Wooden cradles can be convertible as a separate basket, or a bassinette.
Cradles, or baby rockers, have been used to nurse infants to sleep throughout history; early cradles were simply boxes suspended by rope. Healthy babies wake frequently in the night and new parents also worry about incidents such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is why it is a good idea to heed advice from the American Association of Pediatrics: The organization recommends keeping a newborn in the room with the parents but in a separate bed --- such as a cradle --- until they are six months old.
Instructions
1. Design the rockers. The curved rockers of a cradle need to be shallow. If the curve is too steep, the cradle will rock too much and risk throwing the child out or pushing him against one side. As the child grows and begins to move in his sleep, he will be able to shift the center of gravity in the cradle.
2. Choose the rocker stops. Without a stop, even the shallowest rockers can continue to rock and ultimately flip the cradle over onto the baby. The stops can be as simple as wooden pegs at the ends of the rockers. Many cradle plans have a rounded flourish at either end of the rocker that serves as the stop.
3. Decide on the rocker's siding. There are pros and cons to different materials: A solid side can pose a suffocation danger if the infant's face is pressed to one side, while open-weave basketry prevents suffocation but is easily damaged. A series of spindles is a classic choice and gives the cradle both air and strength. The spindles must be placed close together, no more than 2 inches apart, to prevent the child's head from becoming stuck between them.
4. Pick a safe paint or varnish. Be sure to use a product that is lead-free and safe for children. Infants may not be able to put their mouths on the cradle right away, but all babies constantly touch their surroundings and put their hands in their mouths.
5. Purchase the bedding. In order to prevent SIDS, all infant bedding should comply with the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Administration. Stay away from soft bedding, quilts or stuffed toys, as these are a suffocation hazard. Measure the cradle to buy a mattress.
Tags: their mouths