How to Find the Right Baby Bedding
As a new parent, you probably find that it is easier to choose baby bedding based upon its looks instead of its functionality. However, this really is not the way in which you should go about doing this type of shopping, especially since your baby’s safety and comfort depend upon it. With this in mind, here are some things that you should NOT do:
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. Do not use any bedding material that your baby may be allergic to. Instead, make sure that you only use wool, cotton or baby-friendly synthetic materials.
3. You should not use soft baby bedding. Your baby’s bedding should actually be firm. This is important since soft baby bedding has been listed as a leading cause for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
4. Make sure that you never place a lot of cushions, pillows or other items into your baby’s crib, especially whenever they are sleeping. This is because the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) says that this too can lead to SIDs.
5. Make sure that you do not use bumper pads because, according to the AARP, this increases your baby’s risk of dying from SIDs. If you choose to ignore this and use bumper pads anyway, at least make sure that they are not soft and bulky and that you securely attach them to the crib and cut off any extra string.
6. You need to be sure that you never use rubber sheets. These use to be quite popular as they keep things dry but you should know that they will also irritate your baby’s skin. So, today flannel-lined mattress pads are being used instead since they have been specifically designed to keep things dry without irritating your baby’s skin.
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.
