Baby Crib Bedding - What You Need to Know Before You Buy

I remember planning for the arrival of my first baby and feeling pressed to make his room as cute as can be. The crib of course became the focal point of the room. Looking through the baby store advertisement circulars revealed pictures of showroom ready baby rooms, but there is a big problem with those pictures of cribs dolled up with a comforter, skirt, and bumper.  They are not compliant with infant sleep safety standards.  

You see, the safest bedding for a baby is a fitted sheet. That's it.  All those pretty coordinated items, like the matching blanket and bumper are not recommended by the National Task Force on SIDS. In fact, those items put your baby at risk for SIDS. What's SIDS? Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It's when a baby dies in their sleep for no apparent reason.

I know, I know - those are the decor pieces that define the theme of the room! Well, for all you budget conscious mamas, the good news is you can save your money and bypass all that crib decor.  Proudly tell interior design whiners that you are giving your new baby the very best - the safest sleep environment.  If by chance, you have already purchased a bedding set for your crib, I encourage you to keep it off of the crib even when your baby is not in it.  Why?  Because you will be SO tired during those first few months that you do not want to risk you or anyone else (grandma, dad, helpers, etc.) accidentally or unknowingly leaving any bedding or items in the crib with your newborn.

So how do you make sure your baby is warm and covered at night? I'll talk about blanket-alternative options in another post, so stay tuned!  Meanwhile, read the American Academy of Pediatrics updated guidelines on SIDS here.

​What theme did you choose for your baby's nursery?