Pregnancy, childbirth and those first few weeks as a parent can be exciting as well as nerve-wracking. You probably won’t feel completely in control of the situation as you maneuver morning sickness (that seems to last all day), endure a long childbirth with plenty of pushing and rock your fussy infant to sleep.
Fortunately, there are some things you can get a good handle on during pregnancy that will help get your parenting experience off to a great start. For example, you can design, decorate and set up a calm, safe and soothing nursery for your little one that will welcome your precious bundle of joy into the world. Here's how.
Start with the furniture and go from there
While you might be all set to paint the nursery a fetching shade of pink, blue, gray or green, it is wise to select the furniture first. If you have painted rooms before, you probably realize how colors will look different when they are near other shades, so start by choosing the crib, changing table and rocking chair first and then choose colors around these important staples. Once you select your crib, be sure to buy a crib mattress that offers good support for your little one. Once you have all of the furniture purchased and delivered into the baby’s room, head to the local paint shop and bring home a bunch of paint swatches to select the colors that best complement the finishes.
Go for different sources of light
When you are hanging out with your baby in her room during the day, reading colorful books and or cuddling in the rocking chair, it’s perfectly fine to use a bright and gorgeous overhead light fixture. You don’t want to illuminate the entire room with harsh lighting, but you also don’t want to trip and fall in a dark nursery during 2 a.m. feedings. Consider installing a dimmer on your overhead light and get a night light with a low-wattage bulb that you can easily access. A floor lamp with an “on-off” switch you can easily and safely step on is good option, too.
Calm the clutter
You might be surprised at how much “stuff” a 7-pound person has — everything from diaper-changing paraphernalia to tons of onesies and tiny socks to books, rattles and other toys. In order to maintain a sense of serenity in the nursery, which in turn will help to keep you and your infant calmer, go for a “less is more” approach with clutter. To store the needed items, check out the adorable nursery storage options on a site like Etsy.
Please note: Be sure not to put anything into the crib at nap and bedtime besides your infant to reduce the risk of SIDS, those cute stuffed animals and blankets he received as gifts should be kept in baskets on the floor.
A serene nursery can inspire sleep
As you will soon find out, you will be constantly on the lookout for things that inspire your infant to sleep — that way, you can also catch up on your rest. By creating a soothing nursery filled with calm colors, keeping middle-of-the-night light to a minimum and using cute storage bins to contain the clutter, you will be well on your way to helping your infant drift off to the land of nod — and stay there for at least a few hours.