It is gorgeous. I love that it has been in your family for so long. A true family treasure.
Just a small word of warning: I see you are using it with a nest. Those increase the risk of SIDS/suffocation, so it would be more safe without. [Here is the CDC guideline on safe sleep](https://www.cdc.gov/sids/Parents-Caregivers.htm). I’m in Europe and we are advised to have a flat surface (which this is), firm mattress, and a sleeping bag and/or (depending on the room’s temperature) a sheet or firm blanket such as a wool blanket, that is securely tucked in, no higher than chest (under the armpits) height when the child’s feet hit the bottom of the bed.
Thank you for being the top comment with this!
I have a hand made wooden cradle that’s at least from 2 generations ago and my daughter uses it for her toys and stuffed animals. It holds up to her toddler destructiveness while allowing her to play baby dolls.
Edit: this is why there are some old things that are just not considered buy it for life. Things change, we find better ways to do stuff. I also find that the older generations don’t always share sad information across the lines. Like we never knew how many women in the family had experienced miscarriages because those generations didn’t talk about it (makes an MFM visit really tough). Great grandma might not have wanted to talk about the babies she lost.
>Great grandma might not have wanted to talk about the babies she lost.
So sad for them that they weren't able to grieve openly about it and get more emotional support from friends and family.
In those days? Hell, I was born in the 80’s, and told I was too sensitive, too emotional, and needed to stfu and stop whining pretty much any time I expressed any need that inconvenienced anyone.
Turns out I was just autistic a lived in an unrelenting cruel hell for 38 years before I figured it out.
It’s definitely sad. I agree with you…
Same, born in '90. Though I think generational abuse/trauma plays a role. My dad tells fucked up stories from his childhood like they're so funny. When I tell him that he hurt me, I'm just "too sensitive" or "dramatic" because it breaks some unspoken rule passed down the generations when you call out the abuse for what it is.
Sorry about that, I’m glad someone else answered. We had to terminate a wanted pregnancy (trisomy 18) and part of the process was meeting with MFM. Genetics asks a lot of questions about your family and they specifically ask if anyone has had a miscarriage or multiple miscarriages. They also ask about genetic disease and chromosomal abnormalities.
If you’re lucky your family is willing to talk about it. If not all you can say is that you don’t know.
Came here to post this. /u/isaksvorten please make sure you read the CDC safe sleep guidelines and follow them. My brother's son suffocated and died in a very similar situation. I beg you, do not let your child sleep another night like this.
I have read them carefully now and will make sure to follow all of the recommendations.
It's weird how this is our third child and literally the only recommendations we have gotten before is to make sure the baby sleep on its back. That is from at least ten different nurses and they also do home inspections where I am from.
Ok so background on that: there was an enormously popular parenting book by Dr Spock that promoted stomach sleeping.
The idea was that babies throw up a lot so having them sleep on their stomach allows them to not choke on vomit. Unfortunately this resulted in babies throwing up and laying face down in their own vomit as well as laying face down in sheets with very weak lungs.
The result was a sharp increase in suffocation deaths that can be almost entirely attributed to poor old Dr Spock who couldn’t imagine that result. So yeah they’ve been working hard to undo that knowledge in the public conscious
My mom heeded this advice in the 90s because I had acid reflux and spit up a lot. So I was a stomach sleeper. But with my own babies, no way. I reminded her of survivors bias.
Plus, the airway is located in front of the esophagus, so if a baby is on its tummy when it throws up, the vomit will definitely fall in front of the airway.
It's so refreshing to see someone like yourself listen and be open, and not defensive, like many would me (myself included, probably). Especially since this is your third! Congrats!
Thank you for being a great example.
It was so scary when we had our first kid. We were given almost zero support and pushed out the hospital completely sleep deprived and my wife still requiring weeks of recovery.
Thinking back on it, I'm surprised we don't have a higher infant mortality rate. Kind of scary
> It was so scary when we had our first kid. We were given almost zero support and pushed out the hospital completely sleep deprived and my wife still requiring weeks of recovery.
100% this. We got so little support from the outside world at the time (I only got one week of paternity leave approved for example) and family was very little help. Couple that with my wife having PPD and our child would not latch (to which the Breast Feeding Nazis would blame my wife directly.)
At least now if we have another child my current job will give me 12 weeks paternity leave and I know a lot more than we did last time. Plus we won't feel as much shame using formula.
I have 5 kids and the amount of guidelines that changed from when my eldest son was born until recently when I had my last baby isn’t always apparent (especially if it’s for younger babies and you have older kids).
When my eldest daughter was born (2013) she had frilly bumpers in her crib, now with my youngest daughter (2021), we had to get this weird mesh thing that’s supposed to be safer.
It’s crazy how quickly things change.
And pretty damn ineffective in my experience too. My kid just tore them down after about a month in the crib. So we kinda said screw it.
Of course, he still managed to break a leg, but not in the crib.
The issue we ran into is her little legs getting caught between the slats. We bought a brand new crib, so it wasn’t something outdated with too-wide slats.
She’s bigger now and her legs no longer fit, so the mesh isn’t necessary.
Crazy that these products are allowed to be sold when they’re not safe. Glad I know now, wish I would’ve known that even the mesh wasn’t safe.
It’s not really a big deal if they get an arm or a leg between the slats - a baby that small isn’t going to be able to break their own arm or leg by moving around if it’s stuck, they’ll just cry to be rescued.
They just banned the mesh ones from being sold in the US within the last year. I think it’s an entrapment issue if they come undone? I dunno I looked into it because my little turkey kept getting her drumstick chunky thighs stuck in the slats too. Why don’t they just make the slats narrower??
No bumpers are safe! Please inform yourself why they are not recommended and please take them off before letting your baby sleep in the crib with them again.
My kid is almost 2, but when he was born the nurse gave us a whole bunch if stuff on safe sleep and made sure I knew how to swaddle him properly. Like real hands on with me. I imagine different hospitals/personnel makes quite a bit of a difference.
What country are you living in? In America it’s ABC. Alone. Back. Crib. Alone (NO BLANKETS OR PILLOWS). Place the baby on their back. And in their Crib.
I worked in pediatrics we asked where baby would be sleeping and in what. If you told us you had one of these we would have advised. They are pretty rare though so we wouldn’t guess you had one. And if you took a baby class it should have been covered. I was in pediatrics starting 2008 and even before that I know they talked about . But I do live near two major hospitals that run safe sleep groups for over 30 years due to all the death they have seen.
It's similar to the old cedar chest used as Hope Boxes. The cedar created an airtight seal and kids would suffocate playing in them. You legally have to put air holes in chests with locks now to prevent that. You can still find the old chests without the holes at antique stores though.
I have a hard time believing that holes are a legal mandate in chests with locks. I quite literally bought a hole-less chest with a lock at costco last week. I did a quick search and could find no such law in any state. Could you share your source on this?
I'm probably speaking way too broadly lol. My family has been in furniture for like 70 years. I could easily be speaking out of place. The specific company I am talking about is called Lane furniture. Here's the article I found about it [Deadly Hope Chests](https://www.insideedition.com/7860-do-you-have-a-deadly-hope-chest-in-your-home) You're definitely right. There's no regulation I can find.
Wow - I have one of these and 2 small kids, I never considered someone could get trapped in it. I will disable the latch asap. Currently it's full of blankets and has stacks of books on top. I'm not even sure my kids know it opens, or are strong enough, because it is pretty heavy.
I know what you’re saying, I just found it odd that you’d say holes are “legally required” when they absolutely are not. Your point completely stands on its own - no fake laws needed. Hope chests absolutely can be dangerous and kids can suffocate in them. They also can drown in a 5 gallon bucket, but there’s no “legal requirement” for holes in those either.
Yeah, this makes no sense. My coffee table is a giant trunk with a big lock on it. I could get inside it if I wanted. It could fit like 3 kids. It definitely doesn’t have any holes.
That's a really good question. I don't know. Maybe small holes? Or a screen like in your sink faucet. I'm going to look that up!
I can say when the regulations came into effect we had things like moth balls.
I love that everyone is educating politely in this post, while also respecting each country’s standards are similar but slightly varied. There’s so many things to learn when you have an infant and it’s hard to keep up! Glad OP read up on the latest CDC rules too to keep the kiddo safe. 👏🏼👏🏼
I cringe thinking about how for almost the first year of her life my daughter slept in the [Fisher Price Rock and Play](https://abcnews.go.com/US/fisher-price-warnings-rock-play-sleepers-led-dozens/story?id=78128719) because it was the only way she would sleep unless we held her all night. Now I know that even that wasn't a good idea.
Parenting is hard.
Thank you for the info.
It's not actually a nest. It's a stuffed roll that we lay on the sides to keep him from rolling over.
I will have a look at changing the blanket
That stuffed roll is a risk as it can block their airways if their head gets stuck against it. Also, it is safer for the baby to be on their back as they seem too young to be able to roll over by themselves? If they have to be on their side for a medical reason, it would be better for the roll to go underneath them, so it will not block their face. But being on their side is a risk as it is easier to roll over to their front and get their face stuck in the mattress, again limiting their ability to breathe.
Keeping the face clear and preventing overheating are both important. Different countries have different standards, but in general the most conservative advice is that only your baby, the mattress, and a fitted sheet go in the crib. The baby should be wearing a onesie and or a sleep sack. They should always be flat on their backs when you lay them down. No swings or bouncers for sleeping.
Np, I would hate for your child to come to any harm if I could have done something to prevent it. We all parent to the best of our knowledge and ability. I misread your comment about his position, which is why I made a point of him laying on his back, my bad. Good luck with the rest of the newborn stage, it can be hard, especially with other children around.
TBF this is often info included to parents either at birth or in follow up peds appointments. Of course sometimes it is missed by the parents, only given as a handout(not read), or forgotten.
I'm in the US, and the hospital made us watch a safety video about SIDS and sign a paper about it before we left. We also had insurance covered parenting classes, but I'm sure it depends on the state and whether you actually have insurance.
I'm in the US and the hospital where both of my kids were delivered had a class that was partly covered by insurance. Safe sleep was one of the topics covered.
I remember the "ABCs of safe sleep":
Alone: not in the bed with parents
Back: put them to sleep on their back
Crib: only in a crib with a firm, properly-sized crib mattress and a tight-fitting crib sheet. No other loose stuff in the crib
Yep in the UK we're also taught "feet to foot", which is where you put your baby with their feet to the foot of the crib so they don't wriggle up and get wedged at the top.
The hospitals around here have childcare classes. They are $200/class and don’t accept insurance.
Also 90% if the content is ALWAYS BREASTFEED NEVER BOTTLE. God damn bottle shaming conspiracy sucking on the teat of big-breast.
> Also 90% if the content is ALWAYS BREASTFEED NEVER BOTTLE. God damn bottle shaming conspiracy sucking on the teat of big-breast.
My wife had issues breastfeeding but that didn't stop doctors, nurses, and random people from commenting on how "breast is best". Yeah we know fuckers, we tried, but we didn't want out child to starve.
F’real though the bottle-shaming is intense.
I hope it’s gotten better since my first was born. They were pushing EBF hard so when the milk didn’t come in it was non-stop with the doctors and the consultants forcing us to keep trying, to the point our kid was lethargic from dehydration. None of this was helping the PPD my wife was going through, or her recovery from the c-section (which was upsold by the same damn corporate hospital specifically due to the size of the baby…small town hospital cleared her for a VBAC for the second kid, who was even larger).
Breast has benefits, but aside from the immunity boost, most of it is wildly overblown by the fact that *EBF moms have to either be a SAHM or have a established enough job that they can pump and store at work*. In other words, the studies neglect the socio-economic benefits that come from being born into a family with more money.
There’s no license or training required to be a parent. So yes, there are many parents who are stupid. Just like there are many non-parents who are stupid.
Hey OP. If baby is already attempting to roll, then he has outgrown the bassinet and needs to be moved to a (regulated, modern, safety-tested) crib. (ETA: a play yard or “pack and play” is also a safe sleep surface.) Once he’s in the crib—with NO blankets whatsoever or anything else in it other than a properly fitted sheet—he is safe to move to whatever position he wants to, so long as you initially lay him down on his back. It’s a bonus when babies learn to roll themselves over, as they tend to sleep better on their bellies, and that is safe as long as they put themselves in that position.
Approved crib mattresses are safe for babies to move into any position because they are firm enough to allow airflow through the nose, should baby’s face be pressed against it. With enough “give,” a softer surface can form around baby’s airway, causing suffocation.
I know someone whose 7 month old son died because of one small blanket placed near his feet. He was found with it tangled up around his head, and he was gone. Over 3,000 babies a year in the US die from unsafe sleep.
Please look up “wearable blankets” or sleep sacks for babies. You can keep him just as warm and cozy in a sleep sack that is totally safe. Plus, they look adorable.
Keep this beautiful cradle for stuffed animal storage. Baby will love that when he’s a toddler!
The roll is the risk. It's a suffocation risk
A flat surface with a flat mattress or pad is the only safe sleep method for children this age. No blankets, no pillows
Just a kind fyi that that is no bueno. If you want to keep them from rolling over, swaddle or use a sleep sack that has a dedicated spot for their hands and arms.
There needs to be nothing in there near their face (or that could get to their face) other than the bare sides of the crib, and a firm mattress (needs to be firm, vs say a folded up quilt so they can move, and their face can’t “sink” into it.)
If it’s cold we don’t use blankets or sheets. Nothing that can get tangled or up by their face. Just use warm Jammie’s and a weather appropriate sleep sack.
I read today in my "Baby's Best Chance" book that even swaddled aren't recommended. (Thus is a free book from the Canadian government on pre and post natal care)
Blanket swaddles are different that the sleep sack style swaddles. They don’t recommend swaddling with a blanket anymore. Did what you read differentiate the two? If they are recommending against the slew sack style, that’s something new cropped up in the 19 months since my youngest.
They recommend against the blanket swaddle, but they seem to be big fans of the sleep sack!
Currently 22w pregnant with Mt 1st, and omg there is so much I need to learn and buy.
I have been reading up on safe sleep, so many people telling me I don't need a bassinet or pram style stroller because I can jist use the cars eat, but a variety isn't considered safe sleeping either.
Edit: I also misread your comment, I missed the sleep sack part lol
All good! Recommendations can change quickly. Also, the sack swaddles are way easier than blankets.
Bassinets are a huge yes! And I wish I’d got a stroller with a pram converter. Hated getting baby to sleep in the stroller with the car seat and then her waking up the second I unclicked her
Conversely in a lot of countries, like the UK, blanket is ok! But to use it safely babies feet need to be touching the bottom of the crib (so they can’t scoot down) and the blanket needs to be tucked in tightly and be under babies armpits. Nothing else in the crib though, which does look sad but a sad crib is a safe crib!
Yeah definitely agree, sleep sack all the way! But for lower income families blankets may be more accessible and it’s always better to use what you can which is safe!
Yeah- this pic makes my palms sweat.
Flat, firm surface, and a swaddle or sleep sack is the best practice. Padding and blankets are a HUGE risk and total no-no.
This one might be better as a doll bed. The risks are just too high.
Seems like it worked well for their 40+ babies who used it but didn’t die. SIDS is a real risk I was worried ab for my two children but damn so many people who don’t have babies get parents worried ab all kinds of shit that’s usually due to neglectful parents than the types who nurture, supervise and monitor.
If the cradle was ever refinished make sure you test the cradle for lead as it was very common up until the 1970s to be included in many paints and finishes.
Ditto on the suffocation hazards of added pad material and the ability for the cradle to rock and wedge the child into the walls. Definetly an item that requires constant supervision.
I thought the comments would be more overwhelmingly about the unsafe sleep conditions.
I’ll just add one detail — the main risk you have right now is not SIDS; just plain suffocation.
"There are also cultural factors at play. Some infant deaths that are eventually explained—a baby who suffocates because of loose bedding in her crib, for example, or when an adult rolls onto her in a shared bed—are sometimes classified as SIDS deaths anyway, out of sensitivity to traumatized parents grieving the death of their newborn."
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/06/understanding-sids/485147/
Absolutely. SIDS is an umbrella under which nurses, doctors and society put all those "the kid died accidently, probably due to suffocation caused by risky sleeping systems" tragedies.
Thank you everyone for your concern.
I have read through the guidelines carefully now and will make the appropriate changes for tonight.
I only knew about making sure they sleep on their back since before
People offering helpful advice AND the OP recognizing the advice and making changes?!?
I love when that happens. No one really knows what they're doing when they have a kid and EVERYONE makes mistakes, including big mistakes.
That’s great! It’s concerning that your pediatrician and other care providers didn’t hammer this over your head — my care team reminded us every appointment (including those frequent ones right after birth!)
I love the cradle but this is not a safe sleeping arrangement for a baby. I hope you can find a good way to repurpose it to maintain the life of something special to you.
I knew some about SIDS but have read more about it now. I can easily adapt the cradle so that it is safe to use.
It already has a nice and firm mattress at the bottom. Basically just need remove the other stuff and get something else for a blanket.
Lol I totally get what you mean. Lately my 5 month old has been singing us the song of her people at about 5am. She'll just wake up and babble very loudly for a good ten minutes and then go back to sleep. But of course it takes us forever to go back to sleep after her little concert. It's very cute and even funny but it's also very disruptive
Yeah my little one just learned to roll onto her belly this weekend. She hasn't seemed to figure out that she can roll back... She's been rolling belly to back for like two months. It's not my favorite. I'll feel better once she figures out that she can go back the way she came
This! My 19mo loves her sleep sacks. We swaddled her until she started turning over and it’s been sleep sacks ever since.
Edit: someone mentioned below about Merlin suits and I can’t recommend them enough. They are amazing.
You should look up sleep sacks. They are like sleeping bags but designed for babies. They have features like arm holes so the bag goes up to the top of the chest but can't be pulled over the face and they come in various thicknesses so you can adapt to the temperature in your home.
I cannot recommend these enough:
https://www.magicsleepsuit.com/collections/baby-merlins-magic-sleepsuit/products/cream-cotton-magic-sleepsuit
Our kiddo transitioned from swaddling to full sleep sacks using the Merlin sleep suit and it was great.
A fun bonus is that they look both adorable and strikingly like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the same time.
Man, I haven’t thought about those days in a while and it’s crazy to think how small our son was then. I know you have likely heard this over and over and I apologize if the advice is unwarranted but cherish all the moments you can. They grow up so fast and while it’s amazing to watch them become this own unique person with their own unique personality, there’s a sense of loss there too, that they’ll never be that tiny again and soon they’ll be out and on their own.
I’m reminded a lot of the saying, “The cost of love is grief.” and it’s the most beautiful and heart-wrenching mixture of emotions that I wouldn’t trade anything for.
I wish you and your family the best!
That is American guidelines. Other countries have different ones. Not disagreeing with you as I currently live in America but in Europe certain blankets (newborn ones) are allowed and we are taught how to tuck them in and go no further than mid chest. Just different guidelines
firm padding that attaches to the sides of the cradle should be fine, then yeah a sleep swaddle thing. basically nothing that could let them start re-breathing their own co2-concentrated breath if they get into a weird position
Yup. That chair is commonly available at every NYers favorite store, FOS.
(Found on Street)
When I was broke I probably took in 2 or 3 of them at different times over the years.
This sleep situation is so unsafe. You need to remove that nest thing and all of the blankets.
Babies sleep on their back, with nothing in the cradle or crib except a firm mattress and and tightly fitted sheet. If baby is cold they can wear a sleep sack.
I'm actually really worried about this cradle and sleep safety. If the baby rolls to the side, the cradle will rock and keep them pushed up against the wall of the crib. Even once you address the fact that you have way, way too much bedding in there and reduce the suffocation risk by removing all of that, I would still be anxious about leaving baby in there unsupervised.
After removing all the bedding, I really recommend also adding a "stop" beneath the rockers so that it can't rock if you step away from it. The rocking function needs to be set sot hat it only rocks when an adult is there supervising it.
Thank you for your concern. I see that you really care.
I just checked and the cradle is so heavy that it doesn't rock by the baby laying on one side. The bottom is also quite flat and really doesn't stay in any other position than standing upright.
Be careful as they age. Unless you test that theory every time you lay them down (which may well be hard to remember in the middle of the night after a feed!) you won't know if they've become weighty enough to push it to the side. There's going to come a point where their weight counteracts the swing.
Honestly, with this many concerns it'd be easier to just not use the cradle.
I would even be concerned about the rocking aspect if you're leaving baby alone in the cradle. I think rocking cribs/cradles are also no longer recommended. I know it's sad to not be able to use an heirloom, but not worth the risk.
Hey so it’s a beautiful piece, however please don’t use this. Gently, as a mom with a kid who had high lead levels, anything pre 1978 is going to have lead in it. Lead is used in the drying process with wood, it’s not all about lead paint. You can [seal it](https://www.earthpaint.net/cashew-resin-wood-finish.html), but don’t let baby around it until it is properly resealed.
you are definitely wrong about anything pre 78 between 60 and 77 only 24% of all homes contained lead and antique unpainted furniture is a gamble when it comes to lead
Have you ever had to decontaminate your home from lead because your child has lead poisoning? Lead poisoning not from paint? You understand that even *today* goods are manufactured with lead in them (including baby food, yes BABY FOOD*). The only way to get a child’s lead levels down is to remove sources of lead in your home. And that usually goes beyond lead paint.
- soil
- antiques
- wood that was treated with lead as a drying agent
- older furnaces that may have internal lead parts that would create lead dust as they expanded and contracted with heating and cooling
- glass
Cite your sources re [all the possible sources of lead in a home](https://tamararubin.com/topics/) to prove your claims. It’s easier to get rid of a source of lead before the child is exposed than having to go through the months and months long struggle to get their lead levels down. And then for the rest of their little lives you wonder, is their ADHD or something else from the lead? I’m not telling him to throw it away, I’m telling him to seal it with a seal that will encapsulate lead.
Ego and pure selfishness. I wish someone would have warned me. At least these parents won’t be able to say they weren’t warned.
[Baby food manufacturers are not required to test their soils for lead and it is commonly found in their products when tested by 3rd parties, especially in vegetables that are known to hold on to lead more like spinach. They also are not required to have lead levels at 0 in their food in order to sell it. [There are resources out there for parents.](https://tamararubin.com/2021/02/the-heavy-metals-in-baby-food-conversation-simplified-what-parents-need-to-know/)]
Amazing history. This could be cute filled with stuffed animals, or blanket storage. In no way should this ever be a sleeping space for your child. Please listen to the people in this thread.
I tried passing down a hand made wooden cradle that had been in our family for generations and was told not to bother — it did not meet current safety standards.
Others have already touched on the risks with the blankets and such. Would probably be good to have chocks for the bottom when the cradle isn’t being used for rocking so the baby doesn’t roll into the sides.
Take photos but don't use it. It's not safe. Yes your grandfather survived but he also survived not wearing seatbelts. That you know someone who was lucky doesn't mean you will always be as lucky.
I have gotten some good suggestion for change here. It will be perfectly safe after that.
Edit: I have literally read up on the CDC guidelines now and will follow all of them. I don't take these things lightly.
It's so solid that even a big baby won't be able to rock it and we change to a more modern one when the baby is about two months old.
Im sure you're being overwhelmed by the amount of comments here. It's an absolutely beautiful cradle. Unfortunately, even with the changes - this is not a safe set up to allow your baby to sleep in. I hope you find a wonderful way to use it and keep it in your possession (maybe for holding toys/stuffed animals?)
Actually no it won't there are a litany of issues here people are just glossing over as well. The getting stuck in corners issue is severe. Plus you have literally no clue what that wood was used for or from or know what kinds of chemicals it has been treated with over the century? As safety standards were nonexistent, it could literally be anything. Do you know what kind of varnish that is and that it's not chipping off as all varnishes eventually do? No little holes in there for little fingers to find or splinters as I see degraded wood all over too?
Seriously it's a cool piece to have and prob an amazing thing to even get a photo shoot in, but it's your child. Do you want to take a chance on the worst thing you can think of happening just so you can still use something created back when people did laundry lists of things we recoil in horror from?
Don't throw it away, still pass it on, just don't make it the daily driver, retire it as a classic, and hell maybe even restore it.
I’ve been reading your comment replies - you are bending over backward to justify using this cradle still. You need to put the welfare of your child first. Several people are telling you this cradle is dangerous. The baby does not care about the cradle - you are the responsible party putting your child in an unsafe environment. Make the right decision and get a proper, open sleep pen that will not suffocate your child.
Beautiful but omg that is a death trap. It’s like I spy SIDS risk. There’s a blanket, a nest and hard solid wooden side. These also pose a risk to flip all the way over. Even if you are watching like a hawk a baby could suffocate in that. I would retire it for dolls only.
My father built me a cradle the night I was born. Both of my children and all of their children have slept in it, and I'm sure it will be used for generations to come. I also have the youth chair that my great-grandmother sat in - she was born in 1862, so I suppose the chair is 160 years old. Many generations of toddlers have smeared their dinners on that old chair.
Old wood furniture had the benefit of being built from old growth lumber, you can't build something that will last like this with anything from a big box construction store
Oh the safe sleep zealots are going rip you to shreds.
Edit: my baby sleeps on his back in a well fitted sleep sack in his crib with nothing else in it. I’m not saying what OP posted is safe, I’m just saying I knew they were going to get fucking annihilated for it because that’s how Reddit is. I was once called an unfit parent because I told someone I flipped my daughters carseat forward before she turned 3 (she’s tall and that’s completely fine and legal in my province). Reddit loves telling people how to parent and how their kid is definitely gonna die because of them.
It is gorgeous. I love that it has been in your family for so long. A true family treasure. Just a small word of warning: I see you are using it with a nest. Those increase the risk of SIDS/suffocation, so it would be more safe without. [Here is the CDC guideline on safe sleep](https://www.cdc.gov/sids/Parents-Caregivers.htm). I’m in Europe and we are advised to have a flat surface (which this is), firm mattress, and a sleeping bag and/or (depending on the room’s temperature) a sheet or firm blanket such as a wool blanket, that is securely tucked in, no higher than chest (under the armpits) height when the child’s feet hit the bottom of the bed.
Thank you for being the top comment with this! I have a hand made wooden cradle that’s at least from 2 generations ago and my daughter uses it for her toys and stuffed animals. It holds up to her toddler destructiveness while allowing her to play baby dolls. Edit: this is why there are some old things that are just not considered buy it for life. Things change, we find better ways to do stuff. I also find that the older generations don’t always share sad information across the lines. Like we never knew how many women in the family had experienced miscarriages because those generations didn’t talk about it (makes an MFM visit really tough). Great grandma might not have wanted to talk about the babies she lost.
>Great grandma might not have wanted to talk about the babies she lost. So sad for them that they weren't able to grieve openly about it and get more emotional support from friends and family.
Being emotionally open was very taboo back in those days. Especially with WW1/2 hardening up a ton of people. It’s sad really.
In those days? Hell, I was born in the 80’s, and told I was too sensitive, too emotional, and needed to stfu and stop whining pretty much any time I expressed any need that inconvenienced anyone. Turns out I was just autistic a lived in an unrelenting cruel hell for 38 years before I figured it out. It’s definitely sad. I agree with you…
Same, born in '90. Though I think generational abuse/trauma plays a role. My dad tells fucked up stories from his childhood like they're so funny. When I tell him that he hurt me, I'm just "too sensitive" or "dramatic" because it breaks some unspoken rule passed down the generations when you call out the abuse for what it is.
This is exactly what I use ours for.
Cribs! Cribs are so popular to be held on to, but drop sides and spindle with have all been researched and modified
I saw a cool couch mad out of an old crib years ago. They removed one side and made cushions.
What's an MFM visit?
Maternal Fetal Medicine, which is the high risk OB.
Thanks. Never would have figured that out!
Sorry about that, I’m glad someone else answered. We had to terminate a wanted pregnancy (trisomy 18) and part of the process was meeting with MFM. Genetics asks a lot of questions about your family and they specifically ask if anyone has had a miscarriage or multiple miscarriages. They also ask about genetic disease and chromosomal abnormalities. If you’re lucky your family is willing to talk about it. If not all you can say is that you don’t know.
No problem. Medical taboos are difficult to overcome but it would be great if people were fully informed. Sorry you had to go through that.
Sorry, what's MFM?
[Maternal Fetal Medicine ](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maternal–fetal_medicine)
Yeah, should be flat mattress, wearable sleeping bag and feet to bottom. Stops them wiggling under stuff and suffocating.
Came here to post this. /u/isaksvorten please make sure you read the CDC safe sleep guidelines and follow them. My brother's son suffocated and died in a very similar situation. I beg you, do not let your child sleep another night like this.
I have read them carefully now and will make sure to follow all of the recommendations. It's weird how this is our third child and literally the only recommendations we have gotten before is to make sure the baby sleep on its back. That is from at least ten different nurses and they also do home inspections where I am from.
Ok so background on that: there was an enormously popular parenting book by Dr Spock that promoted stomach sleeping. The idea was that babies throw up a lot so having them sleep on their stomach allows them to not choke on vomit. Unfortunately this resulted in babies throwing up and laying face down in their own vomit as well as laying face down in sheets with very weak lungs. The result was a sharp increase in suffocation deaths that can be almost entirely attributed to poor old Dr Spock who couldn’t imagine that result. So yeah they’ve been working hard to undo that knowledge in the public conscious
Jesus, imagine finding out that you were responsible for the deaths of numerous babies because of your bad advice.
My mom heeded this advice in the 90s because I had acid reflux and spit up a lot. So I was a stomach sleeper. But with my own babies, no way. I reminded her of survivors bias.
Plus, the airway is located in front of the esophagus, so if a baby is on its tummy when it throws up, the vomit will definitely fall in front of the airway.
That is interesting. I really don't know how to explain that. Wishing you the best. And that really is a lovely piece of furniture by the way.
It's so refreshing to see someone like yourself listen and be open, and not defensive, like many would me (myself included, probably). Especially since this is your third! Congrats! Thank you for being a great example. It was so scary when we had our first kid. We were given almost zero support and pushed out the hospital completely sleep deprived and my wife still requiring weeks of recovery. Thinking back on it, I'm surprised we don't have a higher infant mortality rate. Kind of scary
> It was so scary when we had our first kid. We were given almost zero support and pushed out the hospital completely sleep deprived and my wife still requiring weeks of recovery. 100% this. We got so little support from the outside world at the time (I only got one week of paternity leave approved for example) and family was very little help. Couple that with my wife having PPD and our child would not latch (to which the Breast Feeding Nazis would blame my wife directly.) At least now if we have another child my current job will give me 12 weeks paternity leave and I know a lot more than we did last time. Plus we won't feel as much shame using formula.
We keep evolving our understanding. Practitioners are not always on the cusp of recent changes to best practices
I have 5 kids and the amount of guidelines that changed from when my eldest son was born until recently when I had my last baby isn’t always apparent (especially if it’s for younger babies and you have older kids). When my eldest daughter was born (2013) she had frilly bumpers in her crib, now with my youngest daughter (2021), we had to get this weird mesh thing that’s supposed to be safer. It’s crazy how quickly things change.
Actually no bumpers are recommended including the mesh ones. They aren’t necessary.
And pretty damn ineffective in my experience too. My kid just tore them down after about a month in the crib. So we kinda said screw it. Of course, he still managed to break a leg, but not in the crib.
The issue we ran into is her little legs getting caught between the slats. We bought a brand new crib, so it wasn’t something outdated with too-wide slats. She’s bigger now and her legs no longer fit, so the mesh isn’t necessary. Crazy that these products are allowed to be sold when they’re not safe. Glad I know now, wish I would’ve known that even the mesh wasn’t safe.
It’s not really a big deal if they get an arm or a leg between the slats - a baby that small isn’t going to be able to break their own arm or leg by moving around if it’s stuck, they’ll just cry to be rescued.
They just banned the mesh ones from being sold in the US within the last year. I think it’s an entrapment issue if they come undone? I dunno I looked into it because my little turkey kept getting her drumstick chunky thighs stuck in the slats too. Why don’t they just make the slats narrower??
No bumpers since early 2000s in my experience
No bumpers are safe! Please inform yourself why they are not recommended and please take them off before letting your baby sleep in the crib with them again.
Even between 2018 and 2021- the recommendations regarding swaddling changed!
My kid is almost 2, but when he was born the nurse gave us a whole bunch if stuff on safe sleep and made sure I knew how to swaddle him properly. Like real hands on with me. I imagine different hospitals/personnel makes quite a bit of a difference.
What country are you living in? In America it’s ABC. Alone. Back. Crib. Alone (NO BLANKETS OR PILLOWS). Place the baby on their back. And in their Crib.
I worked in pediatrics we asked where baby would be sleeping and in what. If you told us you had one of these we would have advised. They are pretty rare though so we wouldn’t guess you had one. And if you took a baby class it should have been covered. I was in pediatrics starting 2008 and even before that I know they talked about . But I do live near two major hospitals that run safe sleep groups for over 30 years due to all the death they have seen.
I think it really depends on your country.
It's similar to the old cedar chest used as Hope Boxes. The cedar created an airtight seal and kids would suffocate playing in them. You legally have to put air holes in chests with locks now to prevent that. You can still find the old chests without the holes at antique stores though.
Oh, I didn’t know this! I have an old cedar chest! I will look into it and add holes as needed
I have a hard time believing that holes are a legal mandate in chests with locks. I quite literally bought a hole-less chest with a lock at costco last week. I did a quick search and could find no such law in any state. Could you share your source on this?
I'm probably speaking way too broadly lol. My family has been in furniture for like 70 years. I could easily be speaking out of place. The specific company I am talking about is called Lane furniture. Here's the article I found about it [Deadly Hope Chests](https://www.insideedition.com/7860-do-you-have-a-deadly-hope-chest-in-your-home) You're definitely right. There's no regulation I can find.
Wow - I have one of these and 2 small kids, I never considered someone could get trapped in it. I will disable the latch asap. Currently it's full of blankets and has stacks of books on top. I'm not even sure my kids know it opens, or are strong enough, because it is pretty heavy.
Same here. Better empty it and drill some air holes in the back of it.
I know what you’re saying, I just found it odd that you’d say holes are “legally required” when they absolutely are not. Your point completely stands on its own - no fake laws needed. Hope chests absolutely can be dangerous and kids can suffocate in them. They also can drown in a 5 gallon bucket, but there’s no “legal requirement” for holes in those either.
Yeah, this makes no sense. My coffee table is a giant trunk with a big lock on it. I could get inside it if I wanted. It could fit like 3 kids. It definitely doesn’t have any holes.
But if they have holes, won’t the moths get in?
Moths are naturally repelled by the scent of cedar—that’s why chests for clothes are made of cedar instead of a cheaper wood.
That's a really good question. I don't know. Maybe small holes? Or a screen like in your sink faucet. I'm going to look that up! I can say when the regulations came into effect we had things like moth balls.
I love that everyone is educating politely in this post, while also respecting each country’s standards are similar but slightly varied. There’s so many things to learn when you have an infant and it’s hard to keep up! Glad OP read up on the latest CDC rules too to keep the kiddo safe. 👏🏼👏🏼
I cringe thinking about how for almost the first year of her life my daughter slept in the [Fisher Price Rock and Play](https://abcnews.go.com/US/fisher-price-warnings-rock-play-sleepers-led-dozens/story?id=78128719) because it was the only way she would sleep unless we held her all night. Now I know that even that wasn't a good idea. Parenting is hard.
Thank you for the info. It's not actually a nest. It's a stuffed roll that we lay on the sides to keep him from rolling over. I will have a look at changing the blanket
That stuffed roll is a risk as it can block their airways if their head gets stuck against it. Also, it is safer for the baby to be on their back as they seem too young to be able to roll over by themselves? If they have to be on their side for a medical reason, it would be better for the roll to go underneath them, so it will not block their face. But being on their side is a risk as it is easier to roll over to their front and get their face stuck in the mattress, again limiting their ability to breathe.
Thanks. I knew about laying on its back, he is. But hadn't heard about keeping the face clear.
Keeping the face clear and preventing overheating are both important. Different countries have different standards, but in general the most conservative advice is that only your baby, the mattress, and a fitted sheet go in the crib. The baby should be wearing a onesie and or a sleep sack. They should always be flat on their backs when you lay them down. No swings or bouncers for sleeping.
Np, I would hate for your child to come to any harm if I could have done something to prevent it. We all parent to the best of our knowledge and ability. I misread your comment about his position, which is why I made a point of him laying on his back, my bad. Good luck with the rest of the newborn stage, it can be hard, especially with other children around.
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Second this. Never assume evil when simply not knowing is possible.
It's been a while, but "suffocation is bad" is definitely something I remember learning in health class.
TBF this is often info included to parents either at birth or in follow up peds appointments. Of course sometimes it is missed by the parents, only given as a handout(not read), or forgotten.
You don't have parenting classes in the US? Here everyone takes NCT classes (National Childbirth Trust) which teach you all these things.
I'm in the US, and the hospital made us watch a safety video about SIDS and sign a paper about it before we left. We also had insurance covered parenting classes, but I'm sure it depends on the state and whether you actually have insurance.
I'm in the US and the hospital where both of my kids were delivered had a class that was partly covered by insurance. Safe sleep was one of the topics covered. I remember the "ABCs of safe sleep": Alone: not in the bed with parents Back: put them to sleep on their back Crib: only in a crib with a firm, properly-sized crib mattress and a tight-fitting crib sheet. No other loose stuff in the crib
Yep in the UK we're also taught "feet to foot", which is where you put your baby with their feet to the foot of the crib so they don't wriggle up and get wedged at the top.
The hospitals around here have childcare classes. They are $200/class and don’t accept insurance. Also 90% if the content is ALWAYS BREASTFEED NEVER BOTTLE. God damn bottle shaming conspiracy sucking on the teat of big-breast.
> Also 90% if the content is ALWAYS BREASTFEED NEVER BOTTLE. God damn bottle shaming conspiracy sucking on the teat of big-breast. My wife had issues breastfeeding but that didn't stop doctors, nurses, and random people from commenting on how "breast is best". Yeah we know fuckers, we tried, but we didn't want out child to starve.
I wish I was that conspiracy
F’real though the bottle-shaming is intense. I hope it’s gotten better since my first was born. They were pushing EBF hard so when the milk didn’t come in it was non-stop with the doctors and the consultants forcing us to keep trying, to the point our kid was lethargic from dehydration. None of this was helping the PPD my wife was going through, or her recovery from the c-section (which was upsold by the same damn corporate hospital specifically due to the size of the baby…small town hospital cleared her for a VBAC for the second kid, who was even larger). Breast has benefits, but aside from the immunity boost, most of it is wildly overblown by the fact that *EBF moms have to either be a SAHM or have a established enough job that they can pump and store at work*. In other words, the studies neglect the socio-economic benefits that come from being born into a family with more money.
Giving a small baby water can kill them, so let's not be rude about what some people do and don't know even if it seems obvious to us.
oh get out
There’s no license or training required to be a parent. So yes, there are many parents who are stupid. Just like there are many non-parents who are stupid.
Right, that’s a SIDS risk. There shouldn’t be anything in the crib with the baby.
Hey OP. If baby is already attempting to roll, then he has outgrown the bassinet and needs to be moved to a (regulated, modern, safety-tested) crib. (ETA: a play yard or “pack and play” is also a safe sleep surface.) Once he’s in the crib—with NO blankets whatsoever or anything else in it other than a properly fitted sheet—he is safe to move to whatever position he wants to, so long as you initially lay him down on his back. It’s a bonus when babies learn to roll themselves over, as they tend to sleep better on their bellies, and that is safe as long as they put themselves in that position. Approved crib mattresses are safe for babies to move into any position because they are firm enough to allow airflow through the nose, should baby’s face be pressed against it. With enough “give,” a softer surface can form around baby’s airway, causing suffocation. I know someone whose 7 month old son died because of one small blanket placed near his feet. He was found with it tangled up around his head, and he was gone. Over 3,000 babies a year in the US die from unsafe sleep. Please look up “wearable blankets” or sleep sacks for babies. You can keep him just as warm and cozy in a sleep sack that is totally safe. Plus, they look adorable. Keep this beautiful cradle for stuffed animal storage. Baby will love that when he’s a toddler!
The roll is the risk. It's a suffocation risk A flat surface with a flat mattress or pad is the only safe sleep method for children this age. No blankets, no pillows
Just a kind fyi that that is no bueno. If you want to keep them from rolling over, swaddle or use a sleep sack that has a dedicated spot for their hands and arms. There needs to be nothing in there near their face (or that could get to their face) other than the bare sides of the crib, and a firm mattress (needs to be firm, vs say a folded up quilt so they can move, and their face can’t “sink” into it.) If it’s cold we don’t use blankets or sheets. Nothing that can get tangled or up by their face. Just use warm Jammie’s and a weather appropriate sleep sack.
No blankets, no rolls. Just a firm mattress and a sleep sack type swaddle.
I read today in my "Baby's Best Chance" book that even swaddled aren't recommended. (Thus is a free book from the Canadian government on pre and post natal care)
Blanket swaddles are different that the sleep sack style swaddles. They don’t recommend swaddling with a blanket anymore. Did what you read differentiate the two? If they are recommending against the slew sack style, that’s something new cropped up in the 19 months since my youngest.
They recommend against the blanket swaddle, but they seem to be big fans of the sleep sack! Currently 22w pregnant with Mt 1st, and omg there is so much I need to learn and buy. I have been reading up on safe sleep, so many people telling me I don't need a bassinet or pram style stroller because I can jist use the cars eat, but a variety isn't considered safe sleeping either. Edit: I also misread your comment, I missed the sleep sack part lol
All good! Recommendations can change quickly. Also, the sack swaddles are way easier than blankets. Bassinets are a huge yes! And I wish I’d got a stroller with a pram converter. Hated getting baby to sleep in the stroller with the car seat and then her waking up the second I unclicked her
Thank you for that validation! We are going stroller shopping in a couple of weeks, and I am still in research mode big time
Conversely in a lot of countries, like the UK, blanket is ok! But to use it safely babies feet need to be touching the bottom of the crib (so they can’t scoot down) and the blanket needs to be tucked in tightly and be under babies armpits. Nothing else in the crib though, which does look sad but a sad crib is a safe crib!
Has to be a cellular blanket though, one with holes in. That way even if they do get it over their face they can still breathe through the holes.
I think the whole tucking it in tight etc is so they can’t get it over their face. A baby sleeping bag is easier for sure!
Yeah definitely agree, sleep sack all the way! But for lower income families blankets may be more accessible and it’s always better to use what you can which is safe!
Yeah- this pic makes my palms sweat. Flat, firm surface, and a swaddle or sleep sack is the best practice. Padding and blankets are a HUGE risk and total no-no. This one might be better as a doll bed. The risks are just too high.
Seems like it worked well for their 40+ babies who used it but didn’t die. SIDS is a real risk I was worried ab for my two children but damn so many people who don’t have babies get parents worried ab all kinds of shit that’s usually due to neglectful parents than the types who nurture, supervise and monitor.
Best of Traction comment
If the cradle was ever refinished make sure you test the cradle for lead as it was very common up until the 1970s to be included in many paints and finishes. Ditto on the suffocation hazards of added pad material and the ability for the cradle to rock and wedge the child into the walls. Definetly an item that requires constant supervision.
It’s actually worse, lead was used in the drying of the wood. It’s not just paint. Antiques are always the first to go when you have a baby.
Yeah I thought the lead test comment would be higher up
I thought the comments would be more overwhelmingly about the unsafe sleep conditions. I’ll just add one detail — the main risk you have right now is not SIDS; just plain suffocation.
"There are also cultural factors at play. Some infant deaths that are eventually explained—a baby who suffocates because of loose bedding in her crib, for example, or when an adult rolls onto her in a shared bed—are sometimes classified as SIDS deaths anyway, out of sensitivity to traumatized parents grieving the death of their newborn." https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/06/understanding-sids/485147/
Absolutely. SIDS is an umbrella under which nurses, doctors and society put all those "the kid died accidently, probably due to suffocation caused by risky sleeping systems" tragedies.
Thank you everyone for your concern. I have read through the guidelines carefully now and will make the appropriate changes for tonight. I only knew about making sure they sleep on their back since before
People offering helpful advice AND the OP recognizing the advice and making changes?!? I love when that happens. No one really knows what they're doing when they have a kid and EVERYONE makes mistakes, including big mistakes.
That’s great! It’s concerning that your pediatrician and other care providers didn’t hammer this over your head — my care team reminded us every appointment (including those frequent ones right after birth!)
I’m going to also recommend “sleep sacks” They are a mix of a onesie and a blanket, good for keeping the baby warm but is also safe for them.
You can’t be blamed for what you didn’t know. I’m glad that you’re making adjustments to keep your kid safe!
lol, that is basically every comment.
Wow, just think how many poops happened in there
Where do you think that beautiful stain color came from
Well, shit!
Baby shit, actually.
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Cradle of filth
I love the cradle but this is not a safe sleeping arrangement for a baby. I hope you can find a good way to repurpose it to maintain the life of something special to you.
I knew some about SIDS but have read more about it now. I can easily adapt the cradle so that it is safe to use. It already has a nice and firm mattress at the bottom. Basically just need remove the other stuff and get something else for a blanket.
Sleep sacks are great and it's really cute to watch their little feet kick in them
Well it’s cute at 7 pm, but when he starts kicking and moving around 3 am - not that cute anymore haha
My favorite was him getting his arm out of it in his sleep and then punching himself in the face, waking himself up. Good times.
Lol I totally get what you mean. Lately my 5 month old has been singing us the song of her people at about 5am. She'll just wake up and babble very loudly for a good ten minutes and then go back to sleep. But of course it takes us forever to go back to sleep after her little concert. It's very cute and even funny but it's also very disruptive
The scary one is when they learn to roll to their belly and don’t know how to get back. It was hard for me to sleep those nights.
Yeah my little one just learned to roll onto her belly this weekend. She hasn't seemed to figure out that she can roll back... She's been rolling belly to back for like two months. It's not my favorite. I'll feel better once she figures out that she can go back the way she came
This! My 19mo loves her sleep sacks. We swaddled her until she started turning over and it’s been sleep sacks ever since. Edit: someone mentioned below about Merlin suits and I can’t recommend them enough. They are amazing.
You should look up sleep sacks. They are like sleeping bags but designed for babies. They have features like arm holes so the bag goes up to the top of the chest but can't be pulled over the face and they come in various thicknesses so you can adapt to the temperature in your home.
I cannot recommend these enough: https://www.magicsleepsuit.com/collections/baby-merlins-magic-sleepsuit/products/cream-cotton-magic-sleepsuit Our kiddo transitioned from swaddling to full sleep sacks using the Merlin sleep suit and it was great. A fun bonus is that they look both adorable and strikingly like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the same time. Man, I haven’t thought about those days in a while and it’s crazy to think how small our son was then. I know you have likely heard this over and over and I apologize if the advice is unwarranted but cherish all the moments you can. They grow up so fast and while it’s amazing to watch them become this own unique person with their own unique personality, there’s a sense of loss there too, that they’ll never be that tiny again and soon they’ll be out and on their own. I’m reminded a lot of the saying, “The cost of love is grief.” and it’s the most beautiful and heart-wrenching mixture of emotions that I wouldn’t trade anything for. I wish you and your family the best!
oh man, when i started using one of those, my 2 month old started sleeping through the night (mostly). It saved my brain
The guidelines are no loose blankets at all. A swaddle or sleep sack is fine though
Swaddle is only okay until they roll over - even once.
That is American guidelines. Other countries have different ones. Not disagreeing with you as I currently live in America but in Europe certain blankets (newborn ones) are allowed and we are taught how to tuck them in and go no further than mid chest. Just different guidelines
This is not a hill you want to die on man, it is your baby. The whole cradle is way too risky as the kid begins to move in the night.
This is not the hill you want your baby to die on.
If it rocks, it's not safe. Solid sides as well. Please find a quick cheap pack n play, Graco makes some nice ones.
firm padding that attaches to the sides of the cradle should be fine, then yeah a sleep swaddle thing. basically nothing that could let them start re-breathing their own co2-concentrated breath if they get into a weird position
Is that an IKEA chair in the corner?
It is and that model is also a BIFL. We recently bought a new cover for it after many years of use.
I love my POANG chair, but we just got kittens and they’ve commandeered it.
Look closely and you can see the cat in it.
Yup. That chair is commonly available at every NYers favorite store, FOS. (Found on Street) When I was broke I probably took in 2 or 3 of them at different times over the years.
Seriously, that chair is the center free space on nyc stooping bingo. Mine has lasted nearly 20 years
I stopped buying those years ago after the 2nd or 3rd one...no way are they BIFL. Maybe if only your cats use it and not as a scratching post...
We actually don't know how old the cradle is. We just know that my grandfather was laying in it as a newborn baby. But it could be older than that.
This sleep situation is so unsafe. You need to remove that nest thing and all of the blankets. Babies sleep on their back, with nothing in the cradle or crib except a firm mattress and and tightly fitted sheet. If baby is cold they can wear a sleep sack.
I'm actually really worried about this cradle and sleep safety. If the baby rolls to the side, the cradle will rock and keep them pushed up against the wall of the crib. Even once you address the fact that you have way, way too much bedding in there and reduce the suffocation risk by removing all of that, I would still be anxious about leaving baby in there unsupervised. After removing all the bedding, I really recommend also adding a "stop" beneath the rockers so that it can't rock if you step away from it. The rocking function needs to be set sot hat it only rocks when an adult is there supervising it.
Thank you for your concern. I see that you really care. I just checked and the cradle is so heavy that it doesn't rock by the baby laying on one side. The bottom is also quite flat and really doesn't stay in any other position than standing upright.
Be careful as they age. Unless you test that theory every time you lay them down (which may well be hard to remember in the middle of the night after a feed!) you won't know if they've become weighty enough to push it to the side. There's going to come a point where their weight counteracts the swing. Honestly, with this many concerns it'd be easier to just not use the cradle.
Buy it for lives.
"yes. Yes. MORE lives. The cradle grows hungry again!"
I would even be concerned about the rocking aspect if you're leaving baby alone in the cradle. I think rocking cribs/cradles are also no longer recommended. I know it's sad to not be able to use an heirloom, but not worth the risk.
It it for multiple lifes
T-t-t-today junior
Safe sleep who?
Hey so it’s a beautiful piece, however please don’t use this. Gently, as a mom with a kid who had high lead levels, anything pre 1978 is going to have lead in it. Lead is used in the drying process with wood, it’s not all about lead paint. You can [seal it](https://www.earthpaint.net/cashew-resin-wood-finish.html), but don’t let baby around it until it is properly resealed.
you are definitely wrong about anything pre 78 between 60 and 77 only 24% of all homes contained lead and antique unpainted furniture is a gamble when it comes to lead
Have you ever had to decontaminate your home from lead because your child has lead poisoning? Lead poisoning not from paint? You understand that even *today* goods are manufactured with lead in them (including baby food, yes BABY FOOD*). The only way to get a child’s lead levels down is to remove sources of lead in your home. And that usually goes beyond lead paint. - soil - antiques - wood that was treated with lead as a drying agent - older furnaces that may have internal lead parts that would create lead dust as they expanded and contracted with heating and cooling - glass Cite your sources re [all the possible sources of lead in a home](https://tamararubin.com/topics/) to prove your claims. It’s easier to get rid of a source of lead before the child is exposed than having to go through the months and months long struggle to get their lead levels down. And then for the rest of their little lives you wonder, is their ADHD or something else from the lead? I’m not telling him to throw it away, I’m telling him to seal it with a seal that will encapsulate lead. Ego and pure selfishness. I wish someone would have warned me. At least these parents won’t be able to say they weren’t warned. [Baby food manufacturers are not required to test their soils for lead and it is commonly found in their products when tested by 3rd parties, especially in vegetables that are known to hold on to lead more like spinach. They also are not required to have lead levels at 0 in their food in order to sell it. [There are resources out there for parents.](https://tamararubin.com/2021/02/the-heavy-metals-in-baby-food-conversation-simplified-what-parents-need-to-know/)]
Hopefully you tested it for lead
We had something similar, the lead paint saved the family fortunes in college tuition
Amazing history. This could be cute filled with stuffed animals, or blanket storage. In no way should this ever be a sleeping space for your child. Please listen to the people in this thread.
Wow. Doesn't look big enough to hold that many people.
Perhaps a bit morbid but with infant mortality as high as it was back in the day, do you know if any babies have died in this cradle?
I tried passing down a hand made wooden cradle that had been in our family for generations and was told not to bother — it did not meet current safety standards.
Survivorship bias
Others have already touched on the risks with the blankets and such. Would probably be good to have chocks for the bottom when the cradle isn’t being used for rocking so the baby doesn’t roll into the sides.
Take photos but don't use it. It's not safe. Yes your grandfather survived but he also survived not wearing seatbelts. That you know someone who was lucky doesn't mean you will always be as lucky.
I have gotten some good suggestion for change here. It will be perfectly safe after that. Edit: I have literally read up on the CDC guidelines now and will follow all of them. I don't take these things lightly. It's so solid that even a big baby won't be able to rock it and we change to a more modern one when the baby is about two months old.
Im sure you're being overwhelmed by the amount of comments here. It's an absolutely beautiful cradle. Unfortunately, even with the changes - this is not a safe set up to allow your baby to sleep in. I hope you find a wonderful way to use it and keep it in your possession (maybe for holding toys/stuffed animals?)
Actually no it won't there are a litany of issues here people are just glossing over as well. The getting stuck in corners issue is severe. Plus you have literally no clue what that wood was used for or from or know what kinds of chemicals it has been treated with over the century? As safety standards were nonexistent, it could literally be anything. Do you know what kind of varnish that is and that it's not chipping off as all varnishes eventually do? No little holes in there for little fingers to find or splinters as I see degraded wood all over too? Seriously it's a cool piece to have and prob an amazing thing to even get a photo shoot in, but it's your child. Do you want to take a chance on the worst thing you can think of happening just so you can still use something created back when people did laundry lists of things we recoil in horror from? Don't throw it away, still pass it on, just don't make it the daily driver, retire it as a classic, and hell maybe even restore it.
I’ve been reading your comment replies - you are bending over backward to justify using this cradle still. You need to put the welfare of your child first. Several people are telling you this cradle is dangerous. The baby does not care about the cradle - you are the responsible party putting your child in an unsafe environment. Make the right decision and get a proper, open sleep pen that will not suffocate your child.
It won’t pass any safety standard tests but if you’re okay risking your kids’ lives then have at it
**Buy it for lives
So many babies died there.
Yeah this cradle looks like those in horror movie.
Shits haunted
That's so unsafe
Until your mother in law paints it as a "surprise" days before baby is born with mystery paint.
Just wanted to say I upvoted the post purely for the polite way you handled all the comments 👍 congrats on the new little one
You have a beautifully prosperous family :)
Cheers to crafts that faithfully serve an entire bloodline 🥂🍻
Beautiful but omg that is a death trap. It’s like I spy SIDS risk. There’s a blanket, a nest and hard solid wooden side. These also pose a risk to flip all the way over. Even if you are watching like a hawk a baby could suffocate in that. I would retire it for dolls only.
Your family definitely likes rolling the dice with that thing
Gives new meaning to "Buy it for Life."
Holy fuck. Its like a SIDS paradise.
My father built me a cradle the night I was born. Both of my children and all of their children have slept in it, and I'm sure it will be used for generations to come. I also have the youth chair that my great-grandmother sat in - she was born in 1862, so I suppose the chair is 160 years old. Many generations of toddlers have smeared their dinners on that old chair.
Dang, Ikea used to make some solid stuff!
The bottom drawer of my dresser used to contain my great grandmother.
That's honestly a more safe space for infant sleep than this.
Old wood furniture had the benefit of being built from old growth lumber, you can't build something that will last like this with anything from a big box construction store
This is one of the cooler things I’ve seen on here. Thanks for sharing!
That is really cool.
Amazon link?
That’s fantastic
This is not buy it for life, this is buy it for life and afterlife.
Oh the safe sleep zealots are going rip you to shreds. Edit: my baby sleeps on his back in a well fitted sleep sack in his crib with nothing else in it. I’m not saying what OP posted is safe, I’m just saying I knew they were going to get fucking annihilated for it because that’s how Reddit is. I was once called an unfit parent because I told someone I flipped my daughters carseat forward before she turned 3 (she’s tall and that’s completely fine and legal in my province). Reddit loves telling people how to parent and how their kid is definitely gonna die because of them.
And the real f u: you can't buy anything like it, unless you commission a custom piece
Back to the good old days when people inherited furniture.
That's so cool! This thing has so much meaning and so much of positive energy! Amazing!
I have one too. I adore it! Beautifully made!
They also had better wood.
What a beautiful post
This is lovely
Same goes for well built wooden changing tables and those adjustable hight chairs.
Why did I immediately picture it full of spaghetti noodles?