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.

Creating a special theme room for a little girl can be fun and exciting for you and the child. Girls’ rooms tend to have a lighter color palette and are often more sophisticated in style than many boys’ rooms. This is a good thing from a decorating standpoint because many of the furniture and accessory items you choose for your little girl’s theme room can often be used as she enters her teen and young adult years. So, when choosing furniture for your child’s theme room, invest early in basic, high quality furniture pieces that will last for decades rather than children’s furniture that will need to be replaced in just a couple of years.

Some popular girl decorating themes include fairytale princess, English garden, puppies and kittens, angels, country cottage, ballet and dance, French toile, island paradise, ladybugs and butterflies, horses, under the sea creatures, or a magical carpet ride. Of course, your little girl might also be more interested in outer space, sports, or a western theme, so let her choose whatever style appeals to her most.

Since children tend to lose interest in things quickly as they mature, try to choose items that can be easily replaced as interests change. For instance, you can paint the walls a more neutral feminine color of pink, lavender, or yellow and still adjust the overall theme every couple of years by changing out the linens, wall art, and accessories. Buying matching furniture of a lighter shade or stain, such as white or natural, will make it easier for you to redecorate your girl’s room from the fairytale years to the rock star years.