With the advent of a child in the family, the life of his parents changes dramatically, new chores and worries appear, because you need to provide the baby with everything necessary. For the first six months, a newborn spends almost all the time in the crib, so her choice is one of the main issues that worries new moms and dads. A wide range makes it difficult to choose.
It has long been known that a child falls asleep quickly under rhythmic movements, so it is recommended to choose a crib with a motion sickness function. If the child is worried, wakes up, you can rock him without getting out of bed. Now, specialized stores sell improved traditional models - cradles and rocking chairs on skids. Such cribs have many disadvantages: they move by inertia from rocking for a short time, the movements are uneven, non-rhythmic, and traces remain on the floor.
A more modern and comfortable option is a crib with a pendulum mechanism. It contains bearings that makemovements are soft, smooth; the bed (lower part) remains motionless.
There are two directions of movement of pendulum beds: longitudinal - from head to feet and transverse - left-right. This article will help you decide which pendulum is better - longitudinal or transverse. As the main criterion, we will give the opinions of doctors. In addition, detailed instructions for assembling the longitudinal pendulum are given here. So let's get started.
Swing bed
When mother shakes the baby, she makes longitudinal movements - from legs to head. When swinging in a wheelchair, such movements are also made. That is, such swings are more familiar to the child, so under them he falls asleep faster, sleep is stronger and he althier.
Such beds are not compact. They take up a lot of space due to the fact that you have to indent from the wall, taking into account the swing amplitude.
Crib with transverse pendulum
These cribs are perfect for those who have every square meter on the account, because they take up less space than the previous model.
Another advantage is their autonomy: waking up and tossing and turning in a dream, the child sets the crib in motion, and it begins to swing, thereby lulling the baby. But babies learn to roll over only by 3 months. For mothers, this option is very convenient, because they do not even have to go to the crib.
Universal pendulum
Bed witha universal pendulum can make two types of swings, but not simultaneously. When assembling the crib, you can install a longitudinal or transverse pendulum. If necessary, the swing direction can be changed by reassembling the crib.
This type of crib is good because in case of rearrangement they can be made more compact or, conversely, if space allows.
These cribs are functional: you can often remove the walls from them and lengthen the bed.
Criteria for choosing a pendulum
When choosing which pendulum is better - longitudinal or transverse, you should pay attention to the following aspects:
- Mom's location in relation to the crib during rocking;
- size of the room where the child's bed is located;
- baby's reaction to different swing directions.
It is more convenient to rock the crib in the direction away from you - towards you, rather than left-right. Therefore, if a place for mom is arranged on the side of the crib, then it is better to choose a transverse pendulum, and if at the head, then a longitudinal pendulum.
If there is plenty of room for a crib in the bedroom, then you can afford to install a crib with a longitudinal pendulum, and if the room is small, then a transverse pendulum is recommended.
As for the reaction of the baby: it can be recognized only if the pendulum is universal. It is necessary to observe how the baby falls asleep when swinging in each of the directions, and determine which is better for him - longitudinal or transverse. But this selection criterion is unreliable, because many different factors (for example, well-being) can influence a baby’s falling asleep.
Doctors' opinion aboutswing cribs
The main factor determining the choice of the pendulum is its effect on the he alth of the baby.
Doctors advise to abandon swings and pendulum beds altogether. They argue that the child should be able to fall asleep on his own, without any additional influence from the outside. Doctors recommend rocking a child only if necessary: babies have a very excitable nervous system, and sometimes it cannot slow down on its own.
But if you really choose which pendulum is better (longitudinal or transverse), then doctors recommend a longitudinal one. The vestibular apparatus in children is not yet developed, so it must be handled with care. With longitudinal rocking, the baby's head does not turn left and right, and, accordingly, there is no negative impact. In addition, if you swing from head to toe, intracranial pressure is normal.
Which pendulum is better - longitudinal or transverse
Determining the type of pendulum that will suit a child, you need to take into account all the above factors. And if the dimensions of the room are small, then parents are likely to choose a lateral swing pendulum. Yes, and the child can fall asleep under it faster and sleep better. But the he alth of the baby should be in the first place, so it is better to choose a crib with a longitudinal pendulum (and even if the size of the room does not allow, it is advisable to save space on some other piece of furniture). In addition, with longitudinal rocking, the child gets the feeling that his mother is rocking him, because it’s more familiar.
Assemblyswing cribs
Having decided which pendulum - transverse or longitudinal - is more suitable, you can start assembling the crib. Its main details include: the body, the supporting part of the mattress, the sides, the legs, the pendulum.
As for the preparatory work: you need to start collecting in the room where the crib will stand, so that you don’t transfer it later, don’t scratch it. When unpacking, small parts should be placed on a white cloth or paper so as not to be lost. After reviewing the instructions, you need to check the presence of all parts and parts of the fasteners. All parts should be inspected, including parts of the pendulum mechanism. If some are missing, there are notches, damage, you need to exchange them or return them to the store. After all, the safety of the baby depends on it.
Assembly begins with the study of diagrams, photographs, drawings in the instructions (if this is not in the instructions, you need to contact the store or look at the store/manufacturer's website).
You need to start collecting from the back wall: determine where the top and bottom are, put it with the inside up and screw the sides. They must be screwed on very tightly, because the safety of the child depends on this.
Then the bed is screwed on (the supporting part of the mattress, which is a wooden or plywood rectangle). Boards are placed on the grooves at the back of the crib. The screws are loosely screwed into the stock (slightly baited).
The front part is inserted into the slots on the side, the screws on the supporting part are tightened.
This design flips over to mount the pendulum.
Assembly of the swing pendulum
We start assembling the pendulum longitudinal swing mechanism from assembling its frame: the tightening beam of the base is screwed to the back of the pendulum base with euro screws, as in the diagram below.
After that, 4 support bars are screwed to the frame: 2 - to the left back of the base and 2 - to the right.
Then, the thrust bearings are nailed to the bottom of the frame.
So that the heads of the euro screws are not visible, decorative caps are installed on them.
Furniture screws are inserted into the holes on the pendulum arms, on which plastic bushings are then put on. The screws are screwed into the bushings-nuts, which are located on the support bars of the frame.
The assembled crib is placed on the floor above the pendulum support. Furniture screws are screwed into the nut bushings located in the legs of the backs of the crib.
If needed, 2 swingarm stops (left and right of crib) can be installed through the center of the arms.
Pendulum beds are practical, high quality and durable. They will become a cozy, safe place for the baby to grow and form, where he will learn to roll over, sit and stand up. Therefore, you need to choose, assemble and install them with special responsibility.
