Since a baby spends so much time sleeping, his crib becomes his castle. Flip through a baby catalog and you will soon find that furnishing that castle is not as easy as you might think.

After a firm mattress that fits snuggly in the crib, the basic thing every crib needs is a sheet. But not all crib sheets are created equal. They can differ greatly in durability and price.

Sheets with a high thread count (200 or more) are softer than ones with lower counts and may feel better against a baby's skin. These crib sheets also tend to have elastic all the way around instead of just at the corners, helping them to go on easier (which may save your sanity when you need to change the sheet fast after a diaper mishap).

To test the durability of a new crib sheet, wash and dry it several times before putting it on the mattress. A child can pull off a sheet that is too loose. A sheet that is too tight can pop off the corner. Both situations carry the risk of a baby becoming entrapped. Return the sheet to the store if the fit is unsatisfactory.

As with all nursery items, what you are willing to pay for crib sheets is a matter of choice. Better quality crib sheets may cost more at first but will not need replacing as often. Denise and Alan Fields, authors of Baby Bargains (Windsor Peak Press, 2005), suggest buying solid color sheets that go with your nursery's theme instead of ones with a certain character or pattern. This will give you many more stores (and, hopefully, sales) from which to choose.

If many safety experts had their way, that basic crib sheet would be it for a crib.

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