Today’s mom and dad-to-be are luckier than ever before with the vast variety and selection of baby nursery furniture, nursery bedding and nursery accessories readily available to decorate the perfect nursery. There are so many different products on the market today for baby that it may seem confusing, or worse, overwhelming to know what exactly you need for the baby’s room. You will most certainly need baby furniture and crib bedding but the type of furniture and bedding is what we’re going to look at in this article.
A Crib
For the first few months your baby will spend most of everyday sleeping. The average newborn sleeps a total of 16 to 18 hours a day waking every three to four hours for feedings and socializing. To accommodate all of those sleeping hours, you will need a crib. When choosing a crib, the most important things to keep in mind are safety and comfort.
It is vitally important that you make certain the crib is in good shape, and is fairly new (to avoid potential for lead paint). Antique cribs should be avoided.
- Measure the space between the slats. The gap should be no more than 2-3/8 inches apart according to Federal Safety Standards, Industry Voluntary Standards, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Also, make sure there are no slats missing.
- Be sure to check the rail height. To do this, lower the mattress to its lowest position and raise the sides of the crib. Then, measure from the top of the side rails down to the mattress support, to ensure there is at least 26 inches between the two.
- Check the four corner posts to make sure they are even with the end panels. They can be as much as 1/16th of an inch above the end panels, but no more. This lessens the risk of baby’s clothing catching which could be a strangulation hazard.
A Changing Table
Next, you will want to consider a baby changing table. Although you can 
change a baby’s diaper on any flat surface with a protective pad, changing tables can make diaper changing more convenient, since they raise the baby up to a comfortable height and provide a place to store diapering supplies. If you don’t have the room or you don’t have the extra money a small dresser or bookshelf can also double as a baby changing table but just make sure the top of the furniture can accommodate a standard sized changing pad.
A Comfortable Chair
You also will be spending quite a bit of time in the baby’s room so you will most certainly want something that is comfortable. Most parents choose a rocking chair as sometimes you’re just too tired to walk with a fussy baby, and rocking will let you cat nap while holding them but the choice really is a personal preference.
Nursery Bedding
For the first few months of baby’s life the only nursery bedding items that you will really need are many fitted crib mattress sheets. It is dangerous to put things in a crib with a newborn so fitted sheets are a must and let baby sleep in warm pjs or sleep sacks.
So, for the beginner, there is no need to be confused or overwhelmed as to what you need in a nursery. A few pieces of baby furniture and some baby nursery bedding is all you need to get started on the nursery of your dreams.
3 Comments
[...] Decorating a bedroom for your new baby can be fun and exciting. As you’re picking out themes and colors the anticipation builds for the arrival of your new little one. But, here are some pitfalls to avoid as you’re setting up the baby nursery. [...]
Comment by No-No’s to Avoid When Decorating the Baby Nursery on April 3rd, 2010 @ ![...] place. Too much furniture in the room can give way to a cluttered, congested feel so purchase your baby nursery furniture with consideration of the [...]
Comment by Mistakes to Avoid Furnishing the Baby Nursery | Baby Safety Monitors Online on April 11th, 2010 @ !Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
[...] designing the nursery that she envisioned for her little angel, Emma. Chloe decided to create a Setting up a Nursery post for other moms and dads who also only want the best for their baby but don’t know where [...]
Comment by The Basic Elements Found in Every Baby Nursery « One Baby Monitor on March 2nd, 2010 @ !