You’ve spent months selecting the perfect solid hardwood baby crib by Amish craftsmen. You’re comforted in knowing you’ve bought the best for your newborn. This heirloom quality investment will last your child through many years, as it converts to their first big kid’s day bed, then later a single bed with designer head and footboards.

Whether the crib was an Amish traditional or contemporary design the crib mattress deserves to be given careful consideration, especially as the child grows and your Amish baby bed converts. Youngsters in their early development spend the majority of their days and nights lying in or playing in their baby crib. Since most crib mattresses are used for at least 2-4 years, growing bones need the best support you can afford.

The most common types of crib mattresses sold today are foam and innerspring. While a good quality foam mattress will last as long and give as much support as an innerspring crib mattress, the tie breaker is quality. Buy the best your budget can afford whether foam or innerspring.Today’s technology has developed a high grade of foam for mattresses. Foam’s resiliency is important and your mattress regaining its original shape quickly after weight is removed is essential. The next quality standard in selecting your child’s foundation is firmness and weight. With foam baby beds weight means density and the denser the better.

When considering any mattress the layers, and quality of layers, matter. The innerspring layer and the insulator pad layer and not the number of springs or coils is what makes the difference. The mattress border rods, or frame, are very important since they provide the edge support, where most children tend to stand and even bounce. A good mattress for your Amish crib should have a lower gauge of steel because it adds thickness. A good guide to buying an innerspring is:

150 coils. 

13.5 gauge carbon tempered steel coils.

 9.0 gauge steel border rods. 

A baby mattress should be covered in an easy to clean vinyl cover that is hospital grade and double or triple lamination. Remember to read the mattress label for specifications of the components. Better quality bedding will also include a warranty even if limited. Since you are buying a hand crafted heirloom from Amish craftsmen, buy a mattress that matches your valuable investment.

Choosing a theme that will allow a boy to express his creative side and feel comfortable in his own space is a great way to build self-esteem and confidence. So, make sure you let your child be a part of the decorating decisions by allowing him to choose his favorite theme. Some popular decorating ideas for a boy’s room include dinosaurs, jungle creatures, ships and pirates, outer space, zoo animals, old west town, cars and trucks, pet animals, bugs and reptiles, camping and nature, sports, train station, or the military.

While you can certainly go all out on a theme room and have giant murals painted on the walls with larger than life depictions of things that are related to the chosen theme, you don’t have to go to that extreme to create a successful theme room. Remember, children’s tastes can change quickly, so create a room that can easily be adjusted over the years. Start off with a neutral color on the walls that will go well with the theme, then add bed linens, curtains, rugs, lamps, pictures, posters, toys, and accessories that will bring the theme alive and pull the room together. Choose solid, quality furniture that will grow with the child over the years and go with whatever decorating style changes might occur from his toddler years to his teenage years.