It's finally happened and you have a new little man in your life. Your work has only just begun but now it's time to start designing the nursery if you haven't already. You're organized so you already have the basics, namely the cot and maybe the dresser so now all you have to do is choose the color scheme for your baby boy's bedding. You can get a good idea of what is going to suit simply by looking at the colors already used in the design of the nursery. There are literally hundreds of color schemes and designs to choose from. Light blue is always a popular choice in bedding for baby boys but some people also like to go with greens and browns or navy and orange for something unique.

Before you go searching for the funkiest sheets in town, think of what is practical for you. Here's a basic list of baby boy bedding that you may need:

• 4 x Mattress protectors

• 4 x cotton sheet sets (a minimum of 2 is definitely required)

• 4 x flannelette sheet sets (a minimum of 2 is definitely required)

• 4 x lightweight blankets

• 4 x winter blankets or cot quilts

No baby boy bed set is complete without some sort of mattress protector. There are basically two types of mattress protector available. You can get them in versions that just lay on top of the mattress or you can get them as a fitted sheet. Flat on top mattress protectors, although cheaper, can be a bit troublesome to fit as they tend to shift around when you make the rest of the bed.

Fitted mattress protectors are great. My favorite is the one that has the toweling top and a synthetic bottom. It made it easier to change the mattress, which I found the best way for me, being short and not able to reach the far side of the cot even with the side down, was to pick up the mattress and stand it on one end, dress it that way and then lay it back down. This was why, when choosing the mattress for the cot, I went for a light weight one which was easy to pick up. It's a simple job but while you're recovering from child birth every little bit that eases the burden helps.