Is IKEA nursery furniture good?

Hi Everyone,

Just found out that we have a gorgeous little bub due to arrive in March 2010 ... and being the organised girl that I am ... am already looking at where to purchase nursery furniture (cot, change table etc).
Or better yet, where to ask the family to buy Christmas presents from :dance:

Has anyone bought IKEA baby furniture before?

Is it safe, easy to put together, reliable?

We have other IKEA furniture in our house, we are happy with it, but unsure about what to put our precious little bundle into!

I can't comment on the quality of it, though having spend way too much money on having to have the best when I had bubs.......I wish I never had. DS has ruined his cot, chewed, scratched & dented it. So much so it looks horrible, couldn't even sell it second hand...........so if IKEA stuff is any good I would say go for it!!!! no need to spend too much at all.

We dont have an IKEA cot so I cant coment on those.. I didnt get the IKEA cot because you couldnt move the side down and I wanted a cot that could do that to make it easier to lift her in and out...
but we have an IKEA chest of drawers/wardrobe thingy which is pretty good. Its pretty sturdy and she hasnt killed it yet even though she climbs into it all the time because she thinks it is a cubby house.. We also have 2 IKEA shelves in her room. One shelf is about 15 years old and still going strong (my mum bought it for me ages ago!), the other one I bought last year.

We have the Ikea cot, drawers with change table on top and wardrobe (which I only just put together today!).

We love them. Nice & cheap, easy to put together (but you do a lot of screwdriving!) and easy to use. Karina is right - you can't put the side down, but I honestly think that if I'd bought a cot with a drop-side, I wouldn't use it because I'd be afraid the noise & movement would wake him up! It's a bit awkward sometimes when he's asleep putting him down, but it normally doesn't wake him up (and we're both short - so there's further to go over!). The cot has two base levels though so when the bub is small, it's not far to go.. The other bonus with the cot is that it can be changed into a little bed when he's ready. Very versatile.

The change table thingy should be bolted to the wall so it doesn't topple. We haven't done this (we've got old limestone walls which are hard to drill into) and we just make sure he doesn't lean over the ledge. Haven't had an incident yet (touch wood!).

I'm a big fan - so I say go for it. it's been very durable so far (DS is 14 months old) with no problems. Another bonus is that he hasn't yet figured out how to open the drawers!

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing!

We have the cot and never found the lack of drop sides to be a problem. DH significantly rebuilt it to include drawers underneath when DS#1 was about 18months old. But it is a great cheap unit.

I have an Ikea cot/toddler bed that we brought 2nd hand and we love it DS2 is in it atm as the toddler bed but we will be getting him a BIG bed in 6mnths so DS3 will get it then possible! we might even try and get DS3 into a BIG bed earlier than 3!

Thanks guys, I am really keen on the IKEA cot (after perusing the prices of other more fancy pants cots ... my goodness there is a variance in price!!). I've always been a firm believer that you get what you pay for - but I think IKEA make a good product.
As this is our first, I want the cot to be durable and reusable for any future bubs, but I equally don't want to be devestated (say, if we purchased top of the line cot) if our first bub "characterises" the cot with bite marks etc.

I don't live in Sydney metro ... so a shopping spree to IKEA will involve a trip down the F3 freeway ... but from all your advice I think the trek to IKEA would be worth it.

Thanks again everyone, I'll keep you updated - and I welcome many more comments!

While you're there make sure you get some of their flannel towels with coloured loops - great for prams... and the high chair is excellent (but get the little insert to help bub when they're small), and the cloth book is the best toy... and ... I could keep going! We're big fans of Ikea! LOL

I would make sure you've got plenty of room, so you can shop til you drop! :lol:

Enjoy!

Yay for IKEA! :D

We have an IKEA change table and it's maybe sturdier than the house. My boys have tested this by climbing it regularly.

Keep in mind things like cots have to be made to a certain Australian standard, so the IKEA ones will definitely comply. They're great for babies, fun toys, cheery room decorations, cheap towels...

Ohhh, and we bought a few of the little night lights from the kids section in IKEA - they are awesome for having on to check on bubs without waking him - definately grab one of those - and their cot sheets are good value too

Ooooh and the inflatable change mats - great for after the bath etc too

I could endlessly spend there too

I have got the cheapy change table ($70) and love it, havent had a problem, easy to put together etc, change pad on top is good and they sell the towelling covers for it too.

We went to IKEA today! Didn't get any baby stuff though. Prepare to be exhausted!! I forgot how tiring it is...

Mummynaomi ... Are you able to describe what the Ikea night-light looks like ... just i'm after one & looking to maybe head to Ikea in Melb within the month ;)

Hey Smiles

Its called a SPOKA - if you go to the IKEA australian site and search for SPOKA it should come up to view the 3 types - it looks like a little ghosts head (not scary, very cute) and comes in a flatter version too, we have a blue one and a green one - I think they are about $25AU. You just press the top of it and it goes on/off and once charged you can put it where ever as doesn't need to be plugged in, and it stays on the whole night, but is dimmer by morning as the charge runs out, or you can leave it plugged in....... It gives of a soft light so doesn't disturb bubs but lets you see - I think the blue one gives better light personally :)

HTH

Thanks soooo much Naomi :D

My 3year old DD has never had a night light as i couldn't find one that wasn't electric ... I love the idea that this Ikea one isn't electric :dance: ... Ever since DD has been in her own bed in her room she wakes up every night between 2 - 4pm crying so i'm hoping a little night light might help her when she wakes during the night & won't be so dark for her ;)

I hope it helps your DD get a good nights sleep :)

Naomi ... my DP bought one today at Ikea as he works in Richmond ... there was only the green or blue one so i got the blue nightlight on your kind recommendation, as like you i would rather the blue if it appears to be brighter as in lasting the distance during the night :D

Will let you know how DD goes during the night with it, ... put it this way it will get use one way or another, LOL ;)

You are so right, not scary but is like a cute little ghost !!

:clap: Thanks a million Naomi for letting US all here on BB know about it, as for me otherwise i would have never have known & would have been still searching for a non-electric nightlight ;)

Good luck - I use those lights all night long for feeds, settling etc so they are much used in our house!!

Hope DD likes hers too - let me know how she goes :)

Glad to have helped!!

We have two bedrooms set up, one at our place with a fancy cot that DH insisted on, and another (at mums in the coontry) with an IKEA Gulliver cot. The Gulliver was 1/3 the price of the spency one and I much prefer it. It doesnt drop down, but for my height its still easer to lower master 16mths in to than the one with the drop side. I dont use the drop side b/c it clunks and wakes him up. I also have the $50 change table and its fine BUT get the little plastic holder thingies that you can screw to teh side of it to hold wipes and buds etc. they are great.

We also have the IKEA furniture in his room....the shelves, wardrobe/drawers etc. THE WORKS! They all work really well.

I LURVE IKEA!