Pad Your Baby’s Crib!
When your baby is ready to stand up in his crib, make sure you’re ready too by getting his crib all decked out! First thing you’ll need to do is to lower the mattress to its lowest setting. And then you’ve got to get it padded up.
Here’s how we suggest you pad your baby’s crib:
1. Double-Up!
When he starts standing in the crib, he’ll also start falling a LOT and you’ll want to double-up his bumpers so he doesn’t hit his head as hard when he hits it! This means you can go ahead and get out that adorable-coordinated bumper you haven’t been allowed to use yet. And install it above the breathable bumper you should already have in his crib. The breathable bumper needs to be BELOW the soft one because your baby will inevitably snuggle his face right up to it when he falls asleep — so of course you’ll want to make sure he can still breathe!
Remember, for this same reason, you still can’t put anything soft in his crib until his first birthday (no pillows, stuffed animals, or blankets). The DAY he turns one, feel free to put in any of these things, but until then, why chance it? The doubled up bumpers will really help your baby gain more confidence in his stance, which is a good thing and they will give you the peace of mind you need too.
Tip: do not double knot the bumper strings like we did in the posted picture above! We learned this the hard way because when you need to change a soiled bumper quickly (like when vomit’s all over the crib!) you’ll need to get the bumpers off and in the wash as FAST as you possibly can! Tie the strings in bows instead.
2. Guard the Rails!
Teething and standing happen together, so once your baby starts to cruise (standing up while holding on to the sides of furniture), he will start teething on the crib rails (and on everything else)! You need to protect him AND your crib from this temporary bad-habit. Buy crib rail covers that install easily on the front and sides of the crib.
You won’t have to use them for long, but luckily they’re not pricey and when you don’t need them anymore you can always store them for use with a second baby — if that’s in your plans! (In the posted picture above we didn’t have the side rail covers on yet, but installed them a week later when they arrived)
