How to Buy Baby Bedding and Furniture

Buying Guide for Baby Room Furniture and Nursery Bedding

Nov 10, 2009

Here is an introduction to choosing the right baby furniture and nursery bedding for baby's room. Useful tips on how to buy the perfect baby bed for the nursery.

Buying baby furniture and bedding for the nursery is an experience most soon-to-be parents enjoy and look forward to doing. Choosing a pretty pink or blue baby bed, teaming it with nursery themed linen or bedding and deciding on nursery themes are fun to do. However, it is important that parents buy baby furniture that is most importantly safe and nursery bedding that doesn’t simply look cute but will also keep baby warm and comfortable.

Here are some tips and ideas on how to buy the right baby furniture and bedding to create a nursery that is safe, secure and baby-friendly while being pretty and cute.

Choosing Safe and Pretty Baby Furniture

There is an endless variety of baby furniture to choose from, which makes the task quite difficult for new moms and dads. Essentially, a baby would need a baby bed or crib with a well-fitting bumper, a changing table, an infant seat and a dresser for clothes. While buying these items, safety should be on the top of the checklist, followed by durability, budget and then, style.

According to Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg and Sandee Hathaway, co-authors of What to Expect the First Year (Pocket Books, 2004), parents should choose baby furniture that has lead-free paint, rounded corners, smooth edges and a stable, non-tip construction. Always follow instructions for use and do a regular check for any parts that may be loose, frayed or worn out. Make a list of items that meet these criteria and then, choose according to budget and style of the nursery theme.

Buying Safe and Pretty Baby Bedding

Baby bedding and linen will include cot mattress, bumpers, blankets, fitted sheets, waterproof pads and mattress pads. When buying the baby mattress, ensure that it offers excellent support and is safe and comfortable for baby to use. It should fit snugly and be firm. Choose from innerspring or foam and choose the best quality.

Bumpers too should have a snug fit and according to What to Expect the First Year, have “…at least six ties or poppers for fastening it to the cot rails. The ties should not be longer than 15cm (6 in) to avoid any risk of strangulation.” Baby blankets, fitted sheets, mattress pads and other linen must also be of the best quality, non-allergenic material and fit the mattress snugly.

Buying the Right Baby Bed

Since all a new baby does is feed and sleep, buying the baby bed deserves a lot of thought and consideration. It is essential that the bed is safe, sturdy, comfortable, easy to maintain and durable. Check for labels which indicate that safety standards have been met. Cot slats should not be more than 2 3/8 inches apart, with no splinters or cracks in the wood; minimum rail height of 26 inches when the mattress is at its lowest position; at least 9 inches between the mattress and the top of the drop side when lowered.

If budget allows, invest in a convertible baby bed that would grow with baby and adapt to increasing needs and demands. Other useful features in a baby bed would be adjustable mattress height, casters for mobility, metal mattress support and a plastic-covered teething rail. Do ensure that the paint is lead-free and that there are no rough or sharp edges, peeling paint or missing latches or locks.

Ideas for Nursery Themes and Decorating Kids’ Rooms

Decorating a baby’s nursery is a fun and enjoyable activity looked forward to by all new parents. Parents can choose a nursery theme and buy items that coordinate with the theme or decorate in a random yet aesthetic fashion. In either case, the idea is to create a room that will look beautiful, be warm and welcoming, and keep baby safe and secure.

The safari nursery theme is quite popular and so is a princess-themed nursery for baby girls or a superhero nursery theme for baby boys. If the gender of the baby is known, parents could use either pink or blue colors for walls and furnishings; however if it is unknown it will be a good idea to use neutral colors in pale hues.

Buying baby furniture and bedding is an enjoyable activity and by keeping safety, practicality and durability in mind, parents can buy the perfect baby bed and bedding to keep the little one safe, secure, warm and comfortable.

Murkoff, Heidi. Eisenberg, Arlene. Hathaway, Sandee. What to Expect the First Year, 2nd Edition. Pocket Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster UK Ltd., 2004.

The copyright of the article How to Buy Baby Bedding and Furniture in Baby Products is owned by Prerna Malik. Permission to republish How to Buy Baby Bedding and Furniture in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.