Searching For the Right Material for Your Baby Crib Bedding

Girl baby bedding: princesses and fairies. Baby bedding for boys: blue with puppy dogs. Hold your horses, there! Baby bedding is cute, but there is much more to consider than just appearances.

You or your family members may have allergies to certain fabrics, so you avoid those, but your new baby doesn't come with a list of its allergies. So choose the bedding material first and then worry about your nursery's theme. Any decent quality baby bedding should list some vital facts - namely, cover fabric, fill material, fill power (higher is better), and thread count (again, higher is better). Although warmth is very important, you should also confirm that the bedding is light and breathable. Research on the Internet is easy, so take advantage of the resource to investigate potential bedding choices.

Organic fabrics are probably better than non-organic, but the most important thing is to avoid synthetics if you want to reduce the risk of allergies. Although some synthetic fabrics are breathable, most are not. Of equal concern is the emission of fumes that can occur as the fabrics age. If you are considering a bedding set like the Max crib bedding, then you will need to consider that it does contain some amount of polyester, and decide if that risk is worth it.

I love wool blankets - I think they are the softest, most comfortable blankets, especially for babies. You will probably want a blanket that is backed with cotton flannel. Choose your blanket size based on usage - small blankets for swaddling and big blankets for car trips or daycare.

Down is the perfect filler for a baby's comforter - it is warm and breathable, with very little weight. Manufacturers understand that babies can be messy, so most down comforters are machine washable. To ensure that your comforter is hypoallergenic, make sure it has a high cleanliness rating. The turbidity and oxygen tests are the ones used to measure cleanliness of filler material. A lower number is preferred for the oxygen test, and it should go no higher than 10 (the government standard). Turbidity is measured in the opposite direction - that is, a higher number is better. The top of the turbidity scale is somewhere around 550.