When I was just born, my parents were moving and in no mood to think about nursery bedding or crib bedding or crib sets or anything like that.  So I was actually stuck in the bottom drawer of a chest of drawers in their bedroom for a few days until they were able to get my sister’s old baby crib out of storage.  They told me they didn’t actually close the drawer when I was in there, but they always laughed and smiled when they said that, so I have no real way of knowing.

New parents have so many things to think about.  As the day approaches, the worries of getting everything set up for the baby mix with the worries of the health and the future of the new addition to the family so that little actually gets done, and what is done can be fueled by stress.  One of the concerns many new parents have is the baby nursery.  A big part of this is the nursery bedding you have for your baby crib.  But what parts are there?  Don’t kids need just a blanket and they’re happy?  Well, sometimes yes, and sometimes no.  Let’s take a closer look at the different parts of nursery bedding.

Most parents will opt for having a crib for their baby. Good option. Keeps the baby off the floor and out of the drawer. But just a crib isn’t enough. Most cribs will have a mattress, a mattress protector, a fitted sheet, a bumper, a pillow, a top sheet, a blanket, and maybe even more. All color coordinated and matched to make everything look nice. So where does a frazzled parent start? Right here.

First of all, a mattress isn’t that big of a concern because most likely it will come with the crib you get. Sometimes it doesn’t, and you’ll need to buy it, but it is usually purchased when you buy the crib. We’re figuring you already have a crib. So we’re going to skip discussing the ins and outs of buying a mattress for you baby crib except to say that your baby, as precious as they may be, most likely won’t need something super plush or expensive for a mattress.

Now, when it comes down to nursery bedding, most parents will choose the easier option of getting a crib set. Crib sets are the easiest way to take care of what your baby may need, but it isn’t always the best solution or may not be what you need. It may not match your décor, or your goals for your baby, or what you already have from previous babies or gifts from others. So let’s look at the basic four piece crib set.

Most crib sets are comprised of 4 pieces – the baby blanket, the crib sheet (typically fitted), the crib skirt, and the bumper. The baby blanket is exactly what it sounds like – a blanket for your baby. Sometimes referred to as a quilt, it is a nice thick blanket that will typically be good for all seasons except summer.

The next part is also very important – the crib sheet. By fitted, that means that it has elastic at all four corners to help hold it down and keep it attached to the crib when your dearest starts doing barrel rolls in the middle of the night. This component is very similar to the fitted sheets that adults have for their beds, except it is notably smaller, to fit the smaller mattress.

A baby bumper is the typical third part of a four piece crib set, and what may confuse some new parents. A bumper is a padded section that goes around the inside portion of the crib. It is usually about half the height of the inside portion of the crib. It serves a dual purpose. First, it keeps all your baby’s arms and legs inside the crib when they are flailing around during the night. Second, it serves as protection should your baby decide to move around a bit and bump their head against the side of the crib.

The typical final part of a nursery bedding set is the crib skirt. This is similar to a bed skirt. The function of a crib skirt is to go around the bottom of the crib, making it look pretty. It does look nice, but it doesn’t really serve much of a functional purpose.

An additional thing to consider purchasing for your nursery bedding needs is a mattress pad or even an additional mattress protector. The mattress pad makes things a little softer between the crib sheet and the crib mattress. It’s a good thing to have. Even though junior may be wearing a diaper, they do leak, or open unexpectedly, or are opened by loving junior, or just overflow. A mattress protector is an additional layer of protection. It will typically go between the mattress pad and the mattress. It is more of a waterproof barrier that attempts to keep the mattress protected from any errant liquid. You may never need it, but if you do, you will be happy you have it.

Some parents like the idea of a pillow, some do not. Really not necessary. Some parents don’t want much inside the crib for their child; some will try and stuff as many toys and stuffed animals in as they can. There is a correlation between death from SIDS and the amount of stuff inside a baby’s crib, so some parents go to the opposite end and opt for absolutely nothing in the crib. Each parent will have to choose what is best for their baby, for them, and for their level of comfort.

Despite all your plans, you baby may have others. Our daughter is a little heater when she sleeps. She also loves to do barrel rolls. She often will end up turning 180 degrees or more during the night. As such, she has no use for a blanket, no matter what the season. Even though we tried to get her to use her grandmother’s beautiful blanket, or her other grandmother’s wonderful thick blanket, no luck. She fussed and fussed until we took everything off. Then she slept peacefully.

Whatever you choose, be careful, and be safe. Most important, be smart. Many new parents over-buy for their babies. In these tough economic times, less really can be more.