How to Make Your Baby’s Nursery Safe and Comfortable
In this time of the pandemic, we need to spend the majority of our time at home. And if you just had your baby, chances are his/her nursery is already planned. If you already have bought the items for the nursery, the next thing to do is to decorate and prepare it for your little one. However, you also have to keep in mind the safety and comfort of this area.
Design Diligently
You probably have an idea of what the nursery’s color palette and theme would be. Because it is your baby’s room, you have surely chosen a color scheme of “soft” colors. But if you have decorated or painted the room before knowing the gender, you’ve probably chosen a gender-neutral color like powder blue.
The good news is that gentle colors like this are the perfect choice for any nursery. Powder blue or even lavender are associated with night time and are soft to the eyes as opposed to colors like yellow and red. It makes the nursery cozier, which is ideal for helping your little one fall asleep easily.
You should also consider the decors that you’ll be putting. For example, if you have a theme in mind, the objects should not induce fear in your baby. Remember that children have a tendency to get scared easily because of their imagination. They are prone to developing object permanence even from something as simple as a stuffed animal that looks scary in the dark.
And of course, keep in mind to arrange the furniture and baby paraphernalia in such a way where you can move around quickly. The last thing you want is to trip over an item when you’re on your way to console a crying baby.
Speaking of arranging, consider the diaper changing station as well. You want your items such as diaper cream, diapers, alcohols, and towels to be easy to access from the changing table. It’s dangerous to leave your baby unattended, so you should have shelves close to the changing area. This is also the reason why you need shelves and cabinets to keep your baby items in the nursery neatly.
Now, for the caregivers, you should also add a nursing chair for yourself. You won’t be able to take care of your baby efficiently if you feel tired. When you’re nursing your baby, you can do it comfortably in the nursing chair. This area will also be your own space to watch or bond with your little one if you just want to relax.
Enhance the Environment
The nursery’s environment is going to be always more important than the wallpaper and decor. This is the reason why gadgets like baby monitors allow parents to check not just the room, but also its condition. You can also get a temperature sensor so that you can monitor the room if it is still in the recommended range. This way, you don’t have to disturb your baby if he/she is sleeping.
The ideal temperature for the nursery should be between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also improve the conditions by adding a humidifier as mentioned here. This is because a humidifier improves the air quality in the room. If your baby is prone to having a stuffy nose and dry sinus, he/she can benefit from the moisture added to the air by a humidifier. Better breathing means a more comfortable sleep. At the same time, the humidifier can also relieve dry skin during the months where the air is drier.
You can also improve the sleeping condition in the nursery using a white noise machine, night light, and blackout curtains. The humidifier works already as a white noise machine because of its hum, but some babies respond better to lullabies, nature sounds, and even heartbeat sounds.
And since babies sleep a lot, you want the room to be as enticing and cozy to sleep in. First, you should be blocking any sunlight that comes into the room. You can place the crib away from direct sunlight or lighting, but using blackout curtains is the best solution to dim the room. This way, the room mimics night time so you can schedule your little one’s naps and sleeping hours.
And once it is night time, you want a night light to illuminate the room gently. Babies are typically afraid of the dark, so having a gentle light will soothe their fear. At the same time, the additional lighting gives you the advantage of checking on your baby or changing his/her diaper without jolting him/her awake.
Routine is important to help your little one sleep well. By adding simple appliances like these, you can help your baby stick to one. Your lowered voice, the soothing hum of the humidifier, the pulled down shades, and the dim lights can all help your little one get sleepy or fall asleep.
Check the Crib
Once you get the environment safe and comfortable, the next part of the room to check is the crib. This is where your baby will spend most of his/her time. Therefore, it’s essential to check the safety and comfort of the crib.
For starters, make sure that the crib sheet you’re getting is the right fit on the crib. It shouldn’t be loose because it could pose a risk for suffocation. And speaking of suffocation risk, this is also true for any other type of bedding like a blanket. Therefore, you shouldn’t leave them in the crib. You might also want to skip on crib bumpers or anything hanging over the crib no matter how cute they are. Value function over form.
According to CuteLittleDarling, the crib itself should also be free of any health and accident risks. What we mean by this is that the materials up to the paints used should all be non-toxic. Your baby can start chewing on his/her crib, so just to be on the safe side, talk with the manufacturer of the crib about the materials used.
What about the position of the crib? As we have mentioned earlier, you want the crib far from the windows or any source of direct sunlight and heat. At the same time, always be mindful of the items close to the crib that might fall and break in case of an earthquake. And of course, be one step ahead and leave your baby no chance of reaching and dragging anything into his/her crib.
Lastly, hygiene is an important aspect of your baby’s safety and comfort, so it’s best to get waterproof sheets and pillowcases. Using them will prevent skin irritation, and they are mostly hypoallergenic as well to avoid skin reactions.
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Source: Techstory