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One of the most exciting aspects of planning for the arrival of a new baby
is designing the nursery. As the Hubs and I prepare for our oldest's 16th birthday, we are reminded of those weeks and months just prior to her birth. I was frantically working with a painter to have her room painted and feverishly ordering and assembling her furniture.
A freshly decorated and well designed nursery
looks so appealing. It is a place where you will spend lots of time - your
own sunny, happy place with your baby. Before we went rushing out to buy the
latest equipment, we spent some time thinking about what we wanted and what the new
baby needed and the look we wanted to create. As nurseries are often the
smallest rooms in the house you will want to maximize the available space
as much as possible.
Colors
Unless you know whether your baby is a boy or a girl, it’s best
to keep your color scheme neutral or unisex. Subtle colors on the walls
can be brightened up with rugs and soft furnishings. Greens, soft yellows
and beige are calming colors, which will be useful in the middle of the
night when you are trying to settle the baby. Consider the type of
flooring you would like your nursery to have. Wooden floors are practical,
but can be cold. Carpets are warm, but not very practical. You could have
the best of both worlds and cover a wooden floor with a throw rug. Careful consideration needs to be made when choosing window coverings.
Curtains and blackout blinds will be useful for when you want your baby to
nap in the daytime. We went with lime green walls, floor to floor carpet, and white linen curtains.
The Crib
The crib will be the focal point in your nursery. Choose a crib with a long
life span (one that converts into a toddler bed once your child has grown
out of the crib) is a cost-effective option. The style of the crib very much depends on your style,
taste and
budget, but one area worth spending a little more on is the mattress for the
crib. There are many considerations when researching
how to choose a crib mattress, safety being at the top of the list. Your crib mattress needs to be
comfortable as well as breathable.
Crib Bedding
The bedding that you choose for your baby's crib is an area in which you
can really go to town, as there are so many styles and themes to choose
from. Be sure to choose 100% cotton in order to protect your
baby's skin and wash in non-biological laundry detergent. You will go through an amazing
amount of bedding in the early days, so don’t underestimate how many
changes you will need to make in one single day! Buy extra sets of fitted crib sheets. You'll need them!
Nursing Chair
Purchase a chair which is extremely comfortable and supportive. You will be
spending a lot of time in your chair, reading, feeding,
comforting and singing lullabies. We chose a rocking chair that we could use in another room once we no longer needed it in the baby's room.
Changing Area
Changing tables at the correct height will do wonders for your back.
Changing your baby on the floor or bed umpteen times a day can put your
back under colossal strain. Ensure your changing area has lots of storage
for diapers, wipes, creams and lotions. If you choose carefully,
a changing station can grow with your child and become a storage area or chest
of drawers in later years.
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