Mini Cribs?

Hi All,

I have a very small nursery that has to fit 2 cribs. I am considering on getting 2 mini cribs. Has anyone used the mini cribs? Are the good?

I am also thinking of not getting a changing table and getting a pack n play with the changing table.

Any advice on small nurseries and what to get?

 

I am sorry, I do not have much to add except that I planned on using a pack N play as a changing table on our 1st floor. My mother surprised me with a real changing table when we got home from the hospital (we have 2, one upstairs, one downstairs). What a relief that turned out to be! If you can fit a full size table, and you live in a one story house I would go with a full size. This will be your main table, you will need the storage below, the accessability, not to mention changing a gazillion diapers on a pack N play will kill your back!

Best of luck and Congrats!!

 

You may not need 2 cribs. My girls are a year old and still sleep in the same crib. I have a pnp as back up if they ever get around to not wanting to sleep together.

I know a lot of people don't use changing tables. I have one that I still use but its in my living room where I change all the girls diapers. With my more rambunctious kids I've used the coffee table, couch or floor to change diapers. I just keep all the supplies close at hand.

 

Do you have an Ikea nearby? They sell a nice hanging changing table. I have one. Think of the changing stations in restrooms. You pull down the table part and push it back up. It's similar to that but instead of the heavy plastic its white metal. It comes with the pad too. The part that is attached to the wall has pockets to hold diapers and wipes. It's about $70 which is a good bargain compared to other changing tables and even pack-n-plays. I'm not impressed with the pack-n-play changing stations.

I think mini-cribs would be okay for a while but they're not long term. If you get a crib that converts to a toddler bed you can use it for quite a while. My 4.5yr old is still sleeping in a converted toddler bed.

Edited to add...my girls share a crib too. I am moving the extra crib to my bedroom as a spare for naptime. They share a room with my other girls and my older girls get aggravated because they can't play with their toys during the naptimes.

 

Thanks for all the advice.

The mini crib that I was looking at converts into a day bed and then a twin bed. They just look so small so I am trying to figure out if it worth it or if I should just take up the space with 2 regular cribs. If I got just 1 crib how long would they be able to sleep in it together?

The room that we are using for the nursery would only fit 1 twin bed with 1 dresser (just so you can get an idea how small it is). I live in about 1000 sq ft apartment.

 

I got a changing table with drawers in it, love it! I don't have another dresser for the babies. We are currently using a co-sleeper in our room but plan to use the co-sleeper as a pack-n-play and our other pack-n-play for them when the time comes that they have to be separated to sleep. My last DD only slept in a pack-n-play also.

 

I have to say that I have never ever used my changing table! We change the girls on the floor, the couch, in the crib, on my bed, etc etc. If you're really pressed for space, I'd say forgo the changing table.

I'd considered the minicribs, too. There are tons out there, so I think it's a great option.

 

I don't use a changing table. I just lay them on the floor. I don't like the look of a changing table and I lived in a 1,050 sq foot apt when they were born. For their room, I did 1 reg crib and 1 in mine. My boys hated sharing a bed but were really good about sleeping in swings and bouncy seats so for the first 4 months they didn't sleep in their cribs. We kept them in our room and could have not had a crib until they were 4 months old. At that time we transitioned them into their room and individual cribs. We have since moved but what I would do is no changing table- just keep diapers and wipes in a caddy strapped to a crib. Have 2 fullsized cribs and when they are done with them go to toddler beds then bunk beds. They won't be able to play in their rooms for a while but as young babies that's probably ok.

 

We had the boys in one crib in our room until they were nearly 5 months old. I'd probably try them in one crib together at first and see how it goes and then you can always add a second crib later on when they can't sleep together anymore; will give you more time to think about what makes sense for you and figure out what you can't live without.

 

This is ALL great advice and will help me figure all this out. I think that we will move when they get a little older (like 1-2 yrs old) when they will need more space.

I think that I will do the no changing table like I was thinking and maybe start with 1 full size crib and see how it goes. I will have a pack n play to so if they really hate being in the same crib I will have that option until I can get another crib.

Thank you ALL! This is going to be quite a journey as I am sure that you all know.

 

I also have never used a changing table--used the bed when they were little, and now we use the floor. It is an item I have never missed.

We also used 2 PNPs for sleeping until they were a year old--then we moved them out of our bedroom into their own cribs. The PNPs are about the same size as the minicribs.

 

If you do a changing table, I would get one that is also a dresser. It is also nice that the items are less accessible to babies/kids than open shelves.

 

We never had changing table. It won't last long. Wen they are about 3-4, ithey will roll.. We always changed them on bed and now on the floor.

I agreed using 1 full side crib for both. Mini cribs are such a waste. They will grow out of those so soon. Also, to save space u can add couple plastic drawers/ shelves in the closet. So u don't have to add a big wood dresser in their room

 

Thanks for the great advice. You guys are making this so much easier for me to decide.

 

We have a dresser in between their cribs with the Ikea changing table thing on top, so it can be used as a changing table, and later on we can take the lip off and it will be just a dresser. I keep their changing supplies in the drawer underneath. Honestly, I rarely use the changing table... we use a bed for that or the floor. Our babies grew really fast, I don't think a minicrib would be a great idea if they grow fast, I think one full size crib is better, they can share the first few months then you can figure things out easier after you know what you're dealing with.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck. When are you due? Do you know what kind of babies are you having?

 

I agree about the minicribs and changing table. Since it is my first pregnancy I will be figuring out everything as I go.

I am about to reach my 11 week and Due on December 30. But I am hoping that I will go early so I can celebrate Christmas with them. I did IVF so they are not identical. I can not wait to find out the sex of them. I am very excited and nervous.

 

I did this! I have two of the plastic drawer rolling carts. I took the wheels off and stacked one on the other. One has four regular drawers and one has two large and two smaller drawers. I put socks/bibs in the two smaller drawers and the rest hold their clothes. I hang dresses and outfits. It works out perfect and I don't have to take up space in the room with a dresser. Or depending on your closet size you can get a Closetmaid cubicle. I have one in my other girl's closet. It's a six cube cubical. I have the 12x12 fabric drawers. Once the girls are old enough I'm adding to the older girls cubicals and all of their clothes will be stored in there. Or even cheaper Target sells three shelf book shelves for less than $20. You can buy one of those and six fabric drawers and use that as well. I've done if for my DS before we bought his car bed with the matching dresser. It works out well when they're little and you need to store clothes. You can have that in the room and use the bottom four cubes for onesies and such and the top two for diapers/wipes and then just change the babies on the bed or floor. You can hang the rest of the clothes.

 

thanks for the great advice. I do a big 3 plastic drawer system that I already had so that worked out. I will put that in the closet and since I am going to do only 1 crib for now,I think that I will get a small dresser. But I have to get that room cleared out first. LOL. I am ending my first trimester I guess I better get a move on.

 

I have 2 mini cribs, the Da Vinci Emily style ones (See here)
They are fabulous and as my girls close in on their first birthday there is still lots of space in the cribs for them to grow. I just bought a changing pad from Toys R Us and use it on the floor, we don't have a changing table, I don't think they are necessary. As soon as the babies started wriggling and trying to crawl away it was useful having the changing pad on the floor where they couldn't fall off.

 

I have and use my changing table, but agree that if you have a space issue, you really don't 'need' it. If you can get a dresser one in there, then go for it but the floor/couch/bed works fine. Sometimes I just reach into their cribs and change them in there (but that really only works well for pee diapers). As for the cribs...mine lasted together about 4-5 months then they woke each other moving around so we separated them. We have two full size cribs- one on each wall- with the changing table in between on the third wall. The room would have been perfect for one baby but it's a small room for two cribs. However, I wouldn't do the mini cribs. They are the size, I believe, as the cribs hotels provide (which we referred to as orphan cribs all last week while on vacation- they were sad little things) and my 11 month olds, lengthwise, pretty much filled them. You would probably end up needing to upgrade at some point anyway. Good luck!

 

Thanks Silly Putty....That is good advice. I was thinking that the mini cribs looked really small.