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	Baby Accessories
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	Caring for Baby

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Check any baby furniture website or store, and you will see a wealth of items you never knew existed. Baby furniture runs from the practical to the downright silly. To get started, most parents invest in a few essential furniture items, including a crib or bassinet, dresser, and changing table.

Non-essential but often helpful furniture related items include the following.

• Baby Swing: wind-up or button-press swinging action.
• Bounce Seat: entertains your baby while you do your chores, and may or may not come with vibrating function.
• Playpen.
• Rocking Chair: for you and the baby.
• Spare bed: if there is room in the nursery.
• Toy shelf.
• Toy chest: for older babies and toddlers.

Look for furniture that serves more than one purpose. For example, look for a crib that converts into a toddler bed. Another example is a changing table that has dresser drawers built into it.

Borrowing Baby Furniture

If you plan to borrow a sibling or friend's baby furniture, make sure it meets all the current safety requirements. Cribs are a good example. Check the distance between the slats and buy a new mattress even if the crib comes with one. Be sure the mattress fits snugly in the crib. It should be tight against all four sides of the crib. Playpens are less chancy from a safety perspective, but older playpens sometimes have areas that could pinch or accidentally collapse on the baby. Discreetly ask how old the item is and if it has any defects.

If the furniture is definitely a loan and not a gift, take good care of it. If anything breaks or is otherwise damaged, be honest when returning it. Offer to reimburse the cost of a replacement item.

Research all of your options before you buy your baby furniture. Find out about the item's safety rating, and difficulty of setup and take down. Ask other parents' opinions on the product. You can find opinions online, or ask friends and family members what they thought of the price, practicality, and ease of use. Watch for recalls. Baby furniture can be recalled for many reasons. Avoid an item that has had a recall issued at any time.

If possible, go to the store and run your hands over the item. Ask yourself a few questions relating to the safety of the item you are interested in purchasing. When in doubt, ask your pediatrician about the safety of your nursery's furniture items.

• Do any pieces seem flimsy enough to break off and wind up in baby's mouth?
• Does the item have any sharp edges?
• Does the mattress fit snugly against the sides of the crib?
• Would a mobile sit high enough so that baby cannot reach it and pull it down?

NOTE: Never purchase a crib from a garage or yard sale unless you are certain of how it works and that it is safe. The owner should have the original manual. Check out the item against the manual and tug gently but firmly at all retractable parts to see whether they seem secure. The only safe option with such pieces of baby furniture is probably to bite the bullet and purchase an original from the store.

Buy items in colors and styles that blend well with your nursery theme, but always first consider safety and practicality when purchasing baby furniture.