How to change crib sheets faster than the speed of light

When I was a rookie mom, my friend Julie advised me to put several layers of crib sheets on top of one another every time I changed the sheet, so that when one became wet, the sleepy parent who arrived on the scene could simply peel off the top layers and save themselves from digging for a clean sheet and getting it on the crib in the middle of the night.

For best results, layer waterproof mattress pads in between the sheets. (I actually prefer a non-fitted pad because #1: lazy and #2: cheap. I reused these on toddler beds.)

Other tools to save you from the frustrating wet bed include:

BSensible waterproof sheets. These are expensive, but are soft on one side and lined with a membrane that protects your mattress on the other side. Their website has a video, which I found a little silly because the parents appeared to be both be sleeping on their backs with no covers when the baby’s cry wakes them up, and then they both join in to change the sheet. Fun! I’m sure Dad could deal with this situation on his own.
Pro: Less layers to manage
Con: Need more than one to successfully change a bed from a wet sheet to a dry sheet.
Find: on Amazon

QuickZip Sheets. This system is cool. You install the base of the sheet around the bottom of the mattress once, and then zip the top level on and off when you need to change it. They also have a video demonstration, which I found more compelling, so here it is:

Pros: Extra QuickZip zip-on sheets are sold separately so you have a system with one base and several dry sheets to choose from.
Cons: Dealing with a zipper in the middle of the night still sounds challenging, but maybe easier than the alternative – a full mattress change.
Find it: on Amazon

Fleece sleepsacks. For post-swaddled pre-walkers, these wearable blankets do double duty as warm layers and extra protection from leaking diapers. For toddlers prone to heavy morning dipes, fleece pjs are going to save the sheets more than cotton.
Pros: Products you need for sleeping anyway, a fleece sleepsack is less than twenty bucks and jammies are even less.
Cons: Kids who run hot will be sweaty messes.
Find it: on Amazon

For minor dampness, throwing a towel or blanket on top to get us through til the morning always worked. (Not recommended for young babies because loose items in crib are dangerous.)

For catastrophic wetness, Heather shares her process of quickly determining what’s wet and what’s dry so the leaks don’t spread. Throw the wet stuff into the tub to be dealt with in the morning. (Unless your bedroom is closer to the laundry room than the bathroom.)  Dry the child. Then change the bedding.

Store baby sheets under the crib, not in the general linen closet.