Your bundle of joy is almost on her way into the world and you need to prepare the nursery for the day you bring her home. Preparing the nursery can be an exciting task, but you don’t want to be caught without the necessities when the day arrives to bring your baby home. Here is a checklist of the main things you need to keep in mind when preparing the nursery.
- Crib / cot– safety is key.
You can start newborn babies in a bassinet and then move the baby to a cot.
It’s always better to buy this item new in order to ensure safety. Make sure that the paint used on the cot or bassinet is lead-free for your child’s safety.
If you can, rather avoid buying a pre-owned cot because it could be unstable, unhygienic, poorly designed or have lead-based paint. The side rails should ideally have plastic teething covers. The locking mechanism for dropping the rails of the cot should not be accessible to your baby.
Consider buying a cot that converts to a toddler bed and then a child bed to save money in the long run, and to make transition to the new bed easier for the child.
Remember to position this away from windows, curtains, loose cords, lamps, or any sharp objects. Also avoid electrical sockets and air vents.
- Crib Mattress & Bedding – ensure breathable material.
Buy bedding and cot bumpers only for when baby is older as it may increase the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
A sleep sack is a better idea for bedding (there is one for newborns, and one for ages two and up).
- Changing table / compactum – check that the height is right for you so that you don’t strain your back.
Ensure that it is wide enough for baby to grow into; side panels are also nice to have. Don’t forget a changing mat to go on top of the compactum.
Easy-to-open drawers are important so that you can get to things easily without letting go of baby.
- Design – choose a theme for the nursery.
If you don’t know baby’s gender, then keep it neutral. Some theme examples may be:
Dr. Seuss
Baby Looney Toons
Snoopy
Raggedy Anne and Andy
Winnie the Pooh
Barbie
- Toy chest/ storage– for baby clothes, toys, etc.
- Nappy bin
- Monitor
- Lamps and lights – remember to keep it dim.
Think about lighting – consider installing a dimmer switch and blackout curtains so that baby can sleep in the day without light coming in. - Flooring – keep it practical.
Ideal flooring would be wooden floors, with a nice rug for playtime. - Nursing chair
- Towelling nappies – for burping.
- Baby aspirator– for opening nasal passages when baby is congested.
- Toiletries
- Important Items
- Bottles
- Bottle steriliser
Visit our baby store to get everything you need to prepare the nursery.
What else would you suggest be added to our list?
