Prepare baby crib
Whoohoo! You are eager to prepare your baby’s cot or crib (on the way). But how do you prepare a baby cot or crib in the best way? How Tightly Should You Tuck Your Baby In? We give you some tips on how to make your baby cot safely.
Short preparation of the baby cot
Important to know before you start: a baby cot (whether it’s a cot, co-sleeper or crib, it doesn’t matter) can be shortened. Your baby has to lie with his feet almost against the foot end to be able to sleep safely. If you make the bed shorter, your baby cannot slide down and his head can end up under the bedding. The head is therefore somewhere halfway the bed, instead of at the head end. The bedding should come approximately to the shoulders.
Get going!
- Put the flannel around the mattress or place the mattress protector on the mattress.
- Then put a fitted sheet over it. Make sure that the fitted sheet lies smoothly over the molton and tuck it in well.
- Place a hydrophilic diaper on the place where your baby’s head will lie. This is air permeable and catches drool and spit, so you don’t have to change the bed every day, but easily change this hydrophilic diaper every day.
- Finally, make the bed with a sheet and a blanket: let the sheet come out slightly from under the blanket, about 20 centimeters, and turn it over so that there is an edge over the blanket. Make sure that you tuck the sheet and blanket at least 10 cm under the mattress on the bottom and sides.
- Make the bed briefly from the foot end. If you have a lot of material left over from the sheet and blanket, tuck it under the mattress so that it is firmly attached. Please note that the mattress will not be placed much higher at the foot end as a result. If it does, you can place a folded blanket under the other part of the mattress.
Don’t
It is strongly recommended NOT to put items in your baby’s bed, such as: pillows, head protectors, pads, cuddly toys or sheepskins. A duvet is also not recommended when making the baby cot for children up to two years old. Rolling a baby’s face against soft materials such as a pillow or duvet can cause shortness of breath and increase the risk of SIDS.
Tip: It is better not to use ‘impermeable molton’ in cosleeper/cribs. It may seem useful against leaks, but these types of fabrics are non-ventilating and can cause overheating or hinder your child’s breathing.
Sleeping bag vs blanket
You can choose to make your baby cot with a blanket, but you can also opt for a sleeping bag. You can do both and each has its pros and cons. We have listed these for you:
Sleeping bag:
- Your baby can’t get his head under the blanket.
- Your baby can’t turn from under his sheet.
- Rolling is a lot more difficult in a sleeping bag.
Note: always choose a sleeping bag in the right size, so that your baby cannot sink into it.
Blanket:
- You don’t always have to buy sleeping bags in a larger size.
- You can tuck your baby in tightly, which gives him a secure feeling.
Disadvantage: A mobile child can toss and turn, which can make him cold at night.
The advice is not to let children under 2 years sleep under a duvet. Young children are not yet able to push away or crawl out of a duvet. So there is a risk of suffocation and overheating. Rather use a cotton baby sleeping bag or a not too thick baby blanket with sheet.
