Given the fact that infants sleep between 16 and 20 hours a day, a functional crib is an important investment for expectant parents. Even at two years old, many children are still taking two naps a day, so a sturdy and well-made crib will clearly get plenty of use.

Cribs come in a variety of materials. You can buy a wrought-iron crib like those made by Corsican or a wooden crib in a variety of colors and finishes. Wooden cribs come in everything from the popular white to cherry and maple, it all depends on your style. Cribs can be found in the traditional rectangular format or the new popular circular format. There is also a resurgence of canopies for cribs so that every little angel can feel like a prince or princess.

Cribs are not only useful for sleeping. From the time your baby is a few weeks old, you can put them in the crib with a mobile, some brightly colored toys, or even an unbreakable mirror, and allow them to occupy themselves. Although you would not do this for an extended period of time, and some babies are more receptive to it than others, a baby that can occupy itself for even a few minutes is often a life saver to a mom or dad in a pinch.

It is a good idea to get in the habit of laying your baby in his or her crib when baby is drowsy, but not totally asleep. This gets your baby accustomed to putting him or herself to sleep, which is a great skill to develop. This is not something to force on your child; however, if you start putting your baby in the crib awake or drowsy from the beginning, and stay with them until they drift off, you can often lessen the instances of crying-it-out scenarios that are generally considered an unavoidable aspect of raising children.