experienced parents- what do I need to get to provide my first with good and safe sleep

[Fox23]

Maybe boring topic, but... so, I’m pregnant with my first. Still few months to go, and I already have cot bed, Moses basket and Pram.
Yesterday I realised, that when I make my bed I use obvious - sheets, duvet etc etc.... but- what do babies need in Pram and the bed? Sheets? Protectors? Blankets? How many of each? Any material or brand preferences? I’m truly confused with all the internet articles, but none of then actually help with advice. They just scare you not to use ANYTHING as everything is damgerous, and then say you need all of that anyway.
Please help with your knowledge and experience 😊
Fox

It depends on if you get a sicky baby and how often you do washing.

You can buy specific fitted sheets for both moses basket and cot.

I had 4 for the Moses basket (baby in it for 6 months) and 2 protectors ( mainly because mattress was a peice of foam)

I have about 10 for the cot as they were given to me but they don't get soiled often so I just change every week like I would my own bed. We haven't got a protector cause mattress has one as default..was also told from experienced parent is that the plastic can stop heat leaving making baby hotter.

For sleeping in. My lo likes being warm so she was in a long sleeve sleeping bag and a cellular blanket tucked in when in the Moses basket.

In the bed she has a sleeping bag and seems fine. That all depends on your baby.

Mine was in sleeping bag from about 4 weeks.

As for pram. Most come with a cosy toes..if yours hasn't you can usually get one to fit. When lo was in the basket bit I just had a few blankets and a all in one thickness dependant on weather.

The generally rule for nightime is one extra layer to what you are comfortable in. Ie. If you are warm enough just naked (like at the moment) then a vest will be fine. But room temp makes a difference.. we have a air con system in our lo bedroom as it's too warm so she is in a baby grow and 1 tog sleeping bag.

You can get a gro egg that is pretty accurate at telling you room temp

Hope that helps

Oh and where to buy. I got asda ones they do just fine

I had 2 mattress protectors and 4 sheets for each moses and cot. I layed them on (still do now they're bigger!) mattress - protector - sheet - protector - sheet. Means in the middle of the night you just whip off the sheet and 1st protector in case of sick/poo etc and are good to go. I got 2 cellular blankets and 1 pram blanket. I started using sleeping bags instead of blankets at around 3mo.

@Happygummibear thank you! I’m planning to do some shopping tomorrow, or as my DH reminds me- nesting 😆 but I just don’t want to get stuff that’s unnecessary, so your advice is so appreciated! She will be autumn baby, so if she is anything like me, then she will like cool temperatures.
@skankingpiglet- see, I was thinking about mattress protectors, but having 2 on, so you can just quickly change the bedding sound like great hack!

I would go for grow bags rather than sheets and blankets. They often come up reduced in tk max.
I always go on to wear and one to wash.

@WinkyisbackontheButterBee did you use grow abs from day one? Does seem like good option. Mothercare had big sale so I got 2.

Most gro bags have a minimum weight, you'll have to check but if I remember rightly it's around 8lb ish, so it will depend on your baby. I had many fitted bottom sheets for the moses basket with d's and covered him with cellular blankets. I think he was too cold until big enough for a gro bag! Dd slept in with me at first then had whatever hand me down gro bags we had left from ds!

If your baby is too small for the grobag they also do grosnugs for newborns.

Dd was 7lbs 14 at birth so I used blankets and sheets for the first 2 weeks, until she regained lost weight and got to 8lbs.

I would seriously consider the gro-swaddle or similar for the next one though. I didn’t know that they existed when dd was tiny.

I had the grosnugs for the newborn stage and loved them then moved on to gro bags. We have slumbersacs now which have feet so he can move more. We have two mattress protectors, we had a moses basket but DS hated it so slept in the cot from day one. We have plain white sheets which do look lovely but would get patterned ones in future for hiding stains!

such a great advice! I bought 2x 1 tog growbags and 1x 2.5tog. Also got some fitted sheets and cellular blanket! 😁😁😁 I also got swaddle - you never know what she will like!
Of course I got some gorgeous outfits that are not very useful but my DH just couldn’t resist dungarees and little jeans.
Came home and ended up doing “stock take “ of sorts just to see what’s missing! Lots still missing!
What’s your take on cit bumpers? I read they are great, and the next article basically said that it’s the worst for the baby! Confusing!

We don't use cot bumpers, it's all a personal choice but DS has not banged his head hard enough for me to consider them worth the risk of suffocating. He has bumped his head but only a little bump now he is nearly walking. Have a read of the safer sleep guidance and you can choose which suit you and your baby. I followed clear cot, back to sleep etc but did co sleep on occasion when we needed to.

I looked at cot bumpers but they didn't sit right. So I took them back and got the breathable ones. They help with baby not sticking a limb through the bars. Yes she has bumped her head but that was after she started crawling and soon learned not to do it but it didn't seem to bother her.

They look pretty but not sure they are worth it for the risk they pose

Ds loved looking at the bumpers. He seemed to like snuggling up in his little bed. Dd was a fucking menace and still managed to smack her head repeatedly on the bars. Unfortunately you cant plan for personality!

The thing that saved us was a JoJo Maman Bebe swaddle. The one with the Velcro (ours was the elephant print). Our baby could fight her way out of a swaddle from day 1 and it really helped her sleep! I got mine second hand on eBay.

Forgot black out blinds.

Absolutely NO on cot bumpers for safe sleep.

We had 4 moses basket sheets as DS was a puker and a cellular blanket or very light cotton one.

We have 4 cot sheets now and he was in sleeping bags until about 10 mo when he really started moving and got cross with them and it's been vry very warm since then so he's just in vest or PJs now.

He's also a very 'hot' baby so tends to be wearing less than guidelines