I am a big fan of multi-pack crib sheets. It is always a good idea to have extra crib sheets in the middle of the night when your baby spits up or worse all in her bed. That way, you can grab one from the closet and slap it on her mattress and worry about washing the soiled one the next day. So what if the fitted sheets on the mattress  do not match the ducks on the curtains? As long as your baby has clean linens, that is all that counts.

Some moms (like me) prefer to start their tiny newborn out in a smaller sleeping space such as a cradle or bassinet. A full-size baby crib may not seem very big to an adult, but to a brand new baby it can seem awfully large. For the first few months, a smaller option may help your baby feel more secure. Sometimes, finding cradle/bassinet  sheets can prove to be a little more tricky than standard crib sheets.  For my cradle, the only sheets I could find were just a fraction away from the exact size of the mattress. They fit just a little too big, so I made sure to tuck the sides firmly around the edges of the mattress.

Most baby bedding sets come with a quilt. Since it is recommended by every baby association to keep blankets as well as stuffed animals out of the baby’s sleeping area, the quilt is essentially useless except for decoration. I made a focal point out of my baby’s quilt (which consisted mostly of large and small polka dots) by attaching to her nursery wall like an art piece. It is a great way to soften up the room as well as give her something to look at while her vision adapts to see color, which happens at around three months.

First things first. Pick a color for your baby’s furniture that you can live with. Most cribs come in three basic colors – white, mahogany, and natural or variants of these shades. Other baby cribs are available in black, espresso, cherry, oak, and cognac. To avoid a room that is too dark for baby, use light-colored furniture with darker colored walls. A nice balance between crib and paint job will offer a pleasant harmony to the nursery.

Crib paint is often a subject of concern when searching for baby beds. Many parents worry that harsh chemicals comprise most types of paint. If you want to paint your crib, use high quality, lead-free enamel paint. Allow paint adequate time to completely dry, and check the label for warnings against using on cribs. It is advised by the CPSC not to use any used cribs, but if you do make sure all bolts and screws are replaced and/or tightened.

By now, it has been advised by every form of media not to use drop-side cribs. If you notice any still for sale, avoid them at all costs. Choose a bed that does not let down on the side, and make sure your crib bedding (such as the fitted sheet) is tightly secured around a firm mattress. Many cribs can be used as toddler beds, making them great investments. Knowing that you will have a baby bed for at least five years is a huge reason to spend time deciding on the perfect choice.

Thinking of going green for your baby’s crib? Non-toxic solid wood cribs are becoming more popular due to today’s raised environmental awareness. Aside from safe wood, you can also make your crib eco-friendly by choosing organic crib bedding and mattresses. That simply means that the cotton used to create the bedding and mattress was grown without the use of any harsh chemicals or pesticides. Most major retailers have organic options for baby.

Shopping for a crib can be one of the most stressful parts of your pregnancy. Take your time, and relax while you search for the perfect one. Consider ordering from catalogs or online so that you can have it delivered to your home without the hustle of loading one up yourself. Often, there are more choices from online stock than there are in stores like Sears and Target.

Step into your future nursery. Look around. Notice how many windows there are and how large they are. Imagine what you might do for window treatments. If the room is a bit small, open it up with a light color like yellow. To make it feel cozy and snug, go for a in-between shade of something like green or purple. Do not feel like your only options are blue and pink – there is a rainbow of suitable nursery colors out there.

When choosing paint, you will be faced with different finishes and shines. There are quite a few  selections of these finishes including flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. In my opinion, eggshell is best for every room in the house. It has a nice subtle shine  similar to, well, an egg’s  shell. Flat paint is just that- very flat. When using flat paint, go for quality paint. Inexpensive flat paint tends to mark up significantly causing the whole paint job to deteriorate sooner than it should. Glossy paints will reflect light and add a shine to a room.

Maybe you do not want one color of paint on your baby’s walls. Opt for a chair rail and use two different shades for above and below the rail. When using more than one paint in a room, it is best to stay within color scheme. For instance, if you are using orange above the chair rail consider using a peach for below.  Another option is to skip painting below the rail all together and go for wood paneling or wainscoating.

For a dynamic approach, think about painting the ceiling of your child’s nursery. Using celestial symbols like the sun, moon, and stars, turn the room into a planetarium. Paint a jungle mural or big puffy clouds against a light blue shade of paint.  The possibilities of painting a ceiling are endless. Of course you can always just use a single shade of paint and it will still have a dramatic effect that a plain, white ceiling simply does not.

For those of you only looking for nursery specifics but still want a theme, many four-piece baby bedding sets are available to choose from. Most well-known commercial retailers carry these packages of a quilt, fitted sheet, dust ruffle, and bumper. While a four-piece baby bedding set may not complete your theme, it is optimum for beginning one.

If  you are on a budget, allow yourself flexibility for certain items, such as a giant Pooh Bear. By using two or three large representations of your theme, it is still possible to tie them together to create a theme. For instance, a lamp with a wooden bat base paired with a rug in the shape of a baseball, may be just enough to exhibit a sports theme.

A great way to create your own them is to paint a mural in your baby’s room. Because it is your imagination, you can turn your child’s nursery into a princess haven or wild jungle. If you do not feel comfortable working free handed, there are many tools you can use to express your ideas. Generally, a mural is dedicated to a single wall, but something on all walls can also work.

Probably the most used and reused items in your nursery will be the crib sheets. If you are concerned about being out of theme with your baby’s sheets, you may want to stock up on Care Bears or dinosaur sheets. It is inevitable that you will have to change the sheets in your baby’s crib often, so it is always a good idea extra clean ones on hand.

Maybe you want to go modern in your little one’s nursery. Many designs can fall into the category of “modern” and it sometimes confusing. The basic idea of the modern look is clean lines and simple designs. With modern baby bed quilts, there is definite background and dominating figures, like birds or flowers. Nature themes work well with the modern look.

It often seems there are more themes for baby girl bedding than there are for boys. Society tends to limit what is considered masculine enough for even baby boys. Some great themes for boy’s bedding are Mickey Mouse, Looney Tunes, Transportation, Robot, and Jungle. Do not worry about whether they are boyish enough – your baby just wants your love and attention.

If you do plan to use pink in your baby girl’s room, consider going with more than just pink. Pink and a gentle green or pale yellow are a great mix of colors for your little girl. Crib bedding is often a focal point in a nursery, so the decision you make will be important for the entire motif. By choosing baby bedding with scenes from nature – butterflies, sunshine, and rainbows – you can easily incorporate multiple colors.

Is it particular themes you are interested in for your baby? Noah’s Ark uses a wide palate to illustrate the famous biblical scene. It can be found in earth tones, pastels, or even bold colors.  Lions, zebras, bird, elephants, monkeys and other animals offer variety in shade, texture, and pattern. This mural is a great choice for baby bedding for those planning to hold off on revealing the gender of their baby.

Much like your baby boy, a nursery should have personality. Nurture your little engineer’s mind with choo-choo train crib bedding. Trains are typically shown in blues, reds, and yellows – all colors that are easy to match the rest of the nursery with. Other forms of transportation are great for dynamic color as well – airplanes flying high in blue skies and red cars racing on speedways are great ideas for boy’s bedding, curtains, and stuffed animals.

Disney’s Winnie the Pooh is another theme used for its colors. A mix of earth tones and bold shades, Pooh Bear and his friends bring charm and character to a baby’s room. Tan, yellow, and green are used in the general background of the Pooh theme. Splashes of color highlight and contrast against these mild tones such as Pooh’s red shirt. Tigger is orange, and even Eeyore sports a bit of pink. Because of the neutrality in color, Winnie-the-Pooh baby bedding is often found in the nurseries of boys and girls.

High-contrast is hot on the market of baby bedding today. In the last few years, dark nursery furniture has frequently been accented with pinks and blues. The sharpness of pale pink against brown or black wood creates a dynamic presentation for a girl. Teal or aqua has the same effect in a boy’s room. Busy patterns are also pleasing to the eye when paired with solid shades.

The easiest way to be sure to match baby bedding is to purchase a pre-assembled set of sheets, blanket, bumper, and mobile. You can easily imagine how the bedding will look once in your baby’s crib, therefore giving you an idea of how the whole nursery will look and feel.  For instance, a high-contrast look would consist of a dark or cherry wood crib with pastels. The pastel against the dark wood is a sharp look and very pleasant to the eye.

There are many versions of baby bedding kits. One of these versions is a character theme, in which a particular animal or group of animals are represented.  Some character themes are generic, while some are mainstream such as Winnie the Pooh or Rugrats. Other kits are more refined, displaying only patterns of flowers, circles, clouds, etc. These type kits are always handy if you have received many different styles of bedding from your baby shower.

Baby mobiles are quite often a focal point in a nursery. Some mobiles have muted colors and plain fabric animals, while other are quite bold and bright such as the Rainforest themed mobile from Fisher-Price. Most all mobiles play music and/or sounds of comfort for your baby.

Many people think it is necessary to match their nursery dresser, crib, and changing table to the tee. However, having furniture that only matches in color can look great in a nursery. In fact, many cribs have changing tables attached to them so that makes decorating even more simple. Your baby will not notice if all of his furniture does not match in wood design.

One very important thing to remember when purchasing baby bedding is that crib sheets must be tight fitting around the mattress. Make sure that you are buying the right size sheets for your crib mattress, for the safety of your baby. Never put stuffed animals or pillows in the crib, and make sure that if you use a bumper it is tied securely in place.