Baby Boy Crib Bedding

Boy Crib Bedding Safety

Welcome to our page dedicated entirely to the safety concerns that can come along with baby boy crib bedding. Any parent knows that with children, safety is a number one priority.  So many unexpected and uncontrollable things will happen throughout the course of raising your child, so when it comes to things like your child's nursery, it's nice to know there are measures you can take to make sure no harm comes to your child.  Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) occurrences have gone down in recent years, mostly thanks to parents following improved recommendations for bedtime safety. This page offers an overview of the most frequent problems that can arise for parents when purchasing or installing boys crib bedding.  Most of the issues that typically arise are simple matters that can be avoided by making a few minor adjustments to ensure that your little boy's crib and bedding comply with bedding safety standards.  The best remedy for these problems is preparation, so if you take care to make these adjustments as you are setting up your nursery you won't have to worry about your baby's safety once he arrives.

Crib Bumper Installation

Almost all baby boy bedding sets will include a long strip of padded fabric called a bumper.  The bumper is meant to guard your baby's head from injury, should he happen to knock into one of the crib rails along the frame.  However, some people argue that bumpers themselves can pose a risk to your child's safety as a suffocation threat.  This can happen if a bumper comes loose or your child gets pressed up against the fabric in his sleep.  These situations can usually be avoided, so long as you are careful to install the bumper securely along with the rest of your baby boy bedding.  If the bumper comes with ties, you will want to make sure that you knot them and you may also want to trim down the extra string from the ties so that you baby doesn't get his little fingers or toes snagged in them once he is able to move about in his crib.  Some bumpers come with snaps to install, but no matter how your bumper is installed, just routinely check to make sure none of the ties of snaps has come undone letting any of the fabric hang loose.  And your baby should be sleeping on his back, in the center of the crib whether or not you choose to install a bumper.  So long as the bumper is tied or snapped flush against the length of the crib frame, your baby shouldn't be in danger of being suffocated by the bumper fabric.

Cribs Don't Need a Flat Sheet

You might be surprised to learn that babies under a year old shouldn't be sleeping with any sort of blanket in their crib, but it is true.  Having a flat sheet or comforter might seem to make sense for you, but it is actually risky for a baby.  Babies can get trapped underneath the fabric, especially the heavier construction of many comforters, or tangled up in the loose materials of a flat sheet.  Either way, all your baby needs in his crib is a fitted sheet that fits securely around the mattress.  So if you baby boy bedding includes a flat sheet, which is fairly uncommon, find a different use for it, such as a playtime ground cover.  If you are worried about your baby being cold in his sleep, make sure to dress him warmly and have the heat in his room set a comfortable temperature.  Comforters are more commonly included with boy crib bedding sets, but you should also hold off on letting your child sleep unattended with his comforter until he is no longer an infant.  If you are still concerned about keeping your baby warm at night, try dressing him in a sleep sack which will cover his hands and feet along with his arms and legs.  And keeping the same logic behind the comforter and sheets, don t have any extra items in your babies crib while he is sleeping.  Things like stuffed animals and pillows might seem comforting to you, but they are a potential suffocation hazard in certain cases.  If you want something for your baby to focus on while he is drifting off to sleep, try installing a musical mobile that is safely out of reach. 

Cribs & Mattress Safety

The crib that you purchase may or may not come with a crib mattress included, but either way, make sure that you take the time to test out the mattress for the level of firmness.  Babies require a very firm mattress to help reduce the risk of suffocation.  You can test the mattress for firmness by simply pushing down first on all four corners and also the center.  Make sure there isn't too much give, if the corners sink in easily your baby could potentially find himself wedged in between the mattress and the crib rails.  While it is important that your mattress be firm, the right size is also crucial.  The mattress should fit very snugly within the crib itself, and be flush against each side of the crib railings.  If the mattress is too small, it again poses the risk of your child getting stuck by slipping into any space between the rails and the mattress.  You will also want to make sure that your mattress is the right size so that the fitted sheet from your boy baby bedding fits snugly around it.  After a few washes, you will also want to make sure that the elastic corners on your fitted sheet are holding up and that it will stay put on your crib mattress.  Once it is all installed, do one final check on the strength of the crib.  Check that all of the screws and bolts are secure, and that it can support the weight of your baby without shaking.  Make sure to do all of these tests before letting your little boy sleep in his crib, and make the proper adjustments if necessary.

Baby Boy Crib Bedding Maintenance

Once you have selected the boy crib bedding that you love for your little guy's room, you will want to take proper care of it to make sure it lasts.  Laundering routinely is not only good for keeping your baby's bedding fresh, but it can also be a health benefit.  Dust mites and allergens can get trapped in bedding over time, even hypo-allergenic materials, and these have actually been recently linked to asthma and other breathing related problems in young children.  So always make sure to wash using the hot cycle to kill any of those pesky germs and allergens, and help your child sleep a little easier at night.  And when you launder bedding, treat it like their baby clothes and use specially formulated baby detergent.  These days, many companies make free and clear detergents that don't come loaded with the typical fragrances and dyes in standard detergents, so you can probably start using sensitive skin formula for the whole family, and not have to worry about purchasing multiple types of detergent.  Babies have extremely sensitive skin, so any unnecessary chemicals in the form of fragrances or dyes can lead to skin irritations or rashes.

You don't need to live in constant fear for your baby; many of these risks are taken care of so long as you follow the suggestions offered.  Just think about the fact that your baby is delicate and can't look out for himself, you have to take these measures for him.  The most important tip that underlies all of the advice goes back to the proper fitment.  If the mattress doesn't fit properly in the crib, or the baby boy nursery bedding isn't the right size for the mattress, you will run into problems.  So make sure that everything is the correct size, and assembled properly and you have already taken care of the majority of problems.