You’re about to become a new parent and you’re trying to figure out what to purchase– everything from a crib to the number of crib sheets you’ll need. Trying to sort things out as you get ready for parenthood can be overwhelming, and it’s always helpful when you’re able to have an idea of where you should begin.
As we all know, with babies their top priority either than eating is also sleeping. As a parent, a typical day will consist of doing laundry, changing crib sheets, washing blankets, and giving baths to your baby. Apart from all of the above, you still have to do your regular chores and ensure that your baby is happy, healthy, and comfortable. Where do you start with crib sheets? Below we’ll take a look at some of the factors that you should take into account when deciding on the crib sheets that you need, and some suggestions on the type of crib sheets that you should purchase.
You might want to check: Best Crib Sheets
Factors to Take into Consideration
The number of crib sheets needed for a crib mattress can vary depending on a variety of factors. Below are some factors you should take into consideration when it comes to deciding on the number of crib sheets you need.
How often are you going to change your sheets?
Just as you have to regularly change the bed sheets in your bed, you’ll also have to regularly change your baby’s crib sheets. With babies, however, you’ll probably be doing it more often than not. As we know, babies have a tendency to drool, throw up, sweat, and can even go to the bathroom directly inside the crib. When this happens, you’ll need to have spare crib sheets available to get the sheets changed to keep the area sanitary.
It’s important that you regularly check your baby’s crib sheets as you want to make sure that it’s clean and comfortable for your child. The last thing you want is for your baby to be sleeping on a sheet that’s both dirty and wet. If your baby starts sleeping in such unsanitary conditions, it could result in your baby getting ill – something that you definitely don’t want for your child. Hence, it is important to make sure that your baby’s sheets are checked and changed regularly.
Do you swaddle your baby or keep your baby uncovered?
Something else to take into consideration is whether you swaddle or keep your baby uncovered. Needless to say, your sheets remain cleaner for a longer period of time if you decide to wrap the baby, and you’ll only need to change the sheets about once every three to four days. If you decide to swaddle your baby, you’ll need to have fresh sheets laid out at least once every week. With swaddling, your baby will stay in a single position, and there’s a lower change of the drool and wetness traveling through that additional layer to make the sheets dirty.
Your baby’s skin is more sensitive than you think
As we all know, a baby’s skin is extremely sensitive. However, there are babies who have more sensitive skin than others. If that’s the case, you would need to have hypoallergenic matts materials. In the event that your baby has hypersensitive skin, you want to make sure that the crib sheets are changed as often as necessary. The last thing you want is your baby to develop a rash from the crib sheets.
Take into account that babies get sick
As a mother, the last thing you want is to see your baby get sick. Unfortunately, however, as your baby gets acclimated to the real world after nine months of being in a mother’s womb, your baby has a chance of becoming ill. When your baby is ill, it is imperative that you change the crib sheets as often as possible. Reason being, your baby could be sweating while they’re sleeping, and there’s also the possibility of them soiling the sheets.
How many sheets do you need?
After taking the above into consideration, it’s time to decide on how many crib sheets you require. If you plan on changing your sheets every day, you would require at least four crib sheets. On the other hand, if you plan on only placing fresh sheets in your baby’s crib once a week, you wouldn’t need more than two crib sheets.
Just to be safe however, you may want to take into account the mess that your baby might make. As this is unpredictable, you may want to have spare sheets just in case that happens. If so, having about seven sheets at your disposal should provide you with sufficient sheets to deal with any emergency that may occur.
If you do your laundry often however, four to five sheets are more than what’s required. However, there’s absolutely no harm in making sure you have extra just in case. It’s important to make sure that your crib sheets are washed and cleaned regularly.
What should you consider when buying crib sheets?
Now that you have an idea of how many crib sheets you’d need to purchase, it’s always helpful to get some tips on what you should look out for when it comes to purchasing crib sheets.
- You’ll want to purchase crib sheets that are made with breathable materials as babies can sweat since they lie down for the majority of the time. Organic cotton sheets are the best option for your baby, but if you’re on a tight budget, regular cotton sheets are fine as well.
- Since babies have a tendency to wriggle around and move a lot, purchase crib sheets that are fitted so there’s less chance of the crib sheets bunching up, and being moved around.
- This is a no brainer but you’d want to purchase machine-washable sheets. Not only is it less of a hassle, but it’s also convenient if you need to pop your sheets into the washer for a quick wash because they’re soiled. Make sure, however, that you’re using baby-friendly detergent to wash these sheets.
You may want to read: Organic Crib Sheet Reviews
Conclusion
At the end of the day, there’s no right or wrong number when it comes to the number of crib sheets that you should need. If you’re a parent that does laundry often, four to five sheets are more than sufficient. However, there is no harm in having a few additional sheets on hand. By taking the above factors into consideration, you should have no problems deciding the number of crib sheets that you require.
If this article was helpful, do leave us a comment. We’d also be happy to hear of any questions or recommendations that you may have.