Cot Sheets

About

Cot sheets are the layer you handle more than anything else in the nursery. They come off at odd hours, go through the wash constantly, and the difference between a sheet that fits properly and one that does not shows up on the very first night. Fit Is a Safety Question, Not a Neatness One A fitted cot sheet should sit tight across the mattress with every corner fully engaged and no slack anywhere. Safe sleep guidance asks for a firm, flat surface, and loose fabric that can be pulled free works against that directly. Most Australian cot mattresses run close to 130 by 69 centimetres, which is why standard cot sheets fit the majority of cots sold here. Measure yours before ordering anyway, because oval, round and imported cots take their own sizes, and a sheet bought on the assumption of standard will not sit right on any of them. Cotton, Jersey and Bamboo Woven cotton is the traditional choice. It breathes well, feels crisp, and holds its shape through the number of washes a cot sheet actually gets. Jersey has a knitted stretch that makes it easier to pull over a deep mattress and gives a softer surface against new skin. Bamboo blends sit at the lighter end and handle warm nights better than most, which matters through an Australian summer when the nursery holds heat well after dark. Whichever you choose, look for a snug elastic all the way around rather than only at the corners, since that is what keeps the sheet flat by morning. How Many to Buy Three is the number most parents land on. One on the cot, one folded and ready, one in the wash. Two works right up until the night it does not, and then you are waiting on a dryer at three in the morning with a baby who is very much awake. Cot sheet sets and multipacks make that easier and usually cost less than buying singles. A mattress protector underneath is the other piece worth having, because it saves the mattress from the leak that gets past the sheet, and mattresses cost a great deal more to replace. Keeping a spar