Are you beginning to nest? Nesting is an exciting time! This is the time during your pregnancy when you get a strong urge to organize your home. During this phase, you want to prepare your nursery to make it perfect for your newborn baby’s arrival.
Once the instinct to nest kicks in, it may feel quite overwhelming. You may feel the need to buy every baby product that comes your way. Tempting as it is, buying without a plan is not the way to go. You may end up with a baby nursery that only sounded like a good idea but looks different from what you really wanted.
So what should you do?
Before Nesting: What You Need
Let’s start with the physical preparations. If you’re feeling up to it, it’s best to begin by getting your house in tiptop shape. Start by deep cleaning the nooks and corners of your home, especially your baby’s room. Don’t forget to get some help! You don’t want to get tired and stressed at this point of your pregnancy.
Before the gear goes into the nursery room, it’s best to inspect everything and check for things that need to be repaired. You may want to check the air conditioning unit, for example, to make sure that it is working. You would not want to wait until the gear – and the baby – have been put inside the room before taking care of the repairs.
Finally, you may want to get some repainting done. Identify the theme that you want for your nursery and then come up with a suitable color palette. You can paint the walls with your chosen colors. This is also the perfect time to put up wallpaper.
During Nesting: The Only Baby Essentials You Need
At the height of your nesting phase, you may get astounded by all the choices that are available to you. To help you decide, here are the baby essentials that you absolutely need to get:
1. Crib
It makes a lot of sense to start with the crib as it is going to be the focal point of your baby nursery. You can choose to buy a standard-sized crib or a portable crib. However, the advantage of having a standard-sized crib is the availability of sheets and accessories that are especially made to fit it.
When selecting your baby’s crib, more than how it looks, it’s more important to choose one that fulfills the current safety requirements. According to Healthychildren.org, it should be solid with no decorative cutouts. The bars should be spaced no more than 2 3/8 inches apart, and the top of the rail should be at least 26 inches from the mattress.
PS: Don’t forget to buy cotton crib fitted sheets that fit all standard-sized cribs. Get matching ultra-soft comforters and quilts, too!
2. Bedding Sets
Next, you need crib bedding sets. We recommend that you get a bedding set that is made of 100% high quality cotton. Because your newborn baby will be spending a lot of time sleeping and playing in their cribs, it is important to get bedding sets that are safe and gentle enough for their delicate skin.
You can choose any design you want to fit the aesthetics of the theme of your baby nursery. But it is important as well to look for designs that are classic and timeless.
3. Dresser and Changing Table
To save on space, you can get a combination dresser and changing table instead of buying two separate pieces of furniture. You may want to choose a dresser made of solid wood with several drawers to store your baby’s clothing.
You will be changing a lot of diapers especially during your baby’s first year. Keep this in mind when choosing the changing table as it needs to be really sturdy. It also needs to follow safety recommendations. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that it should have railings at least 2 inches tall on all sides. It should have a safety straps, too.
4. Blankets
Don’t forget the blankets! Blankets are truly a baby essential because you will be using them in a lot of ways. Of course, it helps to keep your baby warm when they sleep. But you may also find yourself reaching out for a blanket to serve as a sunshade, a play mat, a cleaning cloth, and more.
Because you will be using baby blankets a lot, remember to choose ones that are made of 100% premium cotton muslin. Cotton is hypoallergenic and non-toxic, so it does not pose any health risk to your newborn baby. Muslin baby blankets will not irritate your baby’s skin or trigger any serious health conditions.
5. Musical Mobile
Add flair to your baby nursery by putting up a musical mobile! A good musical mobile is not just another décor to include in your baby’s room. Instead, it will stimulate your baby’s growing sense of imagination. It is vital in helping your baby develop their motor skills, too.
To help you choose the perfect musical mobile, begin with something that you think will fit your nursery’s theme. Then, make sure that it has a sturdy base and an easy-install clamp. For the attachments, you would like to choose soft hanging toys made of cotton in case your baby wants to play with them.
6. Toys
Finally, no nursery will be complete without age-appropriate baby toys! Now, there are countless choices when it comes to baby toys. But in reality, you don’t need a lot. To help you narrow down your choices, we recommend that you get simple toys that spark interest and are safe for your newborn baby.
At this stage, steer clear of battery-operated plastic toys. They generally have a lot of loose parts, which are dangerous for little babies. Instead, choose plush toys that are made of cotton. You may also want soft rattles to pique your baby’s curiosity about sounds.
With the right preparation and a complete list of baby essentials that you actually need, you will be on your way to a perfect baby nursery in no time!