When a baby’s coming most parents prepare by decorating and stocking the nursery. Budget conscious parents want the baby to have as charming and cozy a space as they can afford. A key element is baby crib bedding. But there are so many things to consider when it comes to that.
A baby crib bedding set might include a quilt or comforter, light blanket, sheets, dust ruffle, bumpers, and curtains, or a valance. Some include a diaper stacker that holds diapers once removed from their packaging. The stacker saves drawer or shelf space and usually hangs outside of the crib. A few crib sets include washcloths and hooded infant towels.
CAUTION: Comforters and bumpers have been known to be suffocation hazards. It is best to avoid using them with infants. Clever parents have used a comforter as a wall hanging and lined a toy box or closet shelf with bumpers.
Here are thought to help with choosing baby crib sets.
Fabric Is Vital
Selecting fabric is vital to baby’s safety and comfort, and to your budget. Crib sets come in suede and silk, but although the natural fibers are sturdy and long lasting, cleaning is tough. Babies make many colorful and unexpected messes. A dry cleaning bill because Joey spit up strained peas on his sheets may not be in your budget. Hand washing hours may not be available for parents with an infant and a toddler, or multiples.
Cotton is the number one choice in baby crib bedding fabric. As a natural fiber, it is breathable, so it will allow body heat to escape, moderating temperature and keeping baby dry. Flannel, cotton knit and high thread-count woven sheets are soft for comfort. Cotton is easy to wash and dry. And, cotton is durable. It will hold up for many nights, repeated washings, folding, and years in the cedar chest. The best quality cotton you can afford will pay for itself over time.
Fit is critical
Manufactured baby crib bedding sets are made to fit standard crib mattress sizes on the market today. For a custom bed, you should to purchase flat or custom sheets. If your crib bedding is slightly larger or smaller than the mattress, adjust it before baby’s arrival.
For safety, bedding must snugly fit the crib mattress. To be absolutely sure bedding won’t slip or bunch up and endanger your baby budget for elastic straps to hold the crib sheet in place under the mattress.
Finally, Design
Baby’s bedding can follow a color, design or textural theme. You may want a baby bedding crib set made of separates that go together but don’t necessarily match. Regardless of the contents, be sure you have enough. Get at least two sets of sheets so one set can be in the wash while the other is on the bed.
Pre-packaged affordable crib sets can be purchased in stores like Target, Wal-Mart, Babies R Us, Bloomingdale’s or any baby shop, department store or closeout location There are so many options that you will surely find something to fit your taste and budget. Traditional baby boy crib bedding sets may be sports or cartoon characters; while baby girl crib bedding sets might fit princess or doll themes. Non-gendered sets have shapes and animals in a myriad of colors.
Baby shower attendees often join together to purchase crib ensembles, or make sets by hand in specific designs or for family traditions. If someone is making your nursery bedding, you might review patterns ideas online. For example, simply search Google for “baby girl bedding crib sets” or a similar phrase. You’ll find more results than you have time to examine. A nice site for those who handcraft personalized baby blankets and quilts is http://quilting.about.com/od/babyquiltpatterns/Free_Baby_Quilt_Patterns.htm.
Grandmothers are a great source of helpful, budget conscious ideas too and almost always want to spoil their darling, new descendants. After all, one of Theresa Bloomingdale’s wise quotes about life states, “If your baby’s beautiful and perfect – never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time – you’re the grandma.”
Prices of Popular Bedding Sets
- Little tree 4 piece baby crib bedding set by Migi – Target lists a price of $179.99 for this set, Walmart’s price is $174, and you can get it from Amazon.com for $162.
- Turtle reef 6 piece baby crib bedding set by Cocalo – Target price is $152.99, Amazon.com is $149.99, and BabySuperMall is $129.95.
- Cocoa 4 piece baby crib bedding set by Bananafish – Both Amazon.com and BabySuperMall price this bedding set at $143.90.
- Posy 6 piece baby crib bedding set by Migi – ToysRus has this set listed for $138.98.
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