What is a cradle

The cradle has long been used by different peoples for rocking small children. Monotonous rocking allows the baby to relax and fall asleep, reminding him of his serene intrauterine existence. The cradle has always been indispensable for a mother; it allowed her to calm a crying baby and at the same time gave her the opportunity to do household chores at the same time. Previously, every family had a cradle and helped more than one generation of mothers and children.

What is a cradle

A cradle is a small crib suspended from the ceiling using a spring or mounted on a rocking support. When the child woke up and began to toss and turn, the spring swayed up and down, thereby calming him down.

In Rus' there were special craftsmen - cradle-makers, because not every owner could make such a device on his own. If made incorrectly, it would not swing well and could fall and harm the baby.

The cradle was made of wood, leather or wicker. Richer people could afford to make a forged cradle decorated with monograms and other patterns.

REFERENCE! Since ancient times, the cradle has been given a special meaning; in addition to its main function - rocking the baby to sleep, it served as protection from evil eyes and tongues. For this purpose, it was decorated with various amulets, rattles were hung, an icon and a cross were placed inside, and it was always covered with a fabric canopy.It was believed that the cradle should be suspended; scissors or knives were placed under it, protecting it from all evil spirits. Happy cradles, in which the baby grew up healthy and capricious, were especially valued and passed on by inheritance.

Modern cradle

Modern crib models combine various options for maximum comfort for mother and baby. Cradles are available on wheels for easy movement around the house. Models with a built-in mobile phone, vibration and light projector allow you to distract the baby while crying. Some types of cradles can be configured in such a way that as soon as the baby starts crying, an audio recording with the mother's voice automatically starts.

The material from which the cradle is made plays an important role; it must be safe and not cause harm to children's health. Wood is considered the most environmentally friendly, and it is better if it is a solid wood. You should completely abandon chipboard, because its production uses formaldehydes, which are released during operation. For the same reason, you should not choose a cradle made of plastic. In addition, plastic is not the most reliable material. The fasteners made from it can break, causing harm to the baby.

As an option, you can buy a cradle with a metal frame. This model is reliable and strong. In this case, it is necessary to cover all metal elements with soft sides so that the baby does not accidentally hit them.

Modern models are designed for children aged from birth to 6 months. As soon as the child begins to actively toss and turn, for his safety, it is worth moving him to a more spacious and stable crib.

Types of cradles

In addition to a set of additional functions, the cradles also differ in appearance:

1. Classic wooden or wicker. It is installed on special runners for swinging, often equipped with a pendulum mechanism. Cradle - rocking chair rocks the child on curved runners, like in a swing. The pendulum mechanism allows the crib to swing for a long time from one touch of the hand, without changing the child’s position on the plane. Motion sickness occurs back and forth or left and right.
2. With electronic mechanism. Motion sickness occurs using an electronic system. Parents just need to press a button to turn it on or change the speed of motion sickness. Some models turn on automatically in response to the baby's cry, others can be turned on from a distance using a remote control.
3. On wheels with built-in electronic swing. Allows you to easily move your baby around the house without disturbing his sleep. Electronic swings can be adjusted to different motion sickness modes. A built-in mobile phone with pleasant soothing music will help your baby fall asleep quickly.
4. Suspended from ceiling or pole. This model is most reminiscent of ancient cradles in Russian huts, not the most popular option today. While models attached to a pole can still be found, those suspended are extremely rare, since not all parents are ready to attach something to the ceiling in the apartment.
5. Add-on cradle has become widespread among mothers who practice co-sleeping with their baby. Such models have the ability to remove one side and adjust the height in accordance with the height of the mother’s bed. As a result, the baby sleeps with his mother, but in his own crib.