There has been a lot of verbal exchange going on all over the net regarding the dilemma many are facing when it comes to portable crib sheets and mini crib sheets. I am going to attempt to shed some light on this topic once and for all.
Problem:
You went out and purchased a beautiful mini crib for your baby. The mini crib included a basic 1 inch or even 3 inch thick mattress pad. The salesperson informed you that you can purchase a thicker, better quality, and more comfortable mattress that's 5.5 inches or 6 inches thick instead of the standard one the mini crib included. Of course not wanting to deny your child only the best, including the top of the line mattress around, this one's a no brainer and you go ahead and spend the few extra dollars for the thicker mattress. You go home and don't even give it another thought. Once you get home, you excitedly put the mini crib together, unpack the extra thick mattress, go through the linen closet and find a spare sheet and begin putting it on the mattress.
Although a bit tight, you get one end of the sheet on, barely stretch the sheet to the other side of the mattress and pull...pull...pull, and then realize, "hmmm....I don't think this is going to work". You start to think "Could this have shrunk so much in the dryer on the last wash?....Has it always been this small and maybe I just need to pull harder?" So you try to pull again but then realize that the seams are beginning to come apart. "No, this can't be" you say to yourself, and then do the next most logical thing....Google!
Upon searching 'extra thick mini crib mattress' you come across a bunch of websites, blogs, articles, etc. all talking about the same problem and you begin to feel...YES! YES! That's My Problem! The problem seems to be that although there are these great and comfortable extra thick mini crib mattresses, the standard portable & mini crib sheets don't fit them at all or at least without popping one or two of the seams. Different styles in the Davinci Mini Crib collection are just one of the brands that have these extra thick dimensions.
Solution:
There are many different opinions online that suggest different options to get a sheet that will fit properly. From using a full size crib sheet and tucking and / or pinning all the extra fabric beneath the mattress, to stretching a standard sheet to the point of popping, to even just foregoing the sheet entirely and instead placing a blanket over the mattress.
Do none of the above, PLEASE! You need a safe, practical solution that will work for the long term. Purchase some fitted portable / mini crib sheets specifically designed for the extra thick 5.5 inch mattress. There are 2 separate options, one for the standard 3 inch thick mattress and one for the extra thick 5.5 inch thick mattress. If you have the extra thick mattress, make sure to get only the extra thick fitted sheet designed specifically for it. On the other hand if you have the 1 or 3 inch thick mattress, do not get the extra deep sheet, as it will simply be too big and you'll end up paying more money for no reason.
Here are just some of the other available sheet sizes:
Crib Sheets 28 x 52
European Crib Sheets 28 x 55
Portable / Mini Crib Sheets 24 x 39 x 3
Portable / Mini Crib Sheets 24 x 39 x 5.5
Cradle Sheets 18 x 36
Bassinet Sheets 15 x 32.5
Basket Sheets 13 x 27
Round Crib Sheets 42" and 45"
Oval Crib (stoke size) 26 x 47
Mini Oval Crib Designed for Stokke Mini
and many others. You may also have a custom size mattress or older model that you'd need custom sheets for. Those are more difficult to find but they are out there.
