Buy New, Buy Safe

Your baby’s cot bed is one of the most important and exciting investments you’ll make for the nursery. This will most likely be your child’s sleeping space until they’re at least two or three years old, and with modern conversion technologies it could become their first single bed, or even a double bed.

It’s best to opt for furniture built from solid premium grade wood, ensuring durability and quality so you can be certain your new cot will withstand family life. With trusted, high quality brands, it’s common to assume buying secondhand is just as safe as buying a brand-new cot bed but there are some key points to bear in mind.

Who are you buying your cot bed from?

It’s a common gesture to pass on a cot bed to loved ones, they can become treasured family heirlooms and add a familiar, personal touch to your nursery. When receiving nursery furniture from family members, you know its history and you’re likely to receive all the necessary parts and paperwork.

Be cautious of buying your cot bed

from websites that specialise in selling secondhand goods, especially those that encourage consumer to consumer selling. When purchasing your baby’s bedroom furniture, you want to be sure your little one will be sleeping safely and, if you can’t be sure of the product’s history, you may end up feeling anxious or worried later down the line.

The replica or ‘fake’ market for products is unfortunately more prevalent on online market place sites so it’s harder to identify genuine reputable branded products.

The best expert advice on which nursery furniture is right for your family is available from specialist nursery specialist retailers where you can also be certain of a products authenticity.

Cot Bed Assembly

There’s always a feeling of accomplishment when you’ve put together the last pieces of your self-assembly furniture; you’ve built an essential part of your new baby’s nursery and it’s something to be proud of! When you or a professional have put your cot bed together, you can be sure everything has been pieced together correctly. Buying secondhand can remove this sense of certainty, it’s highly likely the previous owners assembled their cot bed correctly but can you be sure?

If buying a used cot bed, insist the seller provides the original assembly instructions so you can check the basic structure. You still can’t be sure the assembly process was correct but you’ll notice if any vital pieces are missing or put together wrongly.

Manufacturer’s Warranty

Quality nursery furniture will come with a manufacturer’s warranty as testimony to the longevity of the range. The period of this warranty varies between brands but is commonly between 2 and 5 years.

Without buying directly from the brand or specialist nursery retailer, your cot bed’s warranty probably won’t be valid. If a product is no longer under warranty it could be impossible to tell its age and an older cot bed could pose a safety risk with areas becoming worn and weak.

There are continuous and rapid improvements in both safety and ecological standards. You should consider that older cot beds may no longer meet the current advised  levels of safety.

Buying your baby’s nursery furniture can be overwhelming with so many products to choose from and lots of advice to take in. However, the most important factor to consider is the safety of your baby; a safe and comfortable baby means complete peace of mind for parents.