If you’re trying to decide when your toddler is too heavy to stay in the crib this article might help you out! You might also be wondering if it’s safe for you as an adult to climb in your baby’s crib with them… How much weight can a crib hold?
The answer depends on what kind of crib you have. If you know the exact make and model of your crib you should try searching for it specifically and follow the recommended weight limit. Cribs can be made from many different materials like metal or wood and their quality can also affect their maximum weight capacity. Cribs can vary in weight capacity quite a bit and putting excessive weight on your crib base might make your crib break. There are some general guidelines around how much weight each type of crib can hold; let’s take a look at a few examples based on some of the most popular cribs being purchased by parents.
Standard Crib
A standard crib is exactly what it sounds like. No moving parts, four sides of crib railings. It also doesn’t have a conversion kit to transition into a toddler bed and beyond someday. A standard baby crib can often hold about 50 pounds of weight and depending on the height and weight of your baby or toddler, could last from 0-4 years of age. Here are a few popular options and their weight limits.
- Monarch Hill Ivy Crib
- 50 pounds capacity
Convertible Crib
A convertible crib is similar to a standard crib, but it is designed to ‘age-up’ with your toddler through different stages when he or she is ready for a big kid bed. A convertible crib looks and functions the same as a standard crib (and uses a standard crib mattress size) until your child is ready to get rid of the full set of crib rails and climb in and out of the bed on their own. At that point, you usually use a separately purchased crib adapter set and assembly instructions to transition the crib into a toddler sized bed.
A convertible crib often has a weight limit of 50 pounds. It’s possible some of them made from super solid sturdy construction can hold up to 100 pounds but it’s not as common. Sometimes a good convertible crib will have a higher weight limit because the construction of the bed is made from solid wood or because it’s manufactured to be able to accommodate toddler bed conversions or even eventual full-size bed conversions. A convertible crib will often be built to eventually accommodate a twin mattress or even double/full size mattress.
- Babyletto Hudson 3-in-1 Convertible Crib
- 50 pounds capacity
- Child Craft Forever Eclectic Atwood
- 100 pounds capacity
- Sorelle Berkley 4-in-1 Convertible Crib
- 50 pounds capacity
Mini Crib
A mini crib is great for a small nursery space or even for putting a crib in your master bedroom because it takes up less space than a standard crib. Mini cribs often also have wheels and fit through a standard doorway in most homes. This is so you can push your crib into your master bedroom when needed, and move it back into the nursery without taking the entire crib apart.
Because mini cribs are smaller, and often on wheels, that affects how much weight they can generally hold. A mini crib can usually hold about 35-50 pounds. You should bank on it holding less weight than most standard cribs and most convertible cribs.
- Dream On Me Jett Mini Portable Folding Crib
- 35 pounds capacity
- Davinci Kalani 4-in-1 Mini Convertible Crib
- 40 pounds capacity
On top of the weight restrictions of a mini crib, you’ll also want to consider the height limit for a mini crib too. The height restriction of a mini crib is often smaller than a standard-sized crib because it’s not as long.
Sidecar Crib
A side car crib attaches to the side of your master bed so you can have a separate sleeping surface for your baby that’s still somewhat in contact with you as their caregiver. Sometimes a sidecar crib is called a bedside crib because it attaches directly to the parent’s bed. There aren’t a lot of specific sidecar cribs on the market. Sometimes, parents who like this style of crib purchase a convertible crib, remove one full side rail of the crib, and fully secure it to their bed. It’s important to note that the sidecar isn’t built to hold adult weight; it’s supposed to be a safe place for your baby to sleep and will not accommodate that much extra weight. If you’re trying to climb in with them, it’s definitely not a good idea. There are a couple of bedside cribs on the market like these two listed here.
- Fiore Portable Crib
- 100 pounds capacity
- Costway 5 in 1 Baby Nursery Center Foldable Toddler Bedside Crib
- 35 pounds capacity
You can see that these bedside or ‘sidecar’ cribs have vastly different weight capacities and it would be very important to check your specific bed to see what the manufacturer suggests is the maximum weight limit. These two side car cribs also work well as a travel crib, which could be part of your important considerations if you’re interested in bringing your little bundle of joy on a trip with you.
Floor Bed
A floor bed often has a weight capacity of at least 500 pounds. This can be a good option for parents who want to lay next to their baby to soothe them and then roll away to their own sleeping surface without transferring their child into a crib.
If you are tempted to climb inside your baby’s crib to lay next to them, you might consider getting a floor bed. A floor bed is exactly what it sounds like, it’s a mattress on the floor and you place it in the middle of your baby’s room (away from the walls). If you’re putting a mattress straight onto the floor you’ll only have to take into account the weight restrictions of your mattress, which are usually quite high. If you’re putting a small bed frame together that includes metal or wooden slats, that will determine the maximum weight capacity of your floor bed.
A floor bed is popular in Montessori parenting and in different cultures all over the world for several reasons. It allows you to easily transfer your baby from your arms to a safe sleeping surface next to you. It also allows for an easier transfer if your baby likes you to lay next to them before you roll away to go sleep on your own bed surface.
Final Thoughts
So what’s the final verdict? How much weight can a crib hold? Most cribs can hold around 50 pounds unless they’re a mini crib or made out of less durable materials. If at all possible, check with your specific manufacturer to find the limit of your exact crib since the number can widely vary.
Desperate parents have all contemplated the same thing when their baby is having a hard time sleeping at night: can I just climb in the crib with them? The answer is: probably not. The last thing you need is your crib breaking to bits or hurting your baby. If you’re interested in monitoring your baby overnight, you can use something like the Owlet Monitor or check out this article for the best owlet alternatives. Remember to always follow safe sleep guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics to reduce the risk of SIDS or infant injury.
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