Select the Baby Bedding That’s Right for You
Oftentimes new parents choose baby bedding based upon its looks instead of its functionality. Unfortunately, this is not the way in which baby bedding should be chosen. Instead, a baby’s safety and comfort should be thought of first and foremost. When you begin thinking in this way, you will find that there are some things that you really should not do. This includes:
1. Do not ignore your baby’s safety. Their crib must conform to the government’s safety standards. Even so, you should still look for any parts that may be dangerous for your baby. This includes sharp corners, flimsy wheels, or slats that are more than 2.5 inches apart. So, while you may want to purchase a used crib, you need to make sure that it conforms to these rules and that it is not listed as one of the cribs that has been recalled.
2. You should never use any bedding material that your baby may be allergic to. Instead, you should use wool, cotton or another type of baby-friendly synthetic material.
3. Make sure that the baby bedding you use is not soft. Instead, your baby’s bedding should be firm. This is really important because soft baby bedding is one of the leading causes of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
4. You should not place a lot of cushions, pillows or other items into your baby’s crib. The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) says that this is especially true whenever your baby is sleeping.
5. You should never use bumper pads. The AAP says that these too increase your baby’s risk of SIDs. If you feel that you really must use them, then you should make sure that the bumper pads are not soft or bulky and that they are securely attached to your crib with any extra string having been removed.
6. Make sure that you do not use rubber sheets. While it use to be thought that these would keep your baby dry and their skin from being irritated, today the opposite is believed to be true. Instead, you should use flannel-lined mattress pads that have been specifically designed to keep everything dry.
Now that you are more knowledgeable about making sure not to do certain things, you should also feel as though you are more knowledgeable about those things that you should do and those things that you should purchase for inside of your baby’s bed. If you keep these things in mind whenever you do your shopping, your baby will be safe and feel secure.
