Nursery Do's and Don'ts

It is surprising how many new parents get their baby’s nursery completely wrong, filling it with gorgeous toys and sparkling new furniture, only to find there is nowhere to sit and feed their baby during those long, long nights ahead...

With our help you can avoid this fiasco, and put together a nursery which will not only meet all your baby’s needs but yours as well.

Decorating Dos And Don’ts

Do:

• Decorate well in advance so the room doesn’t smell of paint the day you bring your baby home.
• Choose a neutral colour unless you are absolutely sure of the sex of your baby. Cream, lilac, green and yellow are all good choices.

Don't:

• Use any paint with lead in it. Instead, go for the low odour, non-toxic kind.
• Climb up on stepladders while you are pregnant. If you must do some decorating, restrict yourself to the lower parts of the walls. Better still, get someone else to do it for you.
• Spend a lot of money and effort putting up paper which will date very quickly. In the blink of an eye your baby will be a little person with a mind of his own, covering up the flowery paper with posters of his favourite football team.

Furnishing Dos And Don’ts

Do:

• Make sure you include somewhere to change your baby. This could be a specially designed unit or a cot-top changer. Be sure to get one at the right height for you.
• Include a comfortable chair – for you, not baby! Special feeding chairs can be costly and take up a lot of room. Any chair with arms and a supportive back will be fine. A little footstool for night-time feeding is nice too.
• Add black-out blinds to your baby’s nursery. According to childcare expert Gina Ford, one of the main reasons for early morning waking in babies is their rooms being too light.

Don't:

• Put your baby’s cot near to a radiator or sunny window. You will want to keep them away from direct sources of heat, and draughts.
• Buy a big expensive wardrobe for your baby’s clothes. Shelves and boxes are great for storage, and hanging space should be flexible to allow for their changing size over the years.
• Hang anything over the bed or changing table within reach of your baby. Cot mobiles should be removed when your baby starts to reach out for it.

Other Dos And Don’ts

Do:

• Buy curtains, mobiles and furnishings in bright, bold colours and patterns. Babies love to look at high contrast patterns such as black/white or white/red.
• Install a bottle warmer if you plan to bottle feed.
• Remember to add a clock and night-light. Some parents add a small radio or stereo as well.

Don't

• Spend a fortune on Moses baskets or cribs. Most babies end up in their own cots by about six weeks – and there is no reason why they can’t go in them the day they come home from hospital.
• Forget a baby monitor. Cheaper ones sacrifice quality, range and interference – get the best you can afford.
• Buy any gadgets designed to help your baby sleep or stop crying unless you are absolutely sure you need them. Parents are a prime target for unscrupulous sellers.
  
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Read our Diary Of A New Mum and discover what happens when Jessica-Ann comes home from the hospital and during her first year at home. This fun read is perfect for new mums and experienced mums alike! New episodes weekly.
Diary Of A New Mum

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AV Baby content is for information only. If you are at all worried about your baby, please seek the advice of your midwife, doctor or paediatrician.

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