Crib bedding for girls: lots of lace. Crib bedding for boys: cars and trains. I think you’ve forgotten something! There are many adorable baby bedding sets out there, but not all of them are practical.
As adults, we are already aware of any sensitivities we might have, but with a new baby you can’t be sure if he/she will have any allergies. Everyone wants a cute nursery, but it’s important to pick the right bedding material first. Any decent quality crib bedding will provide certain important information: fill material and power, cover fabric, and thread count. The most important things to keep in mind are that the bedding should be lightweight, it should be warm, and it should be breathable. Doing research online is easy, so if you’re interested in a bedding set, make sure you find out what material it’s made of first.
To reduce the chances of sensitivities, try fabrics like wool, cotton, or down. Avoid synthetic fabrics, as many of them don’t breathe and they may break down as they age, cause the release of toxic gases. If you are considering a bedding set like the Max 4 piece crib set, that contains some amount of a synthetic fabric (polyester), but mostly cotton – then you need to think about how much you want the bedding vs. how much this small amount of polyester could cause a problem.
Opinions differ, but many people argue that wool blankets are the softest and most comfortable for a young baby. Choose unbleached or organic cotton flannel as the backing for a wool blanket. It’s pretty easy to decide what sized blanket you will need. If you’re swaddling, choose a small one. If you want a daycare blankie or something to keep in the car, then choose a larger size.
When choosing your baby’s comforter, consider down as a filler. It’s light, warm, and breathable. Your little one will probably have a number of “accidents” in the crib – so make sure your down comforter is machine washable (most are). To ensure that your comforter is hypoallergenic, make sure it has a high cleanliness rating. Cleanliness of down can be measured using either the turbidity test or the oxygen test. Ten is the government standard for the oxygen test, but the numbers can (and should) be lower for quality comforters. The turbidity test has an upper limit of about 550, with lower numbers meaning less cleanliness.