I get a lot of emails from pregnant friends about how to prepare for a new baby. In fact, just today I got an email from a newly pregnant girlfriend with this question:
"what about crib recommendations? any thoughts/recommendations on manufacturers? i've heard you need to order a crib and changing table by week 20 because shipping can take a long time."
Here was my response to her:
You do need to order a crib in advance but not necessary by 20 weeks.
Once you choose a crib, delivery can take a few months, but you'll probably have the baby sleeping in a basinet for the first few months (8-12 weeks) so you dont need a crib on day one.
I bought my crib from buy buy baby - it's by morigeau lepine. As long as you buy a new crib it will meet all the safety standards so you should be good. I recommend just going with what styles you like - modern, traditional, etc. The criteria you would consider - ability to lower the side with one arm, 2 positions for mattress, etc - are all pretty standard these days.
Some cribs convert to toddler beds & twin beds if you want to plan ahead. For what it's worth, the crib I chose doesn't. If you are buying a crib for your first baby and plan to have more, you might want to use the crib for your next baby and won't need it for your growing toddler.