Kitting out the nursery part 3 – what bedding does baby need?
June 2, 2008
When you have a tiny fragile new born baby, it’s so tempting to wrap them up in fluffy woollen blankets to make sure they’re snug and warm. But actually, unless the weather’s really cold, your baby may need no more than a cotton sheet and thin cellular blanket.
One of the most important buys for your nursery is a good room thermometer. The ideal temperature for a nursery is around 18-19 degrees, which can actually feel quite cold to an adult, especially a new mum whose hormones are still all over the place. Being able to check the room temperature on a thermometer, and then decide what bedclothes your baby needs, is much better than deciding yourself based on how warm or cold you feel. 
Grobag do a great egg-shaped nursery thermometer, which glows like a night light and changes colour depending on the temperature. It has a lovely yellow glow at the perfect temperature, changing through orange and red when the room is too hot and blue when the room is too cold.
Cotton is the best material for your baby’s bedding, whether that is the mattress cover, the sheets, or the blankets. Cotton cellular blankets are ideal for layering, and keep your baby snug and warm, whilst also allowing air to circulate. There are a lot of polyester fleece blankets available which are very soft, but these can make your baby too hot so are best saved for exceptionally cold nights, or for going outside in the pram.
The baby sleeping bag is a fantastic invention, particularly in the winter if your baby is prone to kicking off the blankets and then screaming because they are cold. My little boy has used a Grobag sleeping bag for some time now, and it really helps him to sleep through the night. It’s also good when we are on holiday and he’s sleeping in an unusual bed as he still has the familiar sleeping bags to cuddle up in. They also wash surprisingly well; my son is prone to night time nose bleeds and the stains always come out straight away.
Check out the fantastic range of baby bedding and sleeping bags avaialble to order online at My Little Monsters. These also make great gifts for mom’s to be.
Fears about cot death have made advice on baby bedding very specific. You should make sure a sleeping bag is the right size so baby can’t wriggle down inside it, and you shouldn’t give your baby a duvet or pillow until they are at least one year old. Sheets and blankets should be tucked in under the baby’s arms so they can’t slip down under the covers.
If you have any questions or advice on baby bedding I’d love to hear from you.
