Have you just found out that you’re pregnant? Maybe you’re thinking of getting pregnant and starting in vitro or having a tuboplasty performed. Either way, one of the first things you think about when you think about the baby to come is the nursery they’ll grow up in.
Designing and decorating the nursery is a rite of passage for most parents, as well as one of the first practical experiences of parenting. Unfortunately, all too often, the nurseries you’re drooling over on Pinterest won’t be a very practical place for your baby to grow up.
Here are some tips for creating a beautiful nursery that will also reduce the headaches of being a new parent.
Choose a Bright Space–But Make Sure You Can Make it Dark
There’s nothing more precious than natural light spilling into a nursery. Natural light is also important for establishing your baby’s circadian rhythm and helping them learn proper waking and sleeping cycles.
However, the more natural light is present, the harder it will be for your baby to sleep. While it’s a great idea to choose a room that gets good light, make sure to equip it with blackout shades or curtains that eliminate almost all of the light coming in.
Make the Changing Table Center Stage
You’re going to spend a lot of time at the changing table as the parent of a new baby. Make sure that it gives you as few headaches as possible.
Choose a space that’s easy to access. If you have to weave a path around a giant stuffed rocking horse and a play tent every time you need to change your baby’s diaper, you’re going to start to resent those decorations quickly.
Be sure that everything you need to access from the changing table is within the comfortable grip of one hand. After all, you’ll be keeping a wiggling baby on the table with the other hand.
Make it cute with baskets mounted on the wall to hold diapers, cream, wipes, etc. It may seem a little messier than you’d prefer, but you’ll be glad everything’s on hand when the baby comes.
Make Sure Your Nursery is as Practical as it is Charming
It’s easy to obsess over all of the cute decorations as you plan your nursery, but when you actually get your newborn home, the most important things about the nursery are that it can get good and dark to encourage healthy sleep and that the changing table is easy to access. Once those two things are taken care of, you’re free to make your nursery as adorable as you like.
