What goes in a crib, and what stays out of it

Bedding sets are photographed as a styled crib, and that photograph is not a sleep recommendation. This is worth saying plainly, because we sell those sets and the packaging is misleading about how the pieces are meant to be used.

The sleep surface itself

Safe-sleep guidance from paediatric bodies is consistent and short: a firm, flat mattress that fits the crib, with a fitted sheet, and nothing else in the crib with the baby. That is the entire specification.

We defer to those organisations rather than issuing our own version, and it is worth reading theirs directly — they explain the reasoning and they keep it current.

So what are the other pieces for

A quilt or comforter is a floor blanket, a play mat cover, a pram blanket or a decorative throw over the end of a chair. A crib skirt is decorative and hangs outside the crib entirely. A bumper, where a set still includes one, is not recommended for use in the crib by any current guidance.

Buying a set and using two of its four pieces in the crib is completely normal.

Instead of a blanket

A sleep sack or wearable blanket keeps a baby warm without anything loose. Choose the warmth rating for the room temperature, check the neck opening is snug enough that the baby cannot slip down inside it, and check the weight range on the label.

This is the piece of bedding worth spending on, because it does the job the blanket used to do.

Room temperature

Most guidance suggests a comfortably cool room, and a simple room thermometer removes the guesswork. Judging by how warm you feel while carrying a baby is unreliable, because you are the one doing the carrying.

Check the baby’s chest or the back of the neck rather than hands and feet, which run cooler normally.

Mattress protectors

A fitted, breathable mattress protector under the sheet is fine and saves a lot of washing. What is not fine is a loose waterproof sheet laid on top of the mattress, or a soft topper that changes the firmness of the surface.

Fitted and firm are the two words to check.

When the crib becomes a bed

Once a child moves to a toddler bed, the rules relax and a light quilt and a small pillow become appropriate. That is the point at which the rest of the bedding set finally gets used as photographed.

Most guidance puts that transition somewhere after the first year; your health visitor or paediatrician is the right source for your child.

Reading a set listing

Our listings say exactly which pieces are in each set and which of them are intended for use in the crib. Where a set includes a piece that current guidance says should not be in a crib, we say so on the listing rather than leaving it to the photograph.

That occasionally costs us a sale, and it is the right way round.

The short version

Firm mattress, fitted sheet that passes the tug test, sleep sack instead of blankets, everything else outside the crib. Anything you are unsure about is a question for the guidance published by paediatric bodies, and we would rather you asked them than us.

Mattress firmness, and the test for it

Safe-sleep guidance calls for a firm, flat surface, and firmness is easier to judge than it sounds. Press your hand into the middle of the mattress: it should not conform to your hand, and it should spring back immediately when you lift it. A mattress that holds an impression is too soft.

The other test is the gap: with the mattress pushed to one side of the crib, there should be no more than about two fingers of space at the opposite side. A mattress that leaves a larger gap is the wrong size for that crib.

Mobiles, and when they come down

A mobile above a crib is designed for the stage before a baby can push up. Manufacturers state a point — usually when the baby can get onto hands and knees, or reach it — at which it must be removed, and that point arrives sooner than most people expect.

Wall-mounted arms that swing clear are easier to remove than ceiling-mounted ones, which is worth thinking about when you fit it rather than when you need to take it down at speed.

The short version

• A firm mattress and a fitted sheet is the whole sleep surface.
• Quilts, bumpers and pillows are decorative; they belong outside the crib.
• A sleep sack replaces loose blankets.
• Follow the published safe-sleep guidance, not a photograph on a box.

From our shelves

• Hahafelt 3 Pcs Woodland Forest Animal Crib Bedding Set for Baby Boy — $34.99
• NacoMoco 3-Piece Crib Bedding Set for Boys Girls – Ultra Soft & Skin Friendly Baby Bedding Set — $29.99
• The Peanutshell 3 Piece Baby Crib Bedding Set for Girls – Newborn, Infant & Toddler Nursery Bed — $44.99

Where to go next

Browse the full range on the shop page, read the frequently asked questions before ordering, or check delivery timing on the Shipping Policy page. If you would rather ask a person, contact us — the phone reaches the counter.