Nursery Essentials | How’s and What’s of baby nursery
“Parenthood is a tremendous responsibility!” a phrase that travels through generations like an heirloom. Most of people forget to mention that one third of “responsibilities” are expenses and shopping! In fact, organizing a baby nursery makes it to the top 5 of “Life’s most important events” list.
One may say that a newborn does not really care about colors of walls in the room or about thickness of curtains. Guess what, this person is absolutely right! Yet when it comes to children, parents would do everything to give their little ones all the best things in life.
When anxiety and happiness overwhelm young parents, they start buying everything and anything, just to be on the safe side when a baby arrives. A flow of “what” and “how” questions turn into a real tsunami that floods their heads. As a result, there are unnecessary purchases, wasted money and uncertainty.
Luckily, we have answers to questions that keep you up at night. So get comfortable and be ready to organize your nursery essential list!
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The Ultimate Guide to Baby Nursery Essentials:
Where do I begin?
First of all, calm down. As soon as you are finished with the article, you will have a plan and inspiration! Second of all, you will need a nursery essentials list.
A nursery essentials organizer will put an order to a chaos of thoughts. Begin with a crib, move on to mattress and gradually you will go over all of the furniture you need. Later in the article, we will be dwelling on nursery essentials so you can cross out or add something to your list.
Think of the amount of money you are ready to spend on a baby nursery. It will also be helpful, because you will leave out some secondary things or cut down on amount of some products.
How much does nursery essentials cost?
When speaking of organizing a room for a little one, furniture and a total makeover might cost a fortune. Therefore, be smart and get your priorities right. Remember two things: 1) children outgrow things in a blink of an eye; 2) they don’t particularly care where to sleep if they are fed, clean and warm.
The approximate prices: a crib can cost you somewhere around $125 to $350, a crib mattress – $50 to $150, bedding – 150$, glider or rocker – 230$ and a dresser 250$. Everything depends on what you want and how much money you want to spend. If you are looking for something good and affordable, this is for you.
When a price does not matter, then you can pay more. Everything is up to you.
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How to design a baby room?
Most mothers know for sure that they want the best room for their child. However, when it comes to specifics, it is really difficult to choose something in particular, because the image of a perfect nursery is usually blurred. Therefore, start building a picture in your head step by step.
First and foremost – remember to follow your nursery essentials list. Choose a style or theme of a room. It does not mean that you have to limit yourself to one idea.
Choosing a style will simply help you to narrow your focus and move in one direction. Besides, the Internet is filled with ideas and themes for baby nurseries so you can find some inspiration there.
Pick “perfect” colors. Regardless of whether you know the gender of a baby or not, you can choose soothing neutral colors that would fit both boy and girl.
Choose textile first. Only after you find perfect curtains (preferably thick, so that a child could sleep well during the day) can you choose paint. It is a challenge to find beautiful and qualitative textile.
So as soon as you have found your “perfect match” move on to the paint.
What are the nursery essentials you should add to your list?
1. A Crib and a Mattress
A circle of baby’s activities narrows down to a triangle. A little one sleeps, eats and leaves you surprises in a diaper. As we know sleep takes up the biggest part of child’s routine, therefore it must be as comfortable as possible.
When choosing between bassinet, cradle and a crib, mind that a child will outgrow first two quite fast. Whereas a standard-sized crib will serve you much longer.
When choosing a mattress keep in mind that it must be of a good quality, breathable and easy to clean.
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2. Waterproof Mattress Covers
A waterproof matters cover is a must have for a baby nursery. Child is a master of unexpected spit-ups and wetting a bed.
To save yourself time and nerve cells get a pair of waterproof covers. Admit that it is much easier to change the covers instead of washing a whole mattress, especially when your clock shows 3 am.
3. Crib Sheet
Baby’s skin is extremely tender and vulnerable to external stimuli. Therefore, pay attention to fabric quality, when choosing crib sheet for a little one. Considering a wide range of nursery necessities products on the market, you will surely find organic products for an affordable price.
4. Rocking chair or glider
Moving down our list of nursery essentials, we have something that will make your life a little bit easier. Rocking chair or glider is a purchase that you will not regret.
When choosing a rocking chair or glider, you might want to buy one that allows both nursing and rocking. It’s soothing swaying motions will make it easier to calm down a little one and even give you a minute to rest.
5. Drawer or Dresser
Don’t let child’s small appearance fool you. You might think that this tiny bean doesn’t need much space for clothing and other essential nursery items, but let me stop you right there.
A child requires changing three or more times a day and you might want to keep clothes organized and at hand. A drawer or a dresser would be a perfect choice, because it can be used as a changing table as well. This purchase will save you space and money.
6. Clothes
Always calculate! The thing is that a newborn needs lots of clothes, but not an entire shop. Take into consideration that a little one needs changing 3-4 times a day.
In addition, you need to figure out how often you are willing to do laundry. Calculations will help you decide on the number of essential baby clothes.
Here are some pieces of clothes you will definitely need:
- Scratch mittens (1-2)
- Onesies (5-7)
- Pairs of socks or booties (4-6)
- Newborn hat (2)
- Pants (5)
- Shirts (5-6)
- One-piece footed pajamas (4-5)
Your nursery essentials list will constantly grow as seasons change, so be sure to buy only necessary and appropriate (for the weather) clothes in a reasonable quantity.
NOTE! Remember to purchase a gentle laundry detergent in order to keep clothes clean, tidy and hypoallergenic.
7. Diapers
There is never too many diapers when it comes to a newborn that feeds 60% of the time. It would be good to stock up with disposable diapers, as well as with cloth diapers.
In case with second ones, you can buy at least 15-17 of them. It will be enough if you do laundry every other day.
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8. Nightlight
Turning on a bright light in a completely dark room when somebody is asleep is one of the ways of torturing people. It really feels as if your eyes have been struck by a lighting! When it comes to baby’s sleep, you have to move as a feather.
Nightlight will help you see in the dark room without turning on the light and disturbing a baby. Dim light has a soothing effect on our nervous system and helps fall asleep faster. Besides, waking up in a complete darkness can startle a baby.
9. Baby Monitors
Child is quite demanding when it comes to parent’s attention. However, it is impossible to spend 24/7 with a baby and have no personal space. Therefore, a baby monitor will let you have some time for yourself or for household chores, while a little one is asleep.
Nowadays there are audio-only baby monitors and video monitors. The choice between these two really depends on the amount of money you are willing to spend.
10. Playtime
Have some books, a few toys, rattles and soft blocks. Think of activities and hobbies your family enjoys, because you might need equipment for the baby (baby carrier etc.). A stroller is also a must have for a little one.
What are the things to cross out of your nursery essential list?
1. Blankets, pillows and bumpers
Sometimes it seems that a child is so tiny that it can easily get lost in heaps of pillows and blankets. In fact, excessive materials can cause SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
A baby is too small to understand what is going on. Therefore, if a blanket or pillow is too thick and suffocating, a little one will not throw it off as an adult would.
2. Toys
It is a universal truth that children love toys. However, no one said anything about buying tons of it.
Parents often make mistakes by thinking that a child needs many toys in bright colors. Remember that heaps of toys are not a part of essential nursery items.
Did you know that a newborn could see only 5% of what an adult sees? Moreover, most of colors are black and white, for everything seems blurry and hazy to a child.
For this reason, there is no need to buy hundreds of toys and rattles (at least ton for a few months old baby). You can have a few simple toys for a tiny baby.
When a child is older, you can buy some new toys in various colors. Keep in mind that kids get tired of toys too quickly, so focus its attention on one or two toys and then change them into another. This method will help you save money and keep a baby occupied.
3. Mobiles and White Noise Makers
Most people believe that mobiles and white noise makers belong to baby room necessities. Regardless of what is written on the box, in most cases these products are good at collecting dust (perhaps it’s one of the bonus features).
White noise maker is a machine that produces a sound similar to one babies are used to hearing in a womb. Luckily, baby is not there anymore so a little one slowly adapt to a new environment. White noise maker can help a child to fall asleep but a little one can really live without it.
Same story is with mobiles. It may be interesting for the first time, but a child gets bored of it quickly, because it has already seen everything this toy has to offer. Therefore, it is up to you to decide, whether to buy it or not.
4. Changing table
Changing table is one of the items of furniture you will not need. As we have already mentioned, you can put a changing pad on a dresser and so make a great changing table all by yourself. Easy, right? Besides, a dresser will serve you longer than a changing table (which becomes useless after a baby stops wearing diapers).
Nursery Essentials: tips and things to keep in mind:
Baby room essentials, baby products, cute clothes and many other things – everything is for both parent’s and child’s comfort. Every hour one half of parents in the word is preparing to welcome a baby while the other half has already welcomed their angels. Here are some tips for you on how to make this experience organized and pleasant for both parties.
Make your house a safe space
Babies tend to grow in a blink of an eye! Therefore, cover electrical outlets, hide away cords, and anchor down furniture.
Be sure to secure all drawers and doors, so that a little one could not hurt itself. Also, make sure that all of the medicines and ointments are out of baby’s reach.
Develop a system of sorting and storing clothes
By organizing child’s drawer, you can find clothes and other baby things you need easily and fast. Grouping clothes will let you see how many pieces of a particular item of clothing you have. Besides, you will be able to plan your “laundry days” and never run out of clean clothes for a little one.
Stock nursery necessities
Do not wait until the last minute, be prepared! It is best to organize and buy things in advance.
Sit down, create a nursery necessity list, write down things you want to purchase and go shopping. You can do a much better job when you are not in a tearing hurry.
Furniture convertibles
Children have a tendency to outgrow things with the speed of light. Therefore, it means mean that you need to look for a furniture that will serve long. A market of baby nursery products expands every day, offering more comfortable and long-lasting goods.
For instance, you can find a crib that transforms into a toddler bed and then into a full size bed. Moreover, you can find a bassinet (which children tend to overgrow pretty fast) that with time can be used as a changing table.
The pallet of prices is as big as the range of products itself. Therefore, you will definitely find what you are looking for.
Wait until after the baby shower
Nowadays, more and more parents turn baby showers into a wedding-like (the amount of guests is almost the same) events. Parents, friends, uncles and aunts, future godparents and many other guests will stock you with nursery necessities. Be sure to get toys, clothing, accessories and other useful products.
If you want to get only much-needed things (one of each), just create a list and give it to the guests in advance. One way or another, they are going to bring along gifts. They might as well bring something you really need.
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Final Word
Welcoming a baby into your life will be life-changing for you. Parents will do anything to make children happy, from creating a perfect baby nursery, to giving love, support and acceptance throughout life.
Create a baby nursery essentials list and think about budget that you are ready to spend on a baby room. Follow the list, keep in mind our tips and don’t stress yourself out. If you start preparations in advance, you will have everything ready by your due date.
In case, you have forgotten something, that’s okay, because shops with baby nursery necessities are not going to disappear overnight.
Whatever you buy, remember, that a child does not care about furniture in its room. It does not care what its bed is made of. All of these details don’t matter to a baby, because at the end of the day, the best place for child to snooze is its mother’s or father’s arms.
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