Prepping a Nursery for the Arrival of a Newborn

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One of the most memorable moments in any person’s life is the day that they bring
their little miracle, in the form of a newborn baby, home for the very first time.

While they’re planning for that momentous occasion, there is a lot of planning that
goes into place, including prepping the nursery. Now, this doesn’t just include which
color should go on the walls or the patchwork quilt that you want to put on the crib. There
are some other things outside of all of the interior designing that is just as much, if not
more, important.

If you’re preparing a nursery for the arrival of your newborn, here is a checklist to
keep in mind.

What the Crib Needs

After assembling the crib, the first thing that you should do is test it for safety.
Some people like the sentiment of an older (or passed down) crib, but being that safety
regulations change so often, it’s really best to go with one that’s no more than a couple
of years old. Make sure that the slats can fit no more than the width of a soda can
between them and that the crib’s mattress can get no more than two fingers between the
edge of the mattress and the sides of the crib. It’s a good idea to have both a mattress
pad and waterproof cover that fits snuggly onto the mattress and also make sure that
you have at least two different bedding sets. You’re going to need them.

Run Down the List of Other “Must Have” Supplies

When you’re having a baby shower, seemingly everyone wants to get the baby an
outfit. But, if you’ve already had a child, you know that most babies don’t even get to
wear half of the clothes they’re given. Therefore, there are other things that are much
higher on the priority list. Diapers, baby wipes, a baby monitor, a thermometer, onesies,
socks (you can never get enough socks!),T-shirts and baby toiletries (especially baby
wash and diaper cream) are all imperative essentials. Next on the priority list are some
bottles, a changing table, burp pads, a co-sleeper and nursing pillow.

Special Decorative Items

Once you have all of these things in place, you can have more time to play
interior designer to put some final touches on your newborn’s nursery. Your baby
will be spending quite a bit of time in his/her room and so just like they need love, walls need love
too. Rather than just painting the walls a neutral color or even having an accent wall,
consider painting a mural or posting up some monogram wall decals. A
rocking chair is always a nice touch and for the floor, there are places where you can
have customized throw rugs made. ABaby.com and FindaGift.com are two websites that
make them for a relatively inexpensive price. Also, don’t forget to have a blanket or a
couple of picture frames with their names on display for them too. A beautiful nursery is
a perfect way to formally welcome your baby into your life, their home and this world.