10 Questions You Should to Know about Crib Blanket Supplier

It’s Best to Buy a New Crib

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While family members might insist that you use the vintage crib your grandparents used decades ago, for safety’s sake, you should use only a new crib that conforms to current federal safety standards rather than going for secondhand. The federal government implemented new standards for cribs in , which included a ban on drop-side cribs. Buying a crib made after or so (to account for some wiggle room for implementation of the new standards) will ensure that your baby’s sleep environment is as safe as possible. 

Another consideration: The structural integrity of a used or secondhand crib may have diminished with time—or with assembly and disassembly, depending on how often it changed rooms or hands—further putting the baby at risk. Humidity, heavy use, and other factors can take a toll on furniture, and buying a new crib eliminates that particular worry. 

Make sure to buy your crib from a reputable retailer. If you can’t identify the manufacturer or whether the crib meets current safety standards, it’s safest to choose another option. 

Shopping online for your baby’s crib? CR’s safety experts recommend buying products where the online marketplace itself (such as Amazon or Walmart) is listed as the seller—because in those cases the platforms are responsible for the safety of those products under current laws. While products sold by third-party sellers online are required to meet all applicable safety standards, investigations by Consumer Reports, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and other news organizations have previously discovered recalled, hazardous, and counterfeit goods sold through third parties on online marketplaces. If you’re interested in a crib listed by a third party on an online retailer, stick with well-known and reputable brands. One good sign is if you can find the exact same product on other major retail sites. Being unable to find a company website is a bad sign. And know that designations like “Amazon’s Choice” do not guarantee a product’s safety. 

Convertible Cribs

The majority of the cribs in our ratings are convertible. This means that they’ll convert into different sleeping spaces, though the options vary. Some convert into toddler beds, daybeds, or even up to a twin or full-size bed. Many cribs convert to a toddler bed by simply removing one of the crib’s sides and replacing it with a low guardrail, which is sometimes included with the crib and sometimes sold separately as a conversion kit.

In some cases, you’ll have to buy separate conversion kits for each stage. CR’s experts recommend buying conversion kits at the same time you purchase the crib (or registering for both) to make sure you can get the matching parts in the right finish—and avoid a conversion kit potentially going out of stock. See our picks for the best convertible cribs, including several models that come with multiple conversion kits right in the box.

Ideal for small spaces, mini cribs can be a smart purchase if you’re looking to have your baby sleep in your bedroom for the first six months (or longer) but don’t want to give up a ton of floor space. Some mini cribs, like the Newton Baby crib or Stokke Sleepi crib in our ratings, can convert from a mini crib to a full-sized crib, but you’ll also need to purchase both a mini crib mattress and a full-sized crib mattress to make that transition.

If you’re traveling, your baby still needs a place to sleep. Portable cribs are similar to standard cribs but collapse for travel; this is more reasonable for a road trip to grandma’s than a flight to a tropical locale. For that, you might consider a play yard, which is a simple, easy-to-pack mesh enclosure that provides a safe place for your baby to sleep or play, whether that’s in the living room of your home or the living room of your Airbnb. Play yards are subject to federal standards, too. See our picks for the best play yards or travel cribs.

Cribs are typically made from wood or metal. Not all wood is created equal. Hardwood is usually denser and comes from deciduous trees, which lose their leaves once a year. Hardwoods include beech, oak, maple, walnut, and mahogany. Softwood, which comes primarily from evergreen trees like pine, cedar, and spruce, is more lightweight and affordable than hardwood. Hardwood is a more durable option than softwood, so it may be a better option if you plan to use the same crib for subsequent babies—it’s also less likely to show dents and scratches (or teeth marks!).

Metal cribs are highly durable and tend to be very sturdy: The metal cribs we tested all ranked very well for construction quality. Metal cribs also have a sleek, modern look and may hold up through multiple siblings better than a wooden crib. 

Keep Your Baby’s Sleeping Space Bare

It might not be the coziest-looking setup, but when it comes to your baby’s bedding, the maxim “less is more” applies. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies sleep in their own bed on a firm mattress with nothing more than a fitted sheet—no pillows, stuffed animals, blankets, positioners, or bumpers. 

Crib bumpers—which act as a fabric buffer between baby and the crib slats—were federally banned in due to suffocation risk. Bumpers present a much greater safety issue to your baby than wooden or metal crib rails. 

To keep baby warm, use sleep sacks or swaddles (but avoid weighted sleep sacks and swaddles because weighted sleep products can put dangerous amounts of pressure on your baby’s chest and lungs). Stop using swaddles that wrap their arms once your baby starts to show signs of rolling over.

Once you’ve set up the crib, check to make sure that there aren’t any loose bolts, screws, or other pieces that could catch on your baby’s clothes. Some of the cribs CR recently tested had gaps around fasteners or other inconsistencies in the finishes that could snag a tiny sleeve or tuft of hair. CR’s testing experts recommend checking the tightness of all bolts and screws every six months, and especially when you’re changing the mattress height.

Check that there aren’t any missing pieces, too. Loose or missing parts are dangerous and could lead to deaths or accidents for infants, so if anything is amiss, check with the manufacturer and ask for a speedy fix. Also look for loose or wiggly crib slats and mattress supports: Your crib should feel solid and sturdy. If you need to make repairs yourself, only use hardware provided by the manufacturer, if possible.

One more construction tip: Put the crib together in the room where your baby will sleep (the AAP recommends that your baby sleeps in your room for their first six months). You don’t want any parts to loosen if you’re moving it around, nor would it be a fun surprise to discover it doesn’t fit through your home’s doorways. 

The mattress you choose should fit snugly into the crib, without any gaps where the baby can get their head stuck. The CPSC says that full-sized crib mattresses should be at least 27 1/4 inches wide by 51 5/8 inches long, and a maximum of 6 inches thick, but it’s worth checking yours once it’s in place. “If you can fit more than two fingers between the crib frame and the mattress, the mattress is too small,” says Joan Muratore, the engineer who manages Consumer Reports’ crib testing. “Exchange or return that mattress for one that fits your crib tightly.”

The mattress you buy for your baby might seem startlingly firm and uncomfortable, but don’t attempt to make it softer with pillows, blankets, extra mattresses, or anything else. It’s supposed to be firm, and adding things to your baby’s bed could make the sleep environment unsafe by creating opportunities for your child to suffocate or get trapped.

Sheets should fit tightly, too—if you’ve ever gotten tangled up in a slightly loose fitted sheet, it should come as no surprise that this can happen to a baby. If you’re using older sheets, make sure the elastic is still in good condition. To test that a sheet is snug, pull on each corner when making baby’s bed to make sure it doesn’t become dislodged.

Cribs come with multiple mattress support heights, which means that the mattress can be raised or lowered as your baby grows. When baby is at their smallest, you can keep the mattress support height at its highest level. As they begin to lift themselves up on their hands and knees, they can also potentially lift themselves up and out of the crib. Set the mattress at its lowest level before the baby knows how to stand, which typically happens by the time the baby is a year old. Once they’re 35 inches tall or they are able to climb out—whichever comes first—it’s time to either move them to their own bed or convert the crib into a toddler bed.

How Much Should I Spend on a Crib?

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How much you want to spend on a crib may depend on your needs and budget. All cribs sold in the U.S. must comply with certain safety standards, so prices will reflect other factors, such as aesthetics, construction quality, and ease of assembly and use. Don’t rely exclusively on price to inform your choice of crib, though. As we discovered in our tests, a more expensive crib does not guarantee reliable, high-quality construction. 

While a crib is a smart long-term choice for your baby, a bassinet can also provide a safe sleep environment during the early months. A bassinet is smaller than a crib, so you can keep it right next to your bed for easy access to your baby. It’s important to know, though, that bassinets are really best for the newborn period: Babies should use them only until they show signs of rolling over or pushing up onto their hands and knees, or until they meet the weight and height limits of the bassinet, whichever comes first. After that point, they should transition to a crib or play yard for sleep.

Once your little one starts to show signs of climbing out of their crib, it’s time to switch to a toddler bed with a mattress low to the ground, in order to prevent any falls. Another metric to check is their height: If they’re taller than 35 inches, or if the top of the crib rail hits the middle of their chest, it’s a smart idea to help them graduate to a “big kid bed.” This milestone usually happens somewhere between 18 and 36 months, according to Cleveland Clinic. Your pediatrician can help recommend techniques for a smooth transition from crib to toddler bed.

Baby Bedding Advice

In the first days, weeks, and months of life, babies spend a lot of time (we’re talking as much as 17 hours a day!) snoozing. That makes it ultra-important that you outfit their bassinet—and later, their crib—with bedding that’s safe, clean, and comfy. Here’s everything you need to know about baby bedding, including what kind of bedding you need for a bassinet or crib, where to buy baby bedding, how to shop for the best baby bedding, and even how many sheets you need to buy.

Baby Bedding Essentials Every Parent Should Consider

1. Keep blankets and soft objects out of Baby’s bed. 
2. Change the sheets once a week.
3. Use gentle detergent.
4. Opt for organic cotton, the best material for baby bedding.
5. Stock up on spares.
6. Travel with a fitted sheet in tow.
7. Use our genius mattress protector hack.

Keep blankets and soft objects out of Baby’s bed.

We know that quilt that Aunt Linda knitted is super cute and cozy, but loose bedding has no place in your child’s bed! Blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, or similar objects could lead to suffocation or accidental strangulation and increase the risk of sleep-related deaths. You can use a fitted sheet (it should hug the mattress tightly with no slack) and a swaddle, but other than that, baby’s the only thing that belongs in bed!

Change the sheets once a week. 

There will be moments when it’s obvious that the sheets need to be cleaned (hello, gnarly blowouts!). But if you’re wondering how often you should wash baby bedding, the answer is about once a week. Even when your baby’s bedding doesn’t have visible stains, it may contain microscopic messes, like dust and dirt that can irritate the skin, or leaks that can’t be seen with the naked eye.

Use gentle detergent. 

You know that soft skin that makes your baby so snuggly and touchable...it can be really sensitive! If you notice your wee one’s skin is easily irritated (or if they have allergies or eczema), you’ll want to wash sheets with a color-free, fragrance-free detergent that’ll be less likely to rub them the wrong way.

Opt for organic cotton, the best material for baby bedding. 

Another important way to protect your baby’s delicate skin? Choose baby bedding that’s organic. An estimated 25% of the world’s pesticides and 10% of insecticides go to cotton plants, and a baby’s skin is going to be more susceptible to these chemical residues. (We’re partial to SNOO’s Fitted Sheets, which are made with soft, breathable 100% GOTS certified cotton.)

Stock up on spares. 

Accidents happen! Be prepared for life’s messiest surprises by having a change of sheets (or better yet, a whole bundle of spares) on hand. Bonus: Stocking up on sheets in different colors and patterns allows you to add a personal touch to baby’s bassinet. That’s why we recommend buying a bedding set with at least 3 sheets that you can wash, clean and store for baby bed emergencies.

How many bassinet and crib sheets do you really need?

Between spit-ups, diaper blowouts, and everyday messes, having enough bedding on hand is a lifesaver for busy parents. Here's a quick guide:

• For the bassinet: Aim for at least three to five fitted sheets. This gives you one in use, one in the wash, and backups ready to go.
  
• For the crib: You'll also want about three to five crib sheets to cover middle-of-the-night emergencies and unexpected messes.

Investing in a sheet bundle can save you time and stress—plus, it ensures you always have a fresh set ready without scrambling during late-night wake-ups.

Travel with your fitted sheet in tow.

Babies thrive on consistency. When your little one is away from home, you’ll want to keep as many aspects of their sleep routine the same as possible. That means making up the hotel crib (or the borrowed SNOO at Grammy and Grampy’s) with the comfy fitted sheet that they’re used to.

Use a genius mattress protector hack. 

Middle-of-the-night leaks are inevitable…and changing the sheets in a bleary-eyed, zombie-like state is a total hassle. Once your little one has graduated to a crib, you can take advantage of this major parenting hack. First, buy an extra mattress protector. Then, when you initially make the bed, layer it like this: mattress protector, top sheet, second mattress protector, second top sheet. This way, the next time you face a late-night spit-up eruption or pee-splosion, you can simply remove the top two layers and—voila!—the rest of the bed is ready for your babe to rest her sleepy head (which means you can get back to slumberland pronto, too).

Where’s the best place to buy baby bedding?

Quality, safety, and convenience should lead your search when it comes to choosing the best place to buy baby bedding. Shopping directly from trusted baby brands ensures you're getting bedding that meets the highest safety standards, uses gentle materials like organic cotton, and is designed specifically for your baby's sensitive skin.

Whether you’re preparing for your little one’s first night at home or refreshing your sleep space with new sheets, look for a retailer that offers:

• Certified organic fabrics

• Easy-to-clean, machine-washable options

• Sets and bundles for better value

• Customer support that understands newborn needs

At Happiest Baby, we offer everything you need to build a safer, cozier sleep environment—including our SNOO Organic Bassinet Sheets 3-Pack crafted with ultra-soft organic cotton.

Because when your baby spends up to 17 hours a day sleeping, only the best bedding will do.

Conclusion: Baby Bedding Advice

Remember, babies are spending roughly two-thirds of their lives asleep, so it’s essential that you choose baby bedding, like the SNOO 3-sheet bundle, that promotes safe, healthy sleep...and it doesn’t hurt if that offers a few style points to boot!

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Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

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