Unwanted Cradle & Traditions

[SoonerTexan]

My grandmother has this 50 year old cradle (exactly, actually--it is circa 1961) that held my mom/aunts/uncles and all the grandkids, including me. My grandmother had a plaque with each baby's name put on the side.

They are coming out here to visit in 2 weeks and she announced she is going to go ahead and bring the cradle. My mom has always been somewhat annoyed by this tradition as a big wooden cradle isn't the easiest thing to schlep around the U.S. I'm not against using the cradle, but I cannot possibly imagine where we will put it. We are in a 1 bedroom, 1100 sq foot place and we are busting out of it now--having 2 bikes and a frame doesn't help--and we haven't bought ANY baby stuff yet. There is a small chance we might get to move to a 2 bedroom before the baby is born, but the overall square footage will probably be smaller.

Right now I just don't know how we are going to fit a crib, changing table, and maybe a co-sleeper in our room, much less a big honkin' cradle that will only be used for a few weeks anyway. I'm not sure how much it will even be used during that time frame, too. My mom has begrudgingly agreed to store it once we are done with it, but I'm not sure I want to go down this route.

My grandmother is getting all huffy about it--am I just evil to want to break this tradition? She has 15 grandkids and the logistics of moving this thing across the country between that many people is insane--forget the next generation after that.

Anybody got any dangerous cradle statistics I can bring up?

[Vanquisher]

Take the cradle. Use it or dont. You do not, however, under any circumstance need a changing table. ESPECIALLY given tight quarters, nix the changing table. More often than not you'll use the floor or bed or something else anyway.


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[HouseofWool]

I dunno - we have the same sort of tradition. My grandfather handmade a cradle for my oldest nephew and each of the grandchildren since have used it. I like the tradition and we are all honored to keep it because he died just a few months after completing. For us it is hugely sentimental. I am sure that the next generation will not feel the same way.

[SuzySunshine]

Put a changing pad on your dresser and viola its a changing table.

Sorry, I wouldn't break the tradition either. You might not like it now but will look back on it fondly someday.

[SoonerTexan]

Put a changing pad on your dresser and viola its a changing table.

Well, it would be the dresser. We have one tiny closet that is so full it cannot fit anything else and a few floor to ceiling armoires that holds most of our clothes.

[MrsK]

One of my friend's families had the same tradition. Her husband called the cradle the "Peirson Family Deathtrap". They got around it by putting the baby in it for baptism pictured and then using it as a toybox later.

[Phoebe]

i would take the cradle to appease grandma and then not use it if you don't want to.

[Thirteen]

We are all in one bedroom. We bought a pack n play that has a changing table that attaches to it AND holds things like diapers, wipes, etc.
http://www.target.com/Bright-Starts-.../dp/B0032AYB9G
The majority of DS's stuff is in "storage" at my parents' house.
Can you take the cradle (the grand gesture) and then explain that there's currently no room but there might be soon once you move (whether or not that's true) and have your parents keep it at their house?

[DCJenn]

If you use the cradle and/or the co-sleeper then you won't need the crib for a while. It's all about using what you need when you need it- I told my cousin the same thing- I told her not to register for the highchair because someone would buy it and she'd have to store it and they're in a condo.

It's a lovely tradition though and one that you'll appreciate at some point (or not but at least you won't have the only child who hasn't used it)

J.

[spotty_dog]

Someone offered me an heirloom cradle when I left Cleveland -- she was leaving the country and wanted it to go to someone she knew. But it was a bit rickety with at least one broken rail and I really didn't have room for it, and ended up Freecycling it. I regret it now that I'm more interested in antiques and handmade practical items -- I bet that old thing had some amazing workmanship and a story to tell. Also, reading Tess of the D'Urbervilles and the description of the family cradle that had seen so much use the rockers were flat, so the mother's vigorous rocking with her foot made the baby bump back and forth violently in the cradle but it fell asleep peacefully nonetheless...cracked me up.

[SoonerTexan]

have your parents keep it at their house?

This might work if I can convince my mom.

Traditions are special

Haha...they are, but in our family, they are also forced and that sort of pisses my mom and I off a bit. It wasn't "do you want the cradle?" it was "we're bringing the cradle!"

It's like when my great-aunt decided we were all going to start carrying my great-grandmother's purse on our wedding day. Forget the fact that it is old and fragile, didn't match my dress at all, and I was worried about it getting lost.

[Tenacious_D]

Take the cradle. Use it or dont. You do not, however, under any circumstance need a changing table. ESPECIALLY given tight quarters, nix the changing table. More often than not you'll use the floor or bed or something else anyway.


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This exactly. We used my husbands old cradle in our tiny NYC 1 bedroom and just cut out other non necessary baby stuff. Even if you put it in storage, take it.

[alison]

Take it. It's hard to see why we're saying this now, but when push comes to shove, it isn't worth it at all to stress about this!

You can use it to hold baby clothes, storage or laundry in transit. Or put it in storage.

[ladymoreta]

I found this site with safety guidelines: http://www.baby-furniture-guides.com/baby-beds.html. Just to make sure.

The lack of space will be tough, but maybe you could wait and buy the crib once your little one has outgrown the cradle or cosleeper? Maybe someone else in your family will announce they're expecting soon so you'll have an excuse to pass it along...

[Pollyanna]

Take it. It's hard to see why we're saying this now, but when push comes to shove, it isn't worth it at all to stress about this!

You can use it to hold baby clothes, storage or laundry in transit. Or put it in storage.

Yes, this. It might not be that it is being forced on you (although I understand that it feels that way) as it is that your grandmother has created this special tradition and she thinks it is as special to everyone else as it is to her. For your grandmother, find a place for the cradle and consider the love that comes with it, trust me you will appreciate it in the future.

And like Heidi said, forget the changing table. HUGE waste of money.

All the children in our family wear the same baptism gown. No one ever asks, it is just sent when needed. It is a very special memory as it was my father's when he was baptized as a baby in Italy. Now that he is gone it is even more special. Enjoy the cradle.