Bedding
Key points to consider
- As a rough guide you will probably need four bottom and four top sheets plus two to four
blankets for a Moses basket, carrycot or crib, and four bottom and four top sheets plus
three to four blankets for a cot
- You will still need to buy sheets and blankets even if later on your baby will sleep
under a duvet. Experts now advise that babies under one year should not use duvets or
quilts as there is a danger of both suffocation and overheating
- Pillows are also dangerous for babies under one year, and may not be necessary until
your child is three or four years old
- If you have a baby who tends to wriggle out of his bedding or kick it off, or you use a
travel cot a lot, it may be worth considering buying a baby sleeping bag. The bag is
designed so that the fabric cannot ride up over his face
- Sheets and blankets are generally sold in standard sizes, but it’s helpful to know
the dimensions of your equipment in centimetres before you shop.
- Fitted cotton interlock - a 100 per cent cotton soft sheet, shaped and gathered on
elastic to fit round the mattress
- Fitted stretch terry - usually 80 per cent cotton/20 per cent polyester soft, fine
towelling type fabric, shaped and gathered on elastic to go round the mattress
- Flat flannelette - a 100 per cent cotton soft, fine sheet, like brushed cotton to touch,
not fitted, to use either as a bottom sheet over the mattress or as a warm top sheet under
blankets
- Flat sheet - a cotton/polyester mix, cotton feel sheet, not fitted, to go over the
mattress or under blankets
- Cellular cotton - a 100 per cent cotton, plain, open weave blanket
- Cellular acrylic & cotton rich - acrylic/nylon mix or cotton/polyester mix, plain
open weave blanket with ribbon edge
- Wool & fleece - 100 per cent wool, traditional close weave blanket
When choosing your blankets bear in mind that your baby may become very attached to one
in particular and want to sleep with it every night for the next five or more years. If he
starts to shows signs of a favourite, buy a spare while you still can in case the original
gets lost.
Updated May 2001
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