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Ankie lives with her partner and is the mother of four children (aged 3, 7, 11, and 13). She has been a midwife in Assen for nearly 14 years, working at Aiber Midwives and Verloskundigen-Kloosterveen. In this blog, Ankie takes you through a typical day as a midwife. It’s Wednesday evening, and I have just taken over the shift from my colleague. For the next 48 hours, I am on call for all births and phone calls. When I wake up Thursday morning, I’m happy I managed to get a good night’s sleep. Full of energy, I start my visits. With the radio turned up to 10 and my singing voice only suitable for a private audience, I drive through my hometown of Assen. All new mothers receive a visit from us every other day during the first 8-10 days after birth. Sometimes it’s just a quick check-in to see how things are going, but usually, we chat a lot. We discuss the birth in detail and how the recovery is progressing. Because yes, recovery doesn’t always go smoothly. Feeding problems, painful engorged breasts, sensitive stitches, all while coping with a hefty dose of hormones. This is the average new mother... I start with Willemijn, who gave birth to her first child five days ago. Her delivery didn’t go quite as planned, but despite that, she looks back on it positively. The day before yesterday, my colleague visited her and she was glad it was all over and she could now enjoy her beautiful baby girl. Although breastfeeding was still a bit challenging, she visibly enjoyed her new role as a mother, fueled by the adrenaline that is present during the first 2-3 days after birth. I stand at the door, and as soon as I enter, I can see it’s not her day. She’s tired! It was another restless night and breastfeeding is still not going well. The little one isn’t latching properly yet, and in the first week, that often requires a lot of patience. Just as we both get a cup of tea from the maternity nurse, she bursts into tears. “How do people do this?” Willemijn asks. I comfort her by saying it’s a completely normal feeling, very common, and that a better night is definitely coming. As a mother of four, I completely understand her feelings. Whole days are spent feeding, comforting, changing diapers, and not forgetting to eat and drink yourself—and oh yes, sleeping whenever possible. It’s especially intense with the first child. Now that I have four children, I sometimes long for how it was with just one baby, but then I quickly remember that was actually the hardest. By the second, third, or fourth child, you usually know what to expect and tend to be more confident than with the first. We chat a while longer, and once the tears have dried and we’ve even shared a few laughs, I advise her on some breastfeeding tips and suggest she get some fresh air because the walls are closing in on her. Just a short walk outside—not too far—just to clear her head, and then some rest while the maternity nurse watches the baby. Relieved with a new plan for the next 24 hours, a big hug she desperately needed, and a caring maternity nurse, I continue with my visits. The great thing about postnatal visits is that, in most cases, there’s no time pressure like at the clinic. Unless there’s a birth in progress—in which case, I sometimes have to speed up my visits. Not exactly my best trait in this task. My husband calls it a tea party, but fortunately, we midwives know better. You are responsible for the health of mother and child. You want everything to go well during that first week. Usually, you provide lots of explanations and advice or offer a listening ear and sometimes a supportive arm... and yes, sometimes when everything goes really well, we do end up chatting quite a bit and it really feels like a tea party. So maybe my husband has a little bit of a point after all...

  One of the most exciting parts of being pregnant is decorating the baby’s room. Collecting the most beautiful items and products especially for that little miracle growing in your belly. Decorating the nursery is something you do with your heart—and your intuition! There are no strict rules, but we can imagine it’s nice to have some helpful guidelines. What should you pay attention to when decorating the nursery? Where do you start? We’re sharing the 5 most important tips with you! Tip 1: Get Inspired Take your time to gather enough inspiration. Think carefully about the kind of style you want in the nursery. Maybe you already have a few ideas in your head. These can be your starting point.You can find inspiration everywhere: online on Pinterest by searching for “baby room,” “baby styling,” or by looking on Instagram using hashtags like #nurserystyling, #babyroom, or #babystyling. Tip 2: Color Plan & Shopping Mood Board After gathering ideas, it’s fun to create a mood board with your favorite styles. It gives you a clear overview and is super handy when shopping online for nursery items. A key part of this mood board is your color plan! It’s even smart to start with this so you can build your choices around it. Look online for colors you love and keep them in mind while shopping. You could also visit a DIY store for color samples, but browsing for color inspiration online is a great alternative.Make sure to collect images that show an overall mood and tell a cohesive story. Do you want a bold room? Or something sweet, or maybe a timeless look? Think it through and make a clear choice—it will make decorating much easier! Tip 3: Create a Good Base A solid base in the nursery is key to styling the rest. Think about a good floor, a lovely wall color, and matching window coverings. Maybe you’d like to add wallpaper with a fun print that fits your theme. A good foundation is half the work! Tip 4: Layout & Furnishing Start by looking at the layout of the room. You’ll often need: a changing table, a cradle and/or cot, and a wardrobe or dresser. Decide what layout works best and how the furniture can shine in the space. Working with a small room? Choose furniture with extra storage space, like a drawer under the crib or wall shelves. Don’t be afraid to rearrange the furniture—go with what feels right! Tip 5: The Finishing Touch Once the basics are in place, it’s time to style the nursery! This is the most fun part and where you can add a personal touch. Use your mood board again. Think about your colors and theme. Styling basics for the baby room: Lighting Bedding for the cradle or cot Window coverings Changing pad + changing pad covers Canopy rod + canopy or mosquito net Wall cabinet or shelves Extra styling items: Muslin cloths (check out fun colors!) Cute cuddly toys A rug A mirror (makes the room feel bigger) Storage baskets Nice decorations Plants or dried flowers Also add some personal elements to the baby’s room. Think of the first ultrasound, a sweet card with a meaningful quote, or a pregnancy photo. These personal touches truly complete the space!

Tessa shares her first birth experience: her waters had broken, and labor had to be inducedTessa (27) became a mother for the first time on October 11 with the birth of her son, Sev. Tessa shares her experience of her first delivery. Her waters had ruptured, and her labor had to be induced. Whether I was dreading labor or afraid of the pain—those were questions I heard often during my pregnancy. But with a level-headed attitude, I’d simply respond: “Ah well, he has to come out one way or another, right?” I was exactly 39 weeks pregnant when, on Thursday evening while brushing my teeth, I felt something trickle down between my legs. It wasn’t much, but I immediately thought of my water breaking. I decided not to call the midwife right away, but to try and get a few more hours of sleep since I wasn’t feeling any contractions yet. After a very quiet night, I did end up visiting the midwife. She concluded that my womb was still full of amniotic fluid and couldn't confirm whether my water had really broken. So, back home to wait and see. But as the day went on, I started losing more fluid, and eventually I needed thick sanitary pads to keep up with the increasing amounts. Back to the midwife we went, and she scheduled us an appointment at the hospital for the next day. At the hospital, they were sure: my water had broken! Or more accurately, it had torn, since I was losing small amounts over time instead of one big gush. I spent one more night in my own bed, still hoping labor would start naturally. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, so on Sunday morning we had to return to the hospital so I could be induced. With prolonged ruptured membranes, there’s a higher risk of infection, so you need to give birth within 72 hours. Before they could induce labor, my cervix needed to be ripened, which they do by inserting a “string” containing hormones. This has to stay in for 12 hours and can help kickstart contractions. On Sunday night at 10:00 p.m., my boyfriend Michaël had to go home—if there are no signs of labor, partners aren’t allowed to stay overnight. But they promised to call as soon as anything started, so with his phone on high alert, I was left alone for the night. And sure enough, labor started during the night! Looking back, I already felt something just after Michaël left, but at the time I wasn’t sure what it was. Luckily, I had no roommate and could walk around freely. Lying down was impossible for me—every contraction had me leaping out of bed to move through the pain. That night is a bit of a blur in hindsight; I lost all sense of time because I was so focused on managing the pain on my own. I think I even got a bit of sleep as the contractions eased slightly. By 8:00 a.m., I managed to eat a small breakfast, and Michaël thankfully returned. At 11:00 a.m., the midwife came to check me. I wasn’t sure if the rough night had accomplished anything, since things felt pretty calm by morning. But luckily—3 cm dilated! We were allowed to go to the delivery room to "push things along" with labor-inducing medication. At first, I was still "cheerfully" bouncing through contractions on one of those birthing balls, but a few hours later, it wasn’t funny anymore. I was hit with intense back labor. After what felt like an eternity, I stepped into a hot shower. It felt dangerously hot, but the warmth was the only thing that somewhat eased the pain. The wonderful nurse even brought me a popsicle. So there I was—eating an ice-cold popsicle under a blazing hot shower, haha! After 1.5 hours, I had had enough and asked about pain relief options. We chose Remifentanil (a form of morphine), which comes with a button you can press to control the dosage. Between you and me… I really liked it! I felt a bit stoned but was finally able to relax a little between contractions. That relaxation helped my dilation progress, too—within an hour, I went from 5 cm to 10 cm. Time to push! At first, I didn’t really know what I was doing, which resulted in a bunch of burst blood vessels in my face. But thanks to the amazing guidance of my midwife, things quickly improved. I think I even yelled halfway through that they could just leave him in there, but after 45 minutes of pushing, our son Sev was born. The most special moment of our lives! You don’t forget the pain (as the cliché goes), but it’s so worth it, and that makes it more than bearable. Plus, the relief that it’s all over plays a big role too. Yes, giving birth is painful. But relatively speaking, it’s just a few hours out of your life—and the reward is the most beautiful one imaginable. So don’t dread it—you have this primal strength in you too! One final tip from me: During my labor, lots of photos and a few videos were taken. Of course, it’s a personal choice, but I’m really glad they were. I look back at them with pride and joy, and I’m grateful to have those visual memories.

Amy (32) is engaged to Dwight (37). They live in Lelystad, and Amy is the mother of two daughters: Loïs (2.5 years) and Ella (3 months). Amy works as a primary school teacher but is currently enjoying a few more weeks of maternity leave. Ella caught the RSV virus when she was just three weeks old. Our second pride, Ella, was born completely healthy at 41 weeks. From the very first minute, Loïs was an incredibly loving sister. She showered Ella with hugs and kisses. Loïs had already taught us how valuable and important a child is. I almost exploded with love for my two girls. Loïs goes to daycare every Wednesday with great enthusiasm. Two weeks after Ella was born, Loïs came home from daycare with a runny nose. At that moment, my overprotective motherly instincts kicked in because I wanted to protect my newborn from any harm. But we soon realized it’s impossible to keep a two-year-old away from her newborn sister, whom she adores so much. We did try to limit the kisses and hugs. On Saturday night, Ella started feeding poorly, and I noticed she was breathing more heavily. She also coughed occasionally but fortunately didn’t have a fever. I immediately searched online to see what it could be and quickly came across articles about the RSV virus. The next morning, a good friend came to visit. She works as a doctor's assistant and heard Ella coughing. She told me that she recognized the sound from babies who had come to her clinic and had caught the RSV virus. I felt uneasy, and that same Sunday afternoon, I called the midwife. She advised me to call the out-of-hours GP service immediately. There, Ella showed her coughing, but we were sent home with the message that there was nothing concerning in her lungs. I was partly relieved by this message, but I wasn’t reassured because I could see that Ella was not herself. The next day, Ella’s feeding got worse and worse. She was also almost impossible to wake up. I expressed my worries to Dwight for the umpteenth time, but he was fed up with my concerns, holding on to the doctor’s words at the GP service. The next morning, Ella developed rapid breathing with chest retractions and flaring nostrils. I contacted the GP, and since these were corona symptoms, I was only allowed to come at the end of the day during the corona consultation hours. My mother came over to check on us, and I burst into tears. You feel so powerless. I wanted to protect Ella so badly, and it felt like I was failing. She was still so small. Ella’s face started to look gray, and my mother decided I shouldn’t wait and needed to call again. Luckily, I was immediately allowed to visit the GP, while my mother stayed home with Loïs. The GP only needed to listen briefly to Ella and suspected the RSV virus, saying we had to go straight to the emergency department at Almere hospital. On the way, I called Dwight, who was attending a course elsewhere in the country, to tell him Ella wasn’t doing well and that he needed to come to the hospital. Once at the hospital, Ella was put on a monitor. Her oxygen levels were low, and they attached various sensors to her. A mother’s heart breaks seeing her tiny baby like this, but I knew she was now in good hands. I was so relieved we were finally taken seriously. We were moved to a room in the pediatric ward. An hour later, the test results came back: Ella had caught the RSV virus. I was angry and sad at the same time. If only I had listened more to my mother’s instinct and hadn’t been sent away from the GP service. At that moment, there was no time to be angry because I wanted to be there for my little girl and fight this terrible virus with her. Amid loud screaming, a feeding tube was inserted into Ella. She was also given oxygen and a suppository every few hours. Saline drops were put in her nose, along with xylometazoline drops. The plan was to let Ella drink by herself as much as possible and give the rest through the feeding tube to ensure she got enough nutrition to get stronger. After each feeding, she stopped after just 10 cc. She simply couldn’t continue because she was so breathless and didn’t have the strength to drink on her own. Every now and then, she had severe coughing fits. The only thing I could do was hold her upright during those episodes. During such fits, I often pressed the alarm button because it was so intense I feared she wouldn’t recover. The monitor kept beeping during these episodes because her heart rate went above 200 for a long time. I saw so much fear and panic in Ella’s eyes — it was horrible. Unfortunately, the nurses couldn’t do much at those moments other than keep her upright. It was terrible to see Ella like that. After a coughing fit that often lasted fifteen minutes, she would collapse like a rag doll into my arms and fall asleep. She was exhausted and so weak. I cried a lot; I wished I could take it all from her. Days went by, and Ella’s condition didn’t improve much, but thankfully it didn’t get worse either. Dwight came by whenever he could. He also took Loïs with him sometimes, who missed her sister and mother terribly. She knew Ella was sick and had to stay in the hospital. I sang songs to Ella, and she often lay with me or in her hospital crib. The nurses had her sleep on her stomach to help her breathe better. The nurses decided to see how Ella would do without oxygen. They had already lowered the oxygen, so this was the next step. Unfortunately, it didn’t go well, and the monitor kept beeping because her oxygen levels were too low. She went back on oxygen. The course of RSV is hard to predict, but the pediatrician who visited every morning hoped she had passed her peak. Gradually, she started drinking more on her own. Whatever she didn’t drink was given via the feeding tube. The coughing fits were still there but thankfully shortened. Many visitors were scheduled whom I had to cancel. Everyone was rooting for us. Ella improved from day six onward and, among all the sensors on her face, showed me her first smile. What a magical moment. My little girl, so small and fighting this awful virus. Another attempt was made to let Ella breathe independently, and thankfully it went well. I was so proud of my child when she drank her bottle completely for the first time. I cried again, but this time tears of joy. If she got through the night well, there was a very good chance we could go home the next morning. She had to keep drinking well on her own, which she did, including her nighttime bottle. The next morning, the pediatrician discharged us from the hospital. Ella wasn’t completely out of the woods but could continue to recover at home. Ella is now three months old and still has wheezing breathing. This may last a while longer, but hopefully, she will outgrow it. Luckily, she is doing well, though I remain extra vigilant. She drinks and sleeps well and is very cheerful. She flashes a big smile whenever someone looks at her. The pediatrician told us we should never have been sent away from the GP service. An important lesson, which keeps coming back: always listen to your mother’s instinct.

Laura (32) is in juli bevallen van haar eerste dochter, Bowie. Laura heeft een best pittig traject gehad. Bowie is ontstaan vanuit IVF en Laura deelt haar ervaring over een moeizame bevalling via een keizersnede.6 maanden geleden ben ik bevallen van mijn dochter Bowie. Een mooie, gezonde, lieve, vrolijke dochter. Ik heb Bowie mogen krijgen via IVF. Een pittig traject maar zo geweldig dat het mogelijk is. Bowie is van de derde terugplaatsing uit een eerste lichting embryo’s. Als ik andere verhalen hoor valt dat gelukkig hartstikke mee. Echter het traject en het idee dat als dit niet lukt er nooit een wens vervuld zou worden is pittig. Als het mis gaat, ook al is het maar 2 keer mis gegaan, denk je toch “Gaat dit ooit lukken?”.Mijn zwangerschap verliep prima. Controles waren goed en ze groeide als kool. Aan het eind bleek dat ik een wat verhoogde bloeddruk had. Ook was Bowie voor de tijd in de zwangerschap een grote baby. Hierdoor werd mijn situatie medisch en ging ik over naar het ziekenhuis. Prima natuurlijk maar ik had graag thuis willen bevallen. Dat was een beetje een domper. Ik ging met 36 weken met verlof en eerlijk gezegd was ik het zat! Het was hartje zomer, ik was helemaal voorbereid en ik dacht laat haar maar komen. Ik sliep ook heel slecht wat de situatie niet hielp. Elke week zat ik huilend bij de verloskundige. Uiteindelijk kwam daar het verlossende woord. Donderdag avond (40+ 6 weken zwanger) zou ik worden opgenomen. Ik zou een slaapmiddel krijgen en vrijdag zou ik worden ingeleid. Yes!Zo gezegd zo gedaan. We gingen samen donderdagavond naar het ziekenhuis. Arnoud, mijn partner, mocht gelukkig mee. Ik kreeg wat voor het slapen rond 22.00 uur en weg was ik. De volgende ochtend werd ik getoucheerd. Nog geen ontsluiting… Balen want dat betekende, zoals de arts mij vertelde, dat eerst mijn baarmoedermond moest verweken. Ik kreeg medicatie om dit proces te versnellen. Om de 4 uur werd ik gecontroleerd en kreeg ik een nieuw setje pillen. Het schoot totaal niet op. Vrijdagavond was het eigenlijk nog hetzelfde. We bleven nog een nachtje. De volgende ochtend was er niks veranderd. Weer een dag medicatie. De dag verliep zoals die daarvoor: controles maar geen verbetering. Het was zo vermoeiend want je krijgt best wel krampen/voorweeën van die medicatie! Zaterdagavond leek het door te zetten, ik kreeg weeën! Onder de douche heb ik deze weggepuft. Er zou in de avond nog een arts komen maar zij had nog een spoedgeval dus ze kwam later. Uiteindelijk trok het weer weg en ik wilde alleen maar slapen. Weer een nacht verder. Zondagochtend werd ik wakker en geen weeën meer. Wederom werd ik gecontroleerd. Net aan 3 centimeter! Mijn vliezen konden gebroken worden en dat werd direct gedaan. Wat een gek gevoel! Het werkte wel want er startte direct een weeën storm. 3,5/4 uur duurde deze storm. Alle houdingen heb ik aangenomen maar niks hielp om de pijn iets af te laten nemen. Na 4 uur werd ik weer gecontroleerd. Ik was niks opgeschoten. Net aan 3 centimeter nog steeds. Oei, dat was vrij demotiverend. Ik zei direct dan wil ik een ruggenprik want dit hou ik niet vol. Ik was ook al kapot van die dagen ziekenhuis en medicatie. De anesthesist kwam direct en de ruggenprik was zo gezet. Gelukkig werkte hij ook direct! Wat een verlichting! Er werden gelijk wee-opwekkers aangesloten zodat het proces zou gaan versnellen. En er was eindelijk progressie: om de paar uur een paar centimeter erbij. 17.00 uur in de middag had ik 9 centimeter. De verloskundige zei: “Je gaat vandaag bevallen.” Spannend!Om 20.00 uur weer controle. Nog geen 10 centimeter. Om 21.00 uur controle, weer niks. Om 22.00 uur zei de zoveelste arts die ik die dag zag: “Misschien op handen en knieën zitten, de zwaartekracht wil nog wel eens helpen.” Nou oké, ik een uur zo gezeten. Ik trilde op mijn benen. Ik was echt gesloopt. Ik keek mijn vriend aan en zei: “waar moet ik de energie nog vandaan halen om een baby eruit te persen?”. Na een half uur kwam de verloskundige kijken. Ik keek haar aan en zei: “Je moet echt even eerlijk tegen me zijn: Hoe groot acht je de kans dat dit nog gaat lukken?” Ze was voorzichtig maar uiteindelijk zei ze zo’n 30%. Na nog een half uur op m’n knieën draaide ik weer op m’n rug. Waar ik eerst nog wel íets van de weeën voelde, voelde ik nu helemaal niks meer. “Probeer het laatste randje anders weg te persen.” Dat probeerde ik maar ook dit mocht niks helpen. Ik keek Arnoud en aan en zei: “Het gaat niet gebeuren, ik voel het.” Het woord keizersnede was al gevallen. De arts kwam weer terug en ze ging overleggen met de gynaecoloog. Die raadde het ook aan en voor ik het wist werd ik klaar gestoomd om een keizersnede te ondergaan.Ik werd door het ziekenhuis heen gereden. Ik voel nog de tegels onder me. Ik werd de uitslaapkamer ingereden en vanaf toen begon het circus. Met 3 verplegers en anesthesisten werd er van alles aangelegd. Stickers voor m’n hartslag, een zuurstofmeter, er werd uitgelegd dat ik andere verdoving door m’n al eerder gezette ruggenprik kreeg en ineens zag ik Arnoud in operatiepak voor me staan. Binnen no time lag ik op de operatietafel. Als je een keizersnede krijgt word de tafel iets gekanteld. Die klik maakte iets in mij los. Ik keek Arnoud aan ik zei: “Oeh, ik vind het nu spannend worden.” We begonnen beide te huilen van de spanning en ze begonnen. Ik kan niet goed beschrijven hoe het voelt. Het is geen pijn maar enorme druk en getrek. Ik vergelijk het altijd met het trekken van je verstandskies maar dan keer tien. Geen pijn maar zoveel druk! Bowie zat, wat toen bleek, muurvast. Ik had nooit natuurlijk van haar kunnen bevallen. Ze was een sterrenkijker en haar hoofd lag ook nog schuin. Waar normaal het moment van uitdrijven een paar minuten duurt, duurde dit ongeveer 20 minuten. Ze probeerde haar vaginaal terug omhoog te duwen en in lichte paniek werden de verplegers en anesthesisten gesommeerd om te helpen duwen. Dit werd met stemverheffing gevraagd. Mij vriend vroeg op een gegeven moment of alles wel goed ging. Ze gaven aan dat het moeizaam was. Ik focuste mij alleen maar op het verwerken van de druk. Wow, ik had een keizersnede echt onderschat!Ineens uit het niets was ze daar. Ik zag haar voorbij komen en ze werd snel gecontroleerd door de kinderarts. Het duurde even voordat ze huilde. Ik zei maar: “ik hoor niks, ik hoor niks!” En ineens hoorde ik een prachtige huil. Daar was ze. Bont en blauw dat wel maar helemaal gezond. Terwijl Bowie werd onderzocht lag ik enorm te trillen. Adrenaline zeiden ze. Arnoud nam Bowie vast mee naar de kamer en ik werd dicht gemaakt. Ik viel steeds in slaap zo moe was ik.De weken na de bevalling waren pittig. Ik was anderhalve liter bloed verloren dus het duurde even voor ik er weer was. We moesten ook echt samen de bevalling echt even verwerken. Veel tranen en stress allebei.Toen Bowie ongeveer 8 weken was had ik nog een gesprek met de gynaecoloog van de bevalling om terug te kijken en ik wilde weten hoe het kwam en wat het zou betekenen voor de toekomst. Ze gaf aan dat het een combinatie van verschillende factoren was. De ligging van Bowie, mijn bekken die wat meer in een trechter liepen en ik had een stug lijf. Uiteindelijk hebben ze mijn baarmoeder wat verder open moeten maken om erbij te kunnen. Dit betekende wel dat ik nooit natuurlijk kon bevallen want de druk van de weeën zou het litteken open kunnen scheuren. Heftig om te horen allemaal maar ik heb dit gesprek als heel prettig ervaren en kan het iedereen aanraden die een bevalling heeft waar wat complicaties optreden.Inmiddels is ze 6 maanden en is Bowie een lief vrolijk meisje. Sommige mensen om mij heen zeiden: “Ach, kijk nou wat daar ligt dan ben je die bevalling toch zo vergeten?”. Voor mij staat mijn bevalling en hoe ik dat heb ervaren los van het geluk dat ik mijn dochter in mijn armen heb. Dus nee, die bevalling vergeet ik niet meer maar dat is ook helemaal oké.

When you’re expecting a baby, there’s a lot coming your way. So many things you don’t know yet or have never done before. It might even make you feel a little insecure. Because… how are you going to manage it all? Luckily, in the Netherlands, a maternity nurse will come to your home to teach you and your partner everything you need to confidently take care of your little one. Of course, before the birth, you’re already busy getting everything ready for your baby’s arrival. That includes making the baby’s bed—it’s one less thing to worry about later. But how do you make your baby’s bed properly? In this blog, we’ll explain everything you need to know. The Right BeddingThere are many opinions out there when it comes to baby bedding—and just as many options! But what you’ll definitely need are: a mattress protector (molton), a fitted sheet, a flat sheet, a blanket, and a small muslin cloth. Expecting a little one in autumn or winter? Go for a blanket with a warm teddy lining. Expecting a spring or summer baby? Then the unlined version is just right. It provides enough warmth during the warmer months. For a crib, go for the 75 x 100 cm size; for a cot, you’ll need 100 x 150 cm. Let’s Get StartedStart with the mattress protector. A molton protects the mattress from accidents. Put this around the mattress first. Then stretch a fitted sheet over the mattress. On the spot where your baby’s head will lie, it’s a good idea to place a small muslin cloth. Fold the muslin cloth into a triangle, place it with the point upward in the bed, and tuck it tightly under the mattress. This catches any spit-ups, so you don’t need to change the sheet every day—you’ll have enough laundry as it is! Fun fact: if you iron muslin cloths, they absorb less moisture. So, it’s better not to iron them. Now the bed is ready for the sheet and blanket. Lay the sheet flat on the bed first, then place the blanket about 20 cm below the top edge of the sheet. Fold the top part of the sheet over the blanket. Next, check where your little one will lie. It’s important that their feet don’t quite reach the bottom edge of the bed. This way, they won’t easily slide down while sleeping. Tuck both the bottom and sides of the bedding tightly under the mattress. Babies love feeling snug, and it also limits their range of movement—which is safer. What Do You Need – and How Much? One bedding set, unfortunately, isn’t enough. It’s always helpful to have extras in the closet when something’s in the wash. We recommend the following: 3 x mattress protectors (moltons) 3 x fitted sheets 2 x flat sheets 2 x blankets 5 x small muslin cloths (70 x 70 cm) We hope Jollein’s tips help you confidently make your baby’s bed. Still have questions? Feel free to contact us—we’re here for you!