Naomi Coe, author of Your Perfect Nursery, says the first place to start when selecting a nursery crib is to set your budget. "Determine what you are comfortable spending on a crib, and don’t forget to factor in sales tax and shipping. This will help you narrow down the options. Many online retailers will let you sort by price so you can see quickly what your options are."

The next big decision to make is style. She says, "the good news is that there are so many cribs available that you don’t have to sacrifice style to get a safe and affordable crib. If you’re not sure what your style is, try looking around at other nurseries online for inspiration and see if there’s any type of crib that appeals to you."

"Safety is the most important thing in a crib. Cribs are held to certain safety standards, but some will have recalls for defective products. You can check for recalls at the CPSC website."

Always buy a new, unused crib, Coe says. "Purchasing a used crib can have safety risks. Used or older cribs may not be as structurally sound, or they may have out-of-date safety issues like a drop-side, which should never be used."