Are Fitted Crib Sheets Safe? |
A major problem that arises after tucking in a crib sheet is that it can get dislodged and come loose, defeating the very purpose for which it was intended. Going by current safety standards, crib sheets should fit the mattress tightly and not get unraveled by the baby’s movement. Parents need to be sure that once they have fitted a crib sheet, the baby should not be able to pull it off.
Crib sheets that get dislodged and unraveled pose a potential risk of the baby getting entangled leading to tragic situations. The fact is that an infant who weighs as less than twelve pounds can pull the crib sheet off the mattress by arm and leg movements or by turning over frequently.
The obvious need for stayput fitted crib sheets led to attempts for providing a solution to the problem. Various types of hooks, fasteners and elastic bands are used to make crib sheets that will stay put without the risk of getting unraveled. Now, Velcro, an innovative fastener has been in use for stayput fitted crib sheets due to the convenience it offers.
Cotton is the most preferred fabric for crib sheets. Percale cotton sheets, preferably untreated with chemicals, are the safest for the baby. Cotton is a natural fiber, and when it is grown and produced organically it provides an environment that is conducive to the baby’s growth. Its breathable property does not let the air to be trapped within.
The problem arises when the crib sheet shrinks after frequent washings. That disturbs the alignment of the fasteners, in turn making it easy for the crib sheet to dislodge by itself or by slightest movement by the baby. Cheap elastic bands also suffer the same fate exposing the baby to risk when the crib sheet gets unraveled.
A crib sheet that is fitted like a pillowcase over the mattress can prove to be a perfect stayput fitted crib sheet provided it is made from good quality textiles. The other aspect that you need to be sure of to assure the safety of your child is to buy only preshrunk crib sheets equipped with better quality elastics that do not loose elasticity on washing. Cotton has an inherent property of shrinking. However, closely woven percale made from fine counts of cotton yarn will shrink less or not at all if has already gone through shrinking processes during manufacturing.
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