When buying the crib for your nursery, your mind will naturally turn to bedding next. Many crib sets have from 4 up to 10 pieces included, but how many of those should you actually use? It’s really best to keep any extraneous bedding out of the crib, and this is what pediatricians now recommend. If you want to get the most for your money, skip the crib set and the useless (but cute) accessories. Instead, invest in a half dozen comfortable, high quality crib sheets.
It may come as a surprise to some, but neither crib bumpers nor blankets are recommended because they are a suffocation hazard. If you’re worried about baby getting to cold, put on some warm pajamas or a swaddling blankets instead. Wearable blankets have become quite common and most people are now familiar with the concept. Swaddling blankets have come a long way, with many mow featuring special fasteners to keep the blanket snug. Swaddling can be an excellent way to help a newborn sleep, but it is generally not recommended beyond 6 weeks because of fears it can hinder hip development. Baby will be spending much of his time in your arms, so you might want a quilt or comforter to wrap around him at those times. You’ll be fine as long as you remember not to leave the blanket in the crib with the baby.
You may have seen the foam wedges that are sometimes recommended for young babies, to keep them sleeping on their backs. But young babies are not able to roll over, so if you put them to bed on their backs, they’ll stay on their backs. And by the time they are able to roll onto their tummies, SIDS is no longer such a serious concern. You should also realize that these foam wedges are themselves soft bedding, which is not recommended by most pediatricians for very young babies.
Aside from the standard bedding, a crib set can also include a diaper stacker, a toy bag, or even a window valance. These can make the nursery look great, but aren’t necessary if you’re on a budget.
It is understandable, however, that you might want a bedding set to complete the look of your baby’s room. If so, just get gender neutral crib bedding like a Hot Cocoa baby bedding set. It’s much more cost effective because you can use it again and again, regardless of the sex of your next baby.
Tags: Babies
