Safe and Healthy Baby Bedding Tips

Choosing bedding for your baby has changed over the past decade and you know how softer, healthier choices more so than ever. When putting together a sleeping area for your baby, you'll have a few choices, and it's just a matter of deciding what type of sleeping arrangement and bedding you'd like.

A bassinet is a great advantage for new mommies that are breast feeding and have to get up every few hours. Since bassinets are small in size, most will fit next to Mom and Dad, even in a tiny apartment bedroom. It's very convenient to reach over and check or pick up baby as needed throughout the night. Bassinet bedding should fit snugly with no covers that can come up around your baby's nose or mouth.

A crib is the option most parents opt for, even if baby is in a bassinet the first couple of months. You will eventually need to put your baby in her own space. Your baby's crib should be given the once over to make sure it is absolutely safe for baby. Slats and crib rails should be closely spaced together and smaller than the head of your baby so there's no chance of an infant sticking his head through the rails and getting caught.

An old family heirloom crib is a beautiful thing and you may have even slept in the crib your Mom wants to give you for own baby. However make sure the slats and rails are closely spaced for your baby's safety. Also, make sure lead-based paint was not used on the crib. The crib mattress should be firm and bedding should not bunch once the bed is made.

The sheets used on your infant bedding should be fitted and tight with zero bunching. Baby quilts and comforters are beautiful, but should be reserved for a crib that is made. Once baby is in the crib, any bedding that could potentially bunch up around your baby's nose or mouth should be removed. Dress your baby warmly when necessary and use light blankets that cover from the waist down.

Crib bumpers are starting to vanish as a necessary baby bedding item. Once upon a time they were very necessary to keep babies from sticking their heads through crib rails and getting their heads caught. There is compelling research that some babies get stuck in the corners in cribs where crib bumpers are used and wind up re-breathing air and lowering their oxygen levels and there is a link between this happening with crib bumpers and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). It's thought that the baby's head gets trapped and the nose and mouth aren't adequately exposed to fresh air, that the re-breathing of air causes lowered oxygen levels, unconsciousness and even death.

Also, go for organic cotton bedding and/or bedding made from bamboo which is even softer than Pima cotton. In this way, you won't be exposing your child to pesticides or dyes that are so commonplace in a lot of commercial baby bedding.

Those are just the basics for making certain that your baby bedding is safe and healthy. Use these tips for putting together a place for your little one to snooze and dream in safety and comfort.