Choosing the Perfect Fabric for Your Baby Nursery Bedding

Baby girl bedding: frills and lace. Boy baby bedding: blue with puppy dogs. Hold your horses, there! Baby bedding is cute, but there is much more to consider than just appearances.

It can be difficult to tell if a baby has any allergies or sensitivities, and most nurseries are planned before the baby is even born. There is no need to sacrifice comfort for looks, but be sure to consider the material of your baby's bedding before you worry about the theme. Any decent baby nursery bedding will provide certain important information: fill material and power, cover fabric, and thread count. Although warmth is very important, you should also confirm that the bedding is light and breathable. Doing research online is easy, so if you're interested in a bedding set, make sure you find out what material it's made of first.

To reduce the chances of sensitivities, try fabrics like wool, cotton, or down. Off-gassing is a concern with sythetic fabrics (this refers to the release of toxic gases that may happen), as well as breathability - most synthetic fabrics will not breathe. If you have decided on a bedding set such as the Max crib bedding, that is composed of cotton and polyester (but mostly cotton), then you can continue looking or accept the small risk.

Some people may disagree with me, but I think wool blankets are softer and more comfortable than any other blanket. You will probably want a blanket that is backed with cotton flannel. If you want swaddling blankets, choose smaller-sized ones, but if you want a blanket for an older child, pick a larger one.

Down comforters can be a great choice - they have a natural filler that is both lightweight and warm at the same time. Babies and messes go together like jam and peanut butter, so be sure to get one that can be washed in the machine. The cleaner the down inside the comforter, the less likely it will cause sensitivities. Cleanliness of down can be measured using either the turbidity test or the oxygen test. A lower number is preferred for the oxygen test, and it should go no higher than 10 (the government standard). For the turbidity test, on the other hand, a higher number is better, going up to around 550 at the top of the scale.