Mattress pads are commonly used in cribs to protect the mattress from being damaged by liquids. The best mattress pads are highly absorbent and fit snugly against the mattress. By making sure that the mattress pad that you select for your baby's crib is both very absorbent and fits the mattress properly, you are ensuring that it will be able to keep both the mattress and the baby as dry and clean as possible.

When selecting a mattress pad, you also need to be certain that you choose one that is both washable and easily to remove. It is likely to need washing every single day, sometimes more than once a day. The fabric should be durable enough to withstand frequent washings. You may want to consider investing in more than one mattress pad to allow for those days when wetting problems are at their worst.

Making sure that the mattress pad you select fits the mattress in your baby's crib properly is very important for reasons other than keeping the mattress and the baby clean. A proper-fitting mattress pad is an important safety consideration. If the mattress pad in your baby's crib can shift easily from one place to another in the bed, it is a suffocation hazard.

Another important consideration when selecting a mattress pad is to find out if the one you are considering is designed to protect your baby from dust and other allergens that may build up on his or her mattress. Choose a mattress pad that is dust proof so that it will provide an additional benefit of protecting your baby from dust and other allergens. A dust proof mattress pad can play an important role in reducing common health related issues often triggered by allergens, such as asthma, bronchitis and sneezing.

Your mattress pad check list needs to include the following items: proper fit, washable, easily removable, and dust proof. There are many sources to find affordable mattress pads for your baby's crib that meet all of the above criteria. Many baby oriented retailers, mass merchandisers, linen stores and a wide variety of online retailers are likely to have exactly what you need to protect your baby and his or her crib mattress.