As the birth approaches, you will start preparing the little one’s room. The baby’s room will be both a place to rest and, when it grows a little, a place to play. It should be peaceful, practical, and cheerful. Read our tips for preparing the ideal nursery for your baby.
Room preparation
If possible, choose a quiet, sunny room that is close to your bedroom. That way, you can reach it easily – especially when the baby wakes up during the night.
Choose soft or light colors for the walls; bright colors are stimulating and could disturb the baby’s ability to fall asleep. If you like intense shades, introduce them in small touches, such as furniture items, sheets or curtains, decorative objects, and stuffed animals.
Choose hardwood or tile floors, as opposed to carpet, which can be allergenic.
Use soft and indirect light sources.
In the first months of the baby, a few essential items will satisfy the needs.
- A cot
- In the first few months of your baby’s life, a swing can also be useful; smaller than a crib, the cradle feels safer for the child.
- A musical mobile hung above the cot, which will help the baby fall asleep.
- A chest of drawers and/or a wardrobe for organizing the baby’s small items.
- A changing table or a simple changing surface installed on the dresser, next to which you can place all the diapers and cleaning materials: diapers,
- Napkins or cotton pads, cleaning water or milk, diaper cream, etc.
- A comfortable chair or rocking chair.
In the following months
As your child grows, his needs will change. For ages between one and three years, you can plan to add the following items to the baby’s room:
- A play mat on which your little one can play to his delight, without the risk of being injured.
- A toy chest or holes with drawers that your child can open and close himself. Choose models that are at the height of your child, so that he can access them without difficulty and even use them in the game.
- A small library for children, which displays books rather than the cover rather than the binding. In this way, your child can choose and search for his own books.
- A table and one or two small chairs for painting and drawing.
- A clothes rack on which your child can close their own clothes or pajamas.
Safety
When arranging the baby’s room, special attention should be paid to safety. Remember the following:
- For walls, opt for natural paints that bear the NF and/or European Ecolabel seals. Traditional paints release toxic molecules that are particularly harmful to babies and children.
- Make sure that the furniture you have chosen complies with safety standards for children and is not covered with toxic paint or varnish; your child is more than likely to open his mouth on the furniture at one point or another.
- Pay special attention to the safety of the baby’s crib: choose a crib with bars that meet the safety standards in force, especially regarding the distance between the bars. Let the bed and mattress air out for a while before installing them in the baby’s room. Finally, put your baby in a onesie to help her fall asleep and avoid having pillows, duvets, or stuffed animals in the crib.
- Choose furniture with rounded corners whenever possible or place foam protectors on the corners of the furniture when your child starts to move on his own.
- Make sure that the furniture cannot fall on your child if he grabs it to get up. If necessary, glue furniture to the walls.
- Install socket covers, so that the baby cannot put his fingers in the sockets.
- Install safety devices on any window so that your child cannot open them by himself.
- Don’t leave any electrical cables exposed: hang electrical items where possible, use wall or desk lamps, or place them high enough where you can hide their wires behind furniture.
- Air the baby’s room daily and do not overheat it: 65-68 degrees is enough. If the air is very dry, install a humidifier, which will facilitate the breathing of the little one.
