Choosing the Correct Material for Your Nursery Bedding

Baby girl bedding: frills and lace. Baby bedding for boys: the wild, wild west. Just hold on a second! There are many adorable baby bedding sets out there, but not all of them are practical.

You are aware of your own allergies and avoid any irritants - but what about your new baby? There is no need to sacrifice comfort for looks, but be sure to consider the material of your baby's bedding before you worry about the theme. Any decent baby nursery bedding will provide certain important information: fill material and power, cover fabric, and thread count. The bedding needs to be warm, breathable, and lightweight. The Internet provides most of the information we need, and this includes the construction materials of baby bedding.

Fabrics like wool and cotton are less likely to cause allergies, so look for those instead of synthetics. Synthetic fabrics usually do not breathe and they may break down over time - emitting toxic fumes. This can cause respiratory problems and sleeping difficulties. If you have chosen a set like the Max baby bedding, that is composed of cotton and polyester (but mostly cotton), then you can continue looking or accept the small risk.

Wool is a great choice for a baby blanket - it's both soft and comfortable. When choosing a wool blanket, look for an organic or unbleached cotton flannel. If you want swaddling blankets, choose smaller-sized ones, but if you want a blanket for an older child, pick a larger one.

Down is the perfect filler for a baby's comforter - it is warm and breathable, with very little weight. Manufacturers understand that babies can be messy, so most down comforters are machine washable. Not all down comforters are equally clean - and a higher cleanliness rating means less chance of allergies. There are two tests to determine the cleanliness of down - the oxygen test and the turbidity test. The oxygen test has a government standard of 10 but a lower number is better. 550 is approximately the top of the turbidity scale. Lower numbers mean more organic material and dirt has been left in the down.