You’re a new mom and may have asked yourself, “how many crib sheets do I need?” There’s so much to know about a newborn, even down to the number of sheets, blankets, and burp cloths.
When I was pregnant with my first son, I asked all the questions, even down to the number of items he needed. Especially if this is your first baby, you have many questions.
Having a new baby is new, fun, and often a little overwhelming.
This is where Mom to Littles comes in, we’re here to help you know how many crib sheets you might need when your baby is born.
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How many crib sheets do I need?
Fitted sheets are necessary for a baby’s crib. When it comes down to it, a firm mattress, waterproof mattress pad, and fitted sheets are all you really need for a crib.
When my son’s were newborns, we had a bare crib for safety reasons. They’d sleep in their crib with the bare minimum items and it worked well for us.
You don’t want to overfill a crib with unnecessary and potentially dangerous items that could cause suffocating or choking hazards.
A simple crib is a safer crib.
Are crib sheets safe for baby?
Before purchasing crib sheets you’ll want to ask yourself if the sheets you’re looking at are as safe as necessary for the newborn baby.
Some things to consider would be:
- Fit: You’ll need a snug and fit crib sheet to ensure that it doesn’t bunch up, or slip off the mattress, and cause a suffocation hazard for the baby.
Newborns and little babies can’t yet move away from something obstructing their breathing, so it’s important that you not only have a fitted sheet, and a mattress that fits snuggly in the crib, but also that you have no, or very limited, items in the crib with the baby.
- Breathability: Because babies sleep on their backs, and spend much of their time laying down, unless being held, they can become warmer and sweat more than adults – this can lead to them becoming too warm and uncomfortable.
Look for a fitted sheet that is breathable, and allows the baby to remain at a cooler temperature.
I found with my babies that the cooler they were, the less likely they were to become uncomfortable and wake up from being hot. Of course, you don’t want your baby to become cold, but a nice cooler and breathable sheet will help the baby be comfortable and happy.
- Gentle and Allergen Reducing: So, you’ll want a material that’s gentle on baby’s skin, a material that doesn’t irritate the baby’s skin, but also a sheet that can hold up to the frequent washing that will be required.
Sounds hard to find, I know. So much to look for in a good fitted crib sheet, but there are good options on the market, you’ll just want to do some good research, even ask friends, in order to find the option best for you and your baby.
How many fitted sheets will baby need?
This really depends on how often you plan on washing the sheets.
Are you going to wash sheets every few days or every day? The more often you do laundry, the less amount of sheets you’ll need.
You’ll need to factor in accidents as well, which will determine how often you’ll do laundry, and how many sheets your baby will require.
If you plan to wash a load of baby laundry daily, you can get by with less sheets than if you want to stretch out the laundry days.
A good rule of thumb:
- Less loads of laundry – 5 plus sheets
- Frequent loads of laundry – 3 or more sheets
With my boys, I liked to do laundry less often than some parents, as I had enough going on that doing loads of laundry daily just piled on to my daily load of responsibilities. (puns intended)
I would often do laundry every 2-3 days, but my babies would need their sheets changed every 1-2 days. In my case, I had about 5 sheets to cycle through. This helped with peace of mind that I wouldn’t run out of fresh sheets, but also helped keep my laundry cycles running as I’d like.
What size sheets do I look for?
Depending upon the size of your baby’s crib, you’ll either get a standard crib sheet or a mini crib sheet.
- A standard crib sheet measures 52 inches by 28 inches
- A mini crib sheet measures 24″ x 38″
These are standard sizes and should work for your crib, however, it’s always good to be extra sure before purchasing an item and check the dimensions of your crib mattress.
What kind of fitted sheets should I buy?
There are so many sheets available on the market today.
Different fabrics, styles, and designs to choose from. It may become overwhelming, when looking for the best options for your baby.
You’ll want to look at the reviews for any given sheet set before purchasing. Read the pros and cons of each sheet set. Once you find a fitted sheet you like, it’ll be much easier to purchase again – you’ll simply re-purchase the same when you need to replenish.
Some fabrics you’ll find standard with crib sheets:
- cotton
- bamboo
- linen
- cotton muslin
Best fitted crib sheets on Amazon
- Size: 28×52 standard crib size
- Colors: many solid colors to choose from
- 100% cotton
- deep pockets for snug fit
Current rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Price: $25.99
2. Newton Baby Organic Fitted Crib Sheets
- 28×52 – standard crib size
- Colors – multiple colors and designs
- 100% organic cotton
- All-around elastic for a snug fit around mattress
Current rating – 4.5 out of 5
Price – $39.99 2 pack
3. Burt’s Bees Baby – Fitted Crib Sheet
- 28×52
- Solid colors
- 100% organic cotton
- Mini crib size option
- Extra fabric overlap on bottom edge prevents sheets from pulling up.
Current rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Price: $15.96
4. LifeTree Crib Sheet
- 28×52 standard size
- 70% Bamboo & 30% Cotton
- Different patterns
- Snug fit with deep pocket
Current rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Price: $21.90
5. Stretch Ultra Soft Jersey Knit Fitted Crib Sheets
- 28×52 standard sheet size
- Jersey knit
- Variety of colors and designs
- 2 pack
- Elastic band for security
Current rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars
Price: $21.99
Choosing the best crib sheets for your baby
Here are some criteria you can use when choosing the best sheets for your needs.
- Fabric type
- Organic or not
- Breathable
- Color options
- Design options
- How deep the pocket/how resistant to bunch up
- Price
- Money back guarantee
- How many sheets come in the pack
In the end, choosing the amount of sheets and type of sheets you purchase for your baby’s crib should be an educated decision, but not an overwhelmed decision. And we hope that this article has helped you answer the question of “how many crib sheets do I need?”
Wishing you the best with your new baby!
Related reading: how many burp cloths do I need?
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Mom to Littles is a passion project of long-time stay-at-home mother of three boys. Nell loves to write about baby names, pregnancy advice, best baby products, and self-care for new moms. You’ll find MomtoLittles.com to be a place for real talk and a warm hug from a friend for the mom of little children.
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