Decorating your baby's nursery involves choosing crib bedding. Many parents often choose bedding for their baby's crib, and then they decorate the nursery using colors and patterns taken from the materials and designs in the bedding. Parents should keep in mind, however, that there may be a big difference in quality when it comes to choosing crib bedding. They should also pay attention to safety issues.
Types of Baby Crib Bedding
Just what does crib bedding include? When you begin shopping for your baby's crib bedding, you'll probably find a lot of variety and choice both in local department stores, such as Target and Walmart. The basic baby bedding includes the following:
- Mattress pad
- Mattress cover
- Sheets
- Bumper pads
- Baby quilt
- Baby blankets
Choosing a Pattern
There are so many patterns available, so choosing your crib bedding is a very personal choice. If you are at a loss as to where to start, you might simply want to visit a few local department stores and browse their baby sections to get a few ideas of what you like. Once you've narrowed down your choices, you can begin searching for the best price. Many parents like to purchase their crib bedding before they paint and decorate the nursery. If you don't know the gender of your baby, don't worry. There are lots of bedding choices that will work for boys and girls.
Bargain Shopping
Most of us want to find the best bargain we can, and purchasing baby crib bedding isn't an exception. If you have done any comparison shopping at all, you've probably already experienced sticker shock! Yes, there is a wide variety of pricing on baby bedding. Do you get what you pay for? Sometimes, you really do. Use extra caution when purchasing bedding online. Many baby bedding manufacturers don't pay attention to thread count. Thread count is just as important in baby bedding as it is in the sheets you purchase for your bed. The higher the thread count, the softer and more durable the sheets will be.
Be wary of online vendors who advertise "special order" bedding. Often, this just means that they don't have the item in stock. They will have to send an order to the manufacturer, and this could take weeks before you actually receive the item. Many of these Internet companies go ahead and charge your credit card, although you may not receive the item until several weeks later. Look for companies who specifically state that your credit card will not be charged until your purchase has shipped!
Safety Issues
Finally, no matter what type of baby crib bedding that you choose, there are safety issues to consider. Your baby's mattress should fit firmly in the baby crib. You should also not use a blanket, loose sheet, quilt, or any other covering until your baby is older to reduce the risk of SIDS. Finally, consider using a sleep sack to keep your baby snug and warm safely.
