How many crib sheets do you really need?

carleym93 · May 2015

Hi ladies! DH and I were gifted our crib set, but it only comes with one sheet and the line doesn't sell individual sheets that match. Its patterned, so we will just be buying extra sheets that are solid color that match the rest of the bedding. My question is: how many of those should we need? I assumed we'd need two sheets total so we'd just buy one extra, one to put on when the other is in the wash, but other people have been mentioning that they have 4-5 crib sheets. How many do we actually need?

pabeybaby · May 2015

I've been given/passed down a couple so far, and even if the colors don't match my MIL reminded me they're going to get soiled anyway. My main thing is I still can't fold a friggin fitted sheet even if it's tiny!

j&gmiller2015 · May 2015

I registered for 8, don't know if I'll get 8, don't know if I'll use 8, but better safe than sorry. I just don't want an accident at 2 in the morning and be worried if my one extra sheet is clean. I'm a FTM so I can't offer experience, but that's just what I did.

deviduke412 · May 2015

I was recommended by mommy friends to have 3.

ambercdc · May 2015

I was recommended to have 4 or 5

prairiedreams · May 2015

I only had one for DS and never need more- the only time I was left wet in the night I put DS down in the pack n play and worried about it in the morning.

ptelfra · May 2015

FTM and I plan on buying about 5-6 just to have varieties and like previous post said to eliminate the worry about only having one other clean sheet.

mamaloaf · May 2015

We have 3 and that has been plenty for the 1. I may pick up one more so I always have a standby for each kiddo.

jaeleigh25 · May 2015

I would say 3-4, and then layer them on the crib with waterproof covers between them. That way you aren't changing a crib sheet at 2am.

jesicabrennan · May 2015

I have 4. There are nights they'll pee through (or poop through or throw up) 2 or 3 sheets. You never want to be stuck with nothing clean.

hclzmm14 · May 2015

I only had two. My daughter is 14 months old and has never "soiled" either of them. We had one poop explosion that got some poo on the sheet but I washed it immediately and it didn't stain. I just change it out weekly these days, used to be more. I also had two waterproof mattress pads. Really having more just means more laundry, and you'll have plenty of that to do with baby's clothes.

jesselayne8 · May 2015

2. Neither of my kids ever soiled a crib sheet.

amk013 · May 2015

I'm a FTM, but have been told to have at least 7. That way when they've thrown up on it four times in one day, you're not stuck doing laundry at 3 am.

PixelPosy · May 2015

We have 3 sheets and 2 mattress pad covers and that combo has worked out great for us. I have never done 3AM laundry due to lack of crib bedding. One set can be in the laundry, one on the mattress, and a spare sheet as back up. The crib mattress is waterproof, the pad is more for comfort and an extra absorbency layer. Again, never had to go without the pad though. It's really only been an issue when DD is throw up sick, which is thankfully a rarity. There was a small time period when her diaper was leaking overnight because she slept on her tummy more, but once we switched to overnight diapers, that hasn't ever been an issue again.

Perfect Sonnet · May 2015

jesselayne8 said:
2. Neither of my kids ever soiled a crib sheet.

Same with me. I think some kids have heavier diapers (especially when they're older) that may soil sheets, but we only had to wash our daughter's sheet when we did our weekly laundry.

Wering · May 2015

It depends. If you're ONLY using crib sheets, you'll need probably 3-4. If you're using a waterproof mat on top of the crib sheet, you can get away with only 2. Babies pee through their diapers or poop up their backs more frequently than you'd ever think...

mrsb30 · May 2015

jaeleigh25 said:
I would say 3-4, and then layer them on the crib with waterproof covers between them. That way you aren't changing a crib sheet at 2am.

Love this, that's what my mommy friends recommend.

Savanna111911 · May 2015

most of my mommy friends have said 3-4. Two come in our crib set and I have registered for 2 as well so we will see. If I don't get either of these things as a shower gift I will probably buy the crib set and 1 extra.

Miz_Liz · May 2015

3 to me is plenty. I don't even know how many we have, but I only remember using 2 (one int the wash, one on the crib). When DS would get sick (rare) we would end up taking him downstairs and sitting on the couch with him on our lap anyway. I personally can't put a puking toddler back into bed and leave him - freaks me out.

amkjrp08 · May 2015

With my DS I would put a sheet on both sides of the mattress so that if it needed changed in the middle of the night then all i had to do was flip the mattress. I had an extra crib sheet that I would put back on the crib in the morning so I was ready again.

heath3er · May 2015

I always think 2 to 4 crib sheets and two waterproof pads. You never know when they are going to either have a throw up or a blowout.

Lalala2326 · May 2015

3 sheets and 2 waterproof covers was good for us. Never have been rushed to do laundry for them.

ann_jeremiah · May 2015

2 or 3 should be sufficient. I have never had to change the sheet more than once in the middle of the night.... I'd have more, if keeping up laundry is a potential issue.

carleym93 · May 2015

Thanks ladies! DH and I picked up an organic waterproof mattress pad that happened to come as a two pack, so I was super excited! I think we'll go ahead and get two extra sheets so we have 3 total.

EmEeGee · May 2015

This could be a dumb question... But if my mattress is waterproof, would I still want to get mattress pads?

carleym93 · May 2015

@megvaddi I hadn't thought about that! But my gut instinct would be yes. Just to save you the step of having to clean the mattress. You can just take the pad off and throw it in the wash. Plus, I don't know if this would happen BUT it may keep your mattress from starting to smell after a few leaks.

jessandandy09 · May 2015

Miz_Liz said:
3 to me is plenty. I don't even know how many we have, but I only remember using 2 (one int the wash, one on the crib). When DS would get sick (rare) we would end up taking him downstairs and sitting on the couch with him on our lap anyway. I personally can't put a puking toddler back into bed and leave him - freaks me out.

this is exactly the case for us. All puke ended up on me. soak-throughs only seemed to happen when baby was older. We always keep 3 on hand. 1 on the bed and 2 for back up (mostly because we are laundry lazy)

EmEeGee · May 2015

carleyec93 said:
@megvaddi I hadn't thought about that! But my gut instinct would be yes. Just to save you the step of having to clean the mattress. You can just take the pad off and throw it in the wash. Plus, I don't know if this would happen BUT it may keep your mattress from starting to smell after a few leaks.

That's a good point. At 3am it would be easier to just rip it off than go get something to wipe the mattress down with and then dry it before putting a new sheet on.

ambah · May 2015

We have 3 and found that was a perfect amount! Never did we run out of sheets.

mikeandjenn · May 2015

I have three and that's all we needed with our first LO. I also got waterproof play yard pads even though we have a waterproof mattress pad because it's way easier to fold and throw in the dirty clothes/rinse and put in washer than disassemble the entire crib. Also, they have waterproof changing pads too. I had a cute changing pad cover but always kept a clean Waterproof changing pad on top. Some people use pet potty pads but I hate the way that looks and then you have to keep restocking. Saves so much time!

daniellepanda · May 2015

3 is plenty if you have laundry in your house/apartment. 4-5 is a good amount if you have to do laundry elsewhere.

buckleyk · May 2015

We have 3 for my son and that's been more than enough.

And I would recommend light color sheets. We got him a navy set of sheets and you can see smears of drool after 1 night of sleeping on them. It's gross!

KMBC2552 · May 2015

2-3 was always plenty for us. Also if the mattress is waterproof you still do want a waterproof mattress cover so that if your baby does have a blowout at night you are not wiping everything down. Instead you just remove sheets/mattress pad and put on clean ones.