What to Look for When Choosing Cot Sheets for Your Baby
Choosing cot sheets seems like one of the simpler decisions when putting together a nursery — until you start shopping.
There are different fabrics, mattress sizes, fitted and flat sheets, countless prints and plenty of claims about what’s best for your baby.
And while we’ll always appreciate a cute cot sheet, there are a few practical things worth considering too. Your baby is going to spend a lot of time in their sleep space, so you want bedding that fits properly, feels lovely, washes well and can handle everyday family life.
Here are the things we think are worth looking for when choosing cot sheets for your baby.
1. Start with the right fit
Before falling in love with a print, check the dimensions of your cot mattress.
Cot mattresses can vary in size, so don’t assume every fitted cot sheet will fit every mattress. Look at the dimensions of both your mattress and the fitted sheet you’re considering.
A fitted cot sheet should sit securely around the mattress without excess fabric bunching on the sleep surface. The elastic should hold the sheet firmly in place, including after plenty of washes.
At Ever After Baby Co, our fitted cot sheets are designed to fit a standard Australian cot mattress of approximately 132 × 71 × 20 cm.
If you’re unsure about your cot, measure the length, width and depth of the mattress before purchasing your sheets.
2. Pay attention to the fabric
When you’re buying nursery bedding, it’s easy to focus almost entirely on how it looks. But the fabric itself deserves just as much attention.
Your little one will spend hours sleeping, resting and playing in their cot, with their skin regularly coming into contact with their bedding.
Natural fibres such as cotton are a popular choice for cot sheets because they’re soft, breathable and practical for everyday use.
Our own sheets are made from organic washed cotton. We chose it because we wanted a fabric that felt beautifully soft while still being practical enough for real family life.
Because beautiful is important. But so is surviving the washing machine.
3. Look beyond the word “organic”
You’ll increasingly see the word organic used across baby products, but it’s worth looking a little deeper at what a brand actually means by it.
If organic materials are important to you, check the product description for information about the fabric and manufacturing rather than relying solely on a word on the packaging.
It’s also worth understanding the difference between claims relating to the raw material, the finished textile and certifications held by a manufacturer.
4. Think about how it will feel after plenty of washes
There’s how a cot sheet feels when you first take it out of the packet — and then there’s how it feels after wash number 25.
Baby bedding needs to be washed. A lot.
Milk, dribble, little accidents and everyday mess mean cot sheets tend to spend plenty of time going through the laundry.
Look for a fabric that’s designed to soften and wear well over time rather than something that only feels lovely when it’s brand new.
This was one of the reasons we chose washed cotton for our collection. It has that relaxed, buttery-soft feel we love without needing to feel overly precious.
5. Choose something you’ll actually enjoy looking at
Practicality matters, but that doesn’t mean your cot sheets have to be boring.
The cot is often one of the biggest pieces of furniture in a nursery, which means the sheet can have a surprisingly big impact on how the room feels.
Rather than designing around short-lived trends, we love prints that feel nostalgic, playful and easy to live with — something that can work with the rest of the room rather than dictate it.
If you’re building a nursery from scratch, consider the colours and pieces you already love. A patterned cot sheet can bring personality to an otherwise neutral room, while a softer print can complement a nursery that already has plenty going on.
And if you’re anything like us, you’ll probably want more than one.
We’ve designed our sheets as a collection, with complementary colours that work beautifully together. This means you can switch between prints without having to rethink the rest of the nursery or disrupt the room’s colour palette.
6. Consider how many cot sheets you’ll need
One cot sheet probably isn’t going to cut it.
Having a spare means you’re not waiting for the washing machine at 10 pm after an unfortunately timed accident.
For many families, having a few sheets in rotation makes life considerably easier. How many you need will depend on your washing routine, your baby and whether the cot is their main sleep space.
7. Don’t forget about the little practical details
Sometimes it’s the less exciting details that make the biggest difference.
When comparing cot sheets, consider:
- Is the elastic secure around the entire fitted sheet?
- Is it easy to get on and off the mattress?
- Can it be machine washed?
- Does the fabric feel soft against the skin?
- Will it fit the depth of your mattress?
- Does the brand provide clear care instructions?
- Is it something you’ll be happy washing and using week after week?
The best baby products tend to be the ones that quietly make everyday life a little easier.
So, what makes a good cot sheet?
For us, it comes down to a few things: a secure fit, beautiful natural fabric, softness, durability and a design you genuinely love.
When we started creating the first Ever After Baby Co collection, we didn’t want to choose between practical bedding and beautiful bedding.
We wanted cot sheets that could handle everyday life while still making the nursery feel special — organic washed cotton, a snug fitted design and nostalgic prints created to feel at home in childhood now and for years to come.
Because you’re going to be changing these sheets often. You may as well love them.
Explore Ever After Baby Co cot sheets
Discover our collection of organic washed cotton cot sheets, designed in Melbourne with nostalgic prints and a soft, relaxed feel for little sleep spaces.