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.

While most baby rooms are filled with cribs and changing tables that won’t be of much use to the average teenager, you need to consider purchasing long-term furniture pieces for your child’s room that will remain useful and in good condition for the next twenty-plus years. What this means is investing in furniture pieces early on for your kid’s bedroom that will grow as your child grows.

For instance, when choosing a crib, look for one that converts into a daybed or child’s bed that can be used in the room the next five or six years. Once the child outgrows the bed you can save it for occasional use for child guests or for when you have additional children. You might also consider buying a twin bed for your child that has a trundle underneath that can be pulled out for guest use. Extra long twin beds can take your child from his toddler years to his college dorm room days and eventually be used in his own home for guests or future grandchildren!

Dressers and bedroom chests are great for kids’ rooms too because they will be useful throughout his entire life. Baby rooms can always use additional storage space for all those rapidly increasing clothing sizes, so consider investing in an adult sized dresser or chest rather than baby furniture because these can always be used in any room for any sized child or adult.