Preparing for the birth of your child is an exciting time, and there are so many fun nursery ideas to choose from. Having your nursery set up and ready to go before the arrival of your sweet baby is both fun and a great way to imagine life with your newborn. Here are 8 important things to keep in mind as you prepare the nursery.
1. Where will your baby sleep?
This is easily the most important part of any nursery. It is recommended that for the first six months of life, babies sleep in the same room with their parents. Some parents opt to have a crib set up in the nursery and ready for use at six months or for nap times. Other parents opt to have a more portable bassinet that can be moved from nursery to parent’s room. Another option would be to have both a bassinet and a crib in either room. However, you choose to set it up, be sure you are familiar with the safe sleep guidelines for lowering the risk of SIDS.
2. Where will your baby eat?
Whether you end up breastfeeding, using the formula, or providing your baby with a combination of the two, you’ll want to think through where you and your baby will be for those feedings. Especially in the early months, your baby will eat periodically throughout the night. Having a comfortable place to sit and hold your baby will be essential. You’ll also want to consider where you will store your feeding supplies, such as bottles, nipples, formula or milk, and bottle heaters. Even fully breastfed babies may need things like nipple shields and burp rags.
3. Where will diaper changes happen?
Diaper changing stations will need to be comfortable and safe for both parent and baby. There are lots of options that stand-alone, attach to a crib, or even are one piece with the crib. Additionally, you’ll want to consider a changing pad with a safety strap.
4. Where will you store diapers and wipes?
Cloth diapers or disposable diapers will need to be stored somewhere, ideally within arm’s reach of the changing station. You’ll want to keep your wipes and other diapering accessories nearby as well. Consider how you want to organize your supplies and where you will keep them.
5. Where will you dispose of diapers?
Disposable diapers are designed to be thrown in the trash after a single use. Will you use a specific disposal bin? Will you want disposable diaper bags? For cloth diapers, you’ll also want to consider where you will keep soiled diapers until you wash them.
6. How will you store clothes?
Pajamas, onesies, pants, socks, hats, swaddles – they may be small, but there are a lot of clothing options for babies which can take up a lot of room. Will you hang them in a closet? Fold them in a drawer? Organize them in a basket? Will you keep clothes once your baby outgrows them? On a related note, where will you keep clothes that need to be washed? There are lots of different storage options for clean clothes as well as hamper options for the ones on their way to the laundry.
7. What other items do will you have, and where will you keep them?
There are a plethora of baby items that can go into a nursery. Be sure you have storage options for any additional items you want or need for your baby. You’ll want to plan ahead, especially for larger items, such as a swing or bouncer seat, that you may want to keep in your nursery. Babyhood is a great place to browse through all of the different options out there that make life with an infant just a little bit easier.
8. Will your nursery have a theme?
Choosing the way you decorate your nursery is one of the more fun aspects of nursery preparation. Whether you choose a gendered theme, a gender-neutral theme, or choose not to have a theme, adding the details that make your child’s room special and unique is an exciting process. Your friends and family will want to know ahead of time so they can try to accommodate your theme with any gifts. Your theme can be displayed via pictures, wall art, knickknacks, paint schemes, etc… Put your own unique aesthetic together; the sky’s the limit.
Author’s Bio:
Matt McGrath is an avid traveller and a prominent writer in the blogging community. He has been to more than 50 countries. While he loves discovering new cultures and adventures, he is also passionate about sharing practical tips with his followers. If you love to travel and adventure, we recommend that you read and follow all his articles! More about him on his website – http://mattmcgrath.me/
