly): The Babyletto Hudson 3-in-1 Crib ($379) is also very popular for the modern crowd and petite parents. The Hudson is Greenguard Gold certified, which means it’s been screened for 360 VOCs and over 10,000 chemicals.

Crib mattress

Crib mattresses are typically made with either innersprings or dense foam, while modern eco-mattresses feature natural materials or blended synthetic and natural materials.

  • Innerspring mattress. An innerspring mattress is heavier than foam and will usually hold its shape better. For innersprings, select a firm mattress with 135 or more coils and a gauge of 15.5 or lower.
  • Firm, firm, firm. A soft mattress can conform to the shape of baby’s head or face, increasing the risk of suffocation, or even sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Test the firmness of a crib mattress by putting one hand in the center of the mattress. Assess how much pressure is required to touch your hand placed on the other side of the mattress.
  • Gaps are bad. A too-small mattress can leave space for baby’s head to get trapped. Test mattress for fit: if you can squeeze more than two fingers between the mattress and the crib, then your mattress is too small.
  • Used mattress. If you are considering a used mattress, clean thoroughly. Mold can grow in improperly stored mattresses, and bacteria can fester on the surface from bio-liquids that were not cleaned properly.

Eco Tip

Organic Crib Mattresses

Are non-toxic, organic crib mattresses worth the money?

I say yes, if you can afford it. Prioritize your budget. Cut out non-essential clothes and baby gear to buy a non-toxic mattress. Baby will sleep on this product 14 to 16 hours per day during the first year. That’s 5110-5840 hours in one year lying on this mattress, not including the toddler years! Conventional crib mattresses are typically made with dense polyurethane foam, treated with flame retardants, covered in PVC (or vinyl), potentially treated with more flame retardants, and then splashed with stain guard for good measure. Please note, concerns with conventional mattresses are not about chemicals physically touching baby; they are focused on the gases baby breathes while lying on the mattress (off-gassing). If you are unable to purchase an organic crib mattress, air out the mattress outside to off-gas chemicals, until there is no longer a chemical “new mattress” smell.

However, beware: not all eco-mattresses are the same. There is little enforcement of what these labels mean, so be sure to check mattress labels carefully. A mattress with 5% organic cotton can be called an organic mattress, and anything that is labeled as “waterproof” is not truly natural or organic (some parents compromise on this feature by using a removable waterproof mattress cover or pad). Also, if you live in a building that advocates bed bug encasements, you may not want to spend the extra dollars on a breathable organic mattress since a bed-bug covering would negate this feature. Bottom line:  If your budget is tight, buy a cheaper crib and spend more on a non-toxic mattress.

Brand recommendations:

Best Budget Crib Mattress

Eco-Friendly (selections meet fire standards naturally) Crib Mattress

  • Best Value: Naturepedic Lightweight Organic Cotton Classic Crib Mattress ($260): much lighter than heavy innerspring mattresses, weighing in at 10 pounds (making sheet changes easier); combines organic cotton materials with a food-grade polyethylene waterproof cover
  • Best Budget for Eco-friendly Mattresses: Eco Classica III Dual Firmness ($190) this crib mattress is lightweight, eco-conscious, and less costly than many of its competitors. Certified Organic Cotton Cover, Eco Foam Infused with Plant Oils, CertiPUR certified safe foam, Greenguard Gold Certified.
  • Best No Compromises Mattress: Nook Pebble Pure ($395): takes no shortcuts with questionable chemicals; designed to promote airflow and temperature regulation with 100% non-toxic and natural materials. Nook’s all-organic and breathable sleep system is equipped with a natural coconut husk and 100% talalay latex mattress core. Natural Water-Resistance from the patented Nano-technology of the Pebble Wrap fibers keep liquids from absorbing into the mattress cover (no mattress pad required.)
  • Best two-sided: Moonlight Slumber The Little Dreamer ($150) two stage sleep system covered with two densities of foam firmness, eco-friendly foam is infused with plant oils, and the mattress is covered in waterproof, medical-grade fabric, Greenguard Gold and CertiPUR certified.
Nook Pebble Pure

Waterproof crib mattress cover or pad

You’ll want two of these mattress covers to protect the mattress from diaper leaks and fluids.

Crib sheets

You’ll want three to five sheets, and these will be used for years. Do not underestimate how many crib sheets can get soiled in a night, especially if baby has a stomach virus. Also, organic cotton sheets and linens are not absolutely essential, especially if your budget is tight. However, they are increasing in popularity, due to high insecticide and pesticide use with cotton.68

Brand recommendations:

  • Eco-friendlier: aden + anais Crib Sheets ($20-30): These crib sheets come in classic 100% cotton muslin, organic cotton, or bamboo muslin.

Changing table

This piece is often part of a baby furniture set. Tall or long babies can outgrow a compact changing table in a year, so you may choose to place baby’s changing pad on a dresser top. Always have a hand on baby when changing his diaper.

Brand recommendation:

  • This will probably be the same brand of changing table or dresser as your crib, or a hand-me-down

Changing table pad or cushion

This piece is a thick, contoured pad for regular diaper changes at home. Baby does not lie on a changing pad for hours like a mattress, and many children are in day care for a good portion of their diapering. Therefore, I think organic cotton changing pads are not worth the money. Most will have some type of waterproof coating on the surface anyhow. 

Brand recommendations:

  • Best overall/inexpensive: Summer Infant Contoured Changing Pad ($16-25): Durable quilted vinyl is 100% waterproof material that can be wiped clean with a damp cloth
  • Eco-friendlier: The NaturePedic Organic Cotton Contoured Changing Pad ($99) is for hard-core eco-parents, and it is five times more expensive than the Summer Infant pad. Contains food-grade polyethylene lightweight support, organic cotton fill, and organic cotton fabric with food-grade polyethylene waterproofing. Polyethylene is a common plastic that is used in bags, films, bottles, and other containers.

Changing table cover

This is similar to a fitted sheet for a mattress that is used to cover a diaper changing pad. You’ll want two to three, since they get soiled often. The softer, the better.

Brand recommendations:

Baby hangers for clothes

Regular hangers are too big for baby’s clothes.

Brand recommendations:

Rockers and gliders

I completely underestimated this purchase with my first baby and convinced my husband to buy a cheap, fixed-back nursing chair from the clearance section at Babies R Us (now closed national chain baby store). With our second child, we opted for a padded leather rocker-glider and recliner that would fit into the living room later. If you are still doubting this chair, as I did, let’s do the math. A new mom and dad plus caretakers will nurse or feed and rock baby for an average of four hours per day. That is 1,460 total hours for the first year in this chair. Now apply that over multiple years with multiple children as a prime nursing, rocking, and book reading chair. If your baby will be spending most of the day away from home, then you probably don’t need a fancy chair.

Other rocker-glider tips: Rocker-gliders with multi-position reclining for the back are best, and you want to make sure that the arms of the chair are well-padded for feedings. Price-compare online and test chairs in the store, if possible. Some chairs fit taller or more petite people better. Also, white or pastel fabrics may look great in the nursery; however, they get dirty easily, especially the ottomans.

Brand recommendations:

Nursery Paint

The Best Eco-Friendly Zero-VOC Paints

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) include a variety of chemicals that are emitted as gases from certain solids and liquids. They are found in thousands of products–paints, glues, adhesives, and permanent markers–and they are linked to numerous health problems, such as cancer, nervous system damage, headaches, and irritation of the ears, nose, and throat. Some readers may decide that zero-VOC paints are just too expensive for baby’s nursery ($50/gallon vs. $25-35/gallon) and might choose to compromise with a low-VOC paint. Also, ladies, I don’t know what it is about men and paint, but you may have to do some sales work to get your significant other to use an eco-friendly brand.

  1. The Real Milk Paint Co
  2. Earth Pigments
  3. Bioshield
  4. Sherwin-Williams Harmony
  5. Benjamin Moore Natura
  6. Ecos Paint
  7. Behr Premium Plus
  8. Earth Safe Finishes

Safety Alert!

VOC Paint

The EPA warns that VOC concentrations can be up to ten times higher indoors, with paint as a major VOC contributor. VOCs emit gases long after paint is dry, and babies are much more susceptible to these gases. Low-VOC paint should have less than 50 grams/liter and zero-VOC paint less than five grams/liter. Check to make sure that your tint is not adding to the VOC content, and paint baby’s nursery months in advance, if possible, to off-gas fumes.

Rugs and carpet for baby 

I once read on a message board, “I just want a rug that doesn’t try to kill me in my sleep.” This is due to the off-gassing of fire retardants and stain-resistant chemicals, and many expecting parents have similar concerns about rugs and flooring for their child. While no baby wants to crawl on a crunchy eco-mat that feels and smells like hay, there areenvironmentally friendlier rug attributes to look for: 1) natural fibers, such as organic cotton, wool, silk, bamboo, hemp, and jute; 2) non-toxic backing, sewn and not glued (wool, jute, or natural latex); and 3) certifications and assurances that the rug was not treated with stain guard, flame retardants, or insecticides, which can emit VOCs. 

  • Best Affordable Rugs: IKEA natural fiber rugs
  • Best Style Rugs: Pottery Barn Kids or Land of Nod
  • Best Rugs for Eco-purists: Bio-Floor wool rugs
  • Best Wall-to-Wall Eco-Friendly Carpet: Nature’s Carpet or Flor

Floor Mat or Covering

Many parents desire a softer crawl and play space for their baby on hard floors. I recommend using untreated rugs for this purpose, budget permitting, if you are concerned about petroleum-derived foam mats and flooring.

Safety Alert!

Interlocking Foam Flooring

In Belgium and France, EVA foam puzzle-type mats have been banned due to the toxic substance formamide. In addition to chewing and noshing on the corners of these foam pieces, babies and toddlers like to pull apart the squares, which can be a tripping hazard.

Sleeping Supplies

Swaddling blankets

You’ll want at least three to four of these for wrapping your newborn in a tight burrito or swaddle. Muslin blankets are popular (muslin is a loosely woven cotton fabric that is breathable like medicine gauze), and blankets with Velcro flaps are convenient for parents who aren’t into fussy wrapping. Many parents prefer blankets with a little bit of stretch to make a tight swaddle.

Brand recommendations:

  • Love to Dream Swaddle UP ($30-35) Over 90% of babies sleep with their ARMS UP around their head when placed on their back to sleep, and the Love to Dream sleeper gives baby the ARMS UP option. The snug fit from the 4-way stretch fabric of 93% Cotton and 7% Elastane creates a familiar and secure feeling just like in the womb to calm the Moro (startle) reflex. Does not contain flame retardants or any harmful chemicals.
  • aden + anais Easy Swaddle ($20) or 4-pack Classic Muslin swaddle wraps ($30-40): This company (pronounced AY-den and uh-NAY) has taken over the swaddle world. aden + anais was founded in 2006 by an Aussie mom who moved to the U.S. and could not find muslin wraps similar to what Australian moms used to swaddle their babies. Today, these blankets are everywhere. Prince George single-handedly increased sales of the Jungle Jam Pack of four swaddles 600% in one week, following his royal exit from St. Mary’s Hospital.
  • Halo SleepSack Swaddle Microfleece ($17-28): These zip-up blankets have swaddling flaps that use Velcro to stay together. Sales for these swaddles go way up in winter, although baby will outgrow them quickly.
  • Under the Nile 100% Organic Egyptian Cotton blankets ($32/2-pack): These blankets use organic material with a little bit of stretch for a tight swaddle (the stretch makes them worth the cost). Parents who find aden + anais blankets too large appreciate the “right size” of fabric with Under the Nile.


Wearable blankets or sleep sacks

You’ll want two or three for each size in gender-neutral colors. These sleep sacks, used after baby outgrows a swaddle, zip over baby’s pajamas to keep her warm at night. They are usually made of cotton for summer and fleece for winter, and they reduce crib climbing ability for older babies and toddlers.

Brand recommendations:

  • Halo SleepSack ($20-28): My children slept in these zip-up blankets for years in increasing sizes with no loose covers in the crib.
  • aden + anais Sleeping Bags ($32): Made of 100% cotton muslin, these blankets come in Classic, Cozy, and Cozy Plus versions with three levels of thickness. Sleeping bags are also offered in bamboo fiber muslin and organic cotton muslin.



Nightlight

You will need a nightlight more powerful than a tiny hall light for late-night diaper changes and feedings.

Brand recommendations:

  • Cloud b Twilight Constellation Nightlight ($30): This product will bring joy to your child for many years, as a turtle or ladybug projects stars and a crescent moon onto your child’s ceiling (the green turtle is best for both genders.)
  • IKEA children’s lighting: If you live near an IKEA, or like to browse IKEA products on Amazon (warning: some products have big price markups online), check out their fun, inexpensive lighting products.
  • Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine, Night Light and Time-to-Rise ($60) Rest combines nightlight, sound machine, and time-to-rise alert in one easy-to-use device that you can control from your phone! Customize color, brightness, sound, and volume level. Set programs to turn off and on automatically based on your family’s sleep schedule.

Sleeping: Other convenient items

Sound machine, MP3 player, or iPod with docking station

I prefer an iPod/mp3 docking station to a baby-specific sound machine. You can download white noise, womb sounds, heartbeats, and lullabies to your iPod and drown out older children playing, dishes clanging, TVs, and street noise. If you do buy a sound machine, make sure that it has an MP3 player port.

Brand recommendations:

  • Baby Shusher For Babies — Sleep Miracle Soother Sound Machine For New Parents. Using a real human voice, lull your baby to sleep with a calming shush. Lightweight, portable for travel, comes with 2 AA batteries for immediate use.
  • Munchkin Shhh Portable Baby Sleep Soother ($20) Portable light and sound machine calms little ones with three different sounds – shushing, heartbeat and white noise. Requires 2 AA batteries and comes with shut-off timer.

Blinds, shades, and/or a blackout curtain

These items will hopefully keep baby from rising with the sun. Assess your blackout budget by how long you think you will be living in your home, especially if you have non-standard windows.

Brand recommendations:

Mobile for the crib

Think lights, music, and motion for your crib mobile, if the goal is for the mobile to help you sleep in more. Otherwise, a simple handmade mobile may mesmerize baby and spark up your décor without all the noise.

Pros: Some mobile models turn on and off remotely, buying valuable extra minutes in bed for mom and dad.

Cons: A crib mobile only lasts five to six months for safety or until baby can pull it down from the crib rail.

Brand recommendations:

  • For extra value, try the well-reviewed Tiny Love Take Along Mobile ($21-25), which attaches to regular cribs, travel cribs, and car seat handles.

Bassinet, cradle, or co-sleeper

This allows your newborn to sleep right next to your bed in the early weeks of life. I cannot recommend buying a separate, arms reach-type co-sleeper or bassinet because a travel crib has nearly an identical raised platform or bassinet for newborns. The travel crib can then sleep a toddler on the bottom level for several years.

Brand recommendations:

  • Graco Pack ‘n Play Playard with Newborn Napper ($90-200): This playard and travel crib grows with your child: a newborn sleeps in the cocoon-like napping station, an infant < 25 pounds sleeps on a wrapover bassinet that secures to the frame, and a toddler sleeps on the bottom platform.
  • Halo BassiNest Swivel Sleeper ($230): If I had a bigger budget for a bassinet, I would buy this model. A dual-swivel design allows the BassiNest to rotate 360 degrees from two pivot points: to pull the co-sleeper into the bed toward mom and then to angle the sleeper for nursing, or getting into and out of the bed. This product, which swept the 2013 JPMA Innovation Awards as the Judge’s Pick Winner, also has a nightlight, soothing nature and womb sounds, vibration, and a timer to remind nursing moms when to put baby back into his sleep space.
  • SwaddleMe By Your Side Sleeper ($50) is a value co-sleeper with mesh sides to provide a clear view of baby and help air circulate to protect baby from overheating. Folds flat for travel.
Kim Arrington Johnson:
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