As soon as people started finding out I was expecting my first, the advice started spit-firing my way at a speed and intensity I never could have imagined. Everyone has an opinion about just about everything, and for the most part, these opinionated people don't keep their advice to themselves. Very rarely were people's opinions or advice ill received by my oblivious and overwhelmed self, but man was there a lot of information coming my way! A lot of ideas I had the good sense to ignore, but among the mountain of instruction, I did end up with a couple of gems that I've been very grateful for. One of which, of course, being the number one rule of thumb when it comes to taking advice, is to not take people's advice! However, as profound and life-altering as the "don't take other people's advice" advice is, that's not what I'll be talking about today.
Sadly, I truly cannot remember who told us this piece of advice or when, but I'm so glad that whoever it was did so! All I know is it was sometime before my first baby was born A.K.A. just in time. The advice was this: when putting sheets on Baby's crib mattress, first start with a mattress protector, then put on a sheet, then put on another mattress protector then another sheet. As simple (or maybe silly) as this sounds, I have obviously LOVED this advice. So much so, that I've implemented this bed-making strategy into all three beds in our house, including my king.
Cotton Muslin Fitted Sheet - Fairy Garden
Every time there is an accident: whether it's a blowout, wetting the bed, a bloody nose, spit up, vomit, or anything else at all, you're always set up with a backup plan. Simply remove the top sheet and mattress protector and you've got a brand new clean and dry surface to lay your child on. At this point, most parents just lay their child on a towel or blanket to finish out the night, which is a functional move, yes. BUT... 1. it's not safe for young babies, 2. it's not quite as convenient, C. it better protects the mattress in case of another accident, and 4. it's not nearly as "super-mom" status!
The only downside I have found with this method is that the bottom sheet hardly ever gets washed. But since I typically get the soiled sheets washed and put back on within a day or two of it happening, I suppose that bottom sheet really isn't getting very dirty anyway.
This brings me to a favorite product of mine, or in other words, my "top sheet" choice. My little' girl's Little Unicorn Cotton Muslin Fitted Sheet. Not just because the print matches, complements, and completes her nursery perfectly, but also because of the cotton muslin texture that is irresistible. It did take me a couple of weeks to get the hang of laying her down without snagging my wedding ring each time, but once I got over that learning curve, I was truly in love! I do like her bottom sheet also, so I don't mind when it makes an appearance every few months for a day or two, but I've been very satisfied with my LU sheet. If there were a competition for which room in my house is the cutest, my daughter's room would win hands-down, and the finishing touch of this sheet is a big reason why!