How Much Weight Can A Crib Hold?
Many first time moms will think about their primary purchase needs for when their bundle of joy is due to arrive, and one of the most common first purchases is a crib.
Of course, this makes perfect sense – but then many moms don’t think about how much weight the crib will be able to take when their babies get older… and most importantly, bigger!
In fact, we get this question quite a lot. We’re not only parents, but we’ve had almost any crib you could possibly think of throughout our parenthood journey.
So how much weight can a crib hold? How much weight can a pack and play hold? Well, it depends on what the crib is made out of but typically it’s about 35 to 50 pounds.
As we said though, this depends on the crib structure and material, so there’s more you will need to know, check out our five things first time moms need to know about newborns.
Our guide has all the answers you may need, so join us and find out more below!
Weight Limits For Cribs
As we said, the actual figure for the crib’s weight limit will largely depend on what the crib is made out of, along with the manufacturer and a whole host of other things.
Typically, cribs can hold between 35 and 50 pounds of weight because their sole purpose is to accommodate children between the ages of 0 and 4, but of course there is no cemented rule on when you should move your baby from the crib.
Let’s take a look at some of the factors that could contribute and play a role in the weight limit to a baby’s crib. Wight requirement could be hire if you have a crib meant to transition to a toddler bed, read how to transition baby to crib for more information. .
The Structure Of The Crib
Observing the crib’s structure can actually give you a great idea as to how much weight the crib can take, make sure to include any crib decor, even if you are unsure.
When we observed our crib, we could immediately tell that the structure was not going to take much weight.
This is because a typical crib will be made with a headboard, baseboard, footboard and rails, along with the mattress – but they will not all be made of the same materials.
The mattress support will be the biggest indicator here. If the mattress support is made of plywood, then you can expect it not to be able to cope with heavier weights.
Plywood is not very strong, but even being so delicate it can be extremely useful for young babies due to its smooth finish.
However, if you notice the mattress support is made of a type of wood with wooden slats – then you can hazard a guess that the crib will accommodate heavier children, read here how much weight can a crib hold for more information. . These woods may be oak, birch or maple.
We actually tested all different materials and found that oak was by far the best, but of course this will be subjective based on your children.
Room For One More
Some cribs are designed to withstand heavier weights as they may be made in such a way to allow twins or the parent to lie in the crib with their baby for a while, if you have twins check out our best double crib for twins.
Note that most experts do not recommend twins sleeping in the same crib, nor for the parent to sleep alongside them – but it’s worth noting nonetheless, for other safety information we have an article on how much weight can a crib hold, for reference. .
Also bear in mind that if a parent does lie in the crib alongside their baby, then the structure of the crib will start to deteriorate over time and damage the supporting baseboard. If you are sharing a small room with your baby check out our article to see the best way to set up the space. .
Height Capacity
Believe it or not, some cribs have a height capacity – and the larger the figure is for the height capacity, then generally speaking, the larger the weight limit figure will be too.
These cribs are often made with growing babies in mind, to allow them to stay in the same crib for a few years while they grow taller and heavier. As a result, they need to have a larger weight capacity to cope.
A Convertible Crib?
Some cribs are made to be convertible and perhaps have multiple different uses, check out our how to convert a crib to a toddler bed article to be sure.. Not only this, some cribs can be adjusted to accommodate for your children as they grow older and larger.
As a result of this, the extra components and extra parts also mean extra weight to the crib – so the crib’s structure needs to be able to withstand just the extra weight of this alone.
The Manufacturer
And of course, one of the biggest factors in the weight capacity to your baby’s crib will be the manufacturer. As well as if it is a mini crib vs crib, learn the differences here.
Some manufacturers build their cribs to last and stand the test of time, so their weight limits may be much higher.
However, you may also find that some of the lesser known manufacturers can offer cheaper cribs, which may be as a result of using less materials or cheaper materials.
If this is the case, then it is unlikely that the crib will be able to take much weight.
We found that it was worth trialing a few different manufacturers because some of them we discovered had a lot more to offer in terms of their strength, despite being lesser known names.
How To Maximize The Crib’s Use
If you are looking to get the most amount of use out of your baby’s crib, then consider some of the following tips.
Buy Well Known, Reputable Brands
When you’re looking for a crib, look at the most reputable and well known brands. You can be sure that these have been tried and tested and you have some sort of protection against damage.
Check The Notes
Always ensure that you check the crib’s notes written by the manufacturer or by the seller.
These should tell you what the weight limit of the crib is and what ages are ideal for the crib to accommodate for.
Be Sensible
Try not to overload the crib unnecessarily. Avoid lying alongside your baby in the crib or allowing children that are too old or too heavy to be in the crib.
On the same note, it’s a good idea to keep pets away from the crib area as they can be too heavy and damage the overall structure of the crib. If you are at the stage where your baby is rolling over we also have a helpful article on how to keep your baby from rolling over in a crib, check it out.
Finally, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the cleanliness of the crib and ensure that it is not compromised when doing so. This should allow you opportunities to inspect the crib at regular times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes they should. Most of the manufacturers we looked at had the weight capacity listed in their notes, but we also found a few that claimed “strong” or “high”. You may need to ask specifically.
This will depend on your crib. The ones we tested would last a few years, but it depends on how you look after them and how they are used.
Final Thoughts
Cribs can generally hold weights of between 35 and 50 pounds but as we have shown above, there are lots of different factors that can play a role in maximizing or minimizing these figures.
Do you have a cat? We have some tips on how to keep a cat out of a crib to check out.
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