Preparing the Nursery

You and your baby are both going to spend a lot of time in the nursery, especially when you first bring her home, so it's important to make it a calm, comfortable and safe place for both of you.

Preparing the Nursery

You and your baby are going to spend lots of beautiful moments in the nursery, especially when you first bring her home. So it's important to make it a calm, comfortable and safe place for both of you. Be innovative with baby room ideas. Create a cozy atmosphere for her with your motherly touch!

The Right Environment

Your baby's nursery —whether it's in your bedroom or in a separate room—should be a quiet area with soft and soothing lights. Remember, your baby will spend most of the time here looking up, so make sure there are no hash lights overhead. Make sure you’ve got pleasant colours running across the room’s wall and there’s enough sunlight in her environment.

While you might have a number of nursery room ideas for your new-born’s abode, it should be a peaceful place. The room should be designed keeping in mind the ease and comfort of you and your baby. Experiment with a few baby room decor ideas and settle on an arrangement that you find to be logically correct. However, you should also be prepared to rearrange things a little once your baby is home as you get a better idea of what suits her best.

Choosing a Cot

Your new-born's needs are simple: a firm, flat mattress and a safe enclosure where she will feel warm, protected and secure. While looking for cots or baby cribs, make sure that:

If your baby sleeps in a cot or a rocking basket (wooden palna), choose one that is deep enough to be safe for your baby. Ensure that cot bars are less than 45-65mm (a soft-drink can should not fit between the slats) to prevent your baby's head from slipping between the bars.

• If your cot is second-hand and painted, strip all paint and re-paint it with eco-friendly lead-free paint. If your child breathes lead dust or fumes, or swallows anything with lead in it, she may get lead poisoning, which could cause learning disabilities and other neurological problems

• Make sure that the mattress is firm. Your baby can get uncomfortably warm or might suffocate if she sleeps on a soft mattress

• Also check that the mattress fits perfectly in the cot. There should be no corner-post extensions and no decorative cut outs in the headboard or foot board which could trap your baby's limbs

• Don't use a pillow in the cot. For safe sleeping, your baby needs a surface that is firm and flat

• Keep soft toys and stuffed animals away from your baby's cot as she may get accidentally smothered if she rolls onto a toy in her sleep. Make sure cot toys don't have strings longer than 30cm as they can get tangled round a baby's neck

• When you're not in the room with your baby, make sure to keep the drop side of her cot up and locked

• When the cot mattress is at its lowest height and the top rail is below your child's chest, it's time to move her to a bed

Furniture

The cot is just one part of your baby’s environment. Everything around her should also be made as safe and secure as possible. Putting thought to some smart baby room furniture ideas can minimize chances of injury and accidents. Take a look at some basic precautions you could take:

• Attach corner and edge guards

• If your furniture can possibly topple (bookcases, chests of drawers), secure it to the walls by screwing it in place

• Keep televisions on lowered furniture, ensure it’s pushed as far back as possible

• Secure tall, unstable lamps behind furniture and make sure the electrical cords to table lamps are out of the baby’s reach

Irrespective of whether your baby is sleeping with you or in a separate cot, her safety is of utmost importance!

Sleep Safety

Your nursery room design should invariably involve considerations about your little one’s safety. Follow these guidelines and add a few of your own depending on your specific conditions.

• To reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), your baby should be placed on her back when it's time to sleep. Remember the phrase "Back to Sleep," and be sure that everyone who cares for your child follows this rule, even at naptime

• The sleeping surface must be firm and flat

• Fluffy pillows, crib bumpers, blankets and toys should never be placed in the crib with a sleeping baby

• Do not use sleep-positioning devices. These may look like a good idea, but your baby can become trapped and might suffocate

• Your baby can be kept warm by using a sleeper, such as a zipper sleeper. Do not use sleepers that can ride up and potentially cover your baby’s face

Changing Table

Your new-born baby bedroom ideas will be incomplete without a diaper table that will make those frequent nappy changes easy and hassle-free. However, due to space-constraints, if a changing table seems inconvenient, you can also use a flat, secure surface (like the floor or bed), covered with a changing pad or towel. Whatever you choose, as a thumb rule be sure that the surface is sturdy enough to support the weight of your hands as well as the baby’s body.

If you buy a changing table, make sure that:

• The changing table is sturdy and stable, with a 2-inch guardrail around all four sides. The top of the table should be concave, so that the middle is slightly lower than the sides.

• Secure the changing table to the wall (to studs), if possible, to prevent tip-overs. If the table has wheels, be sure they are locked.

• Have all your supplies ready before you change your baby. Make sure they are within your reach, but out of your baby’s reach. Do not give your baby any product containers to hold while you are changing her; instead give her a toy to hold and play with.

Never leave your baby alone on a changing table, not even for a minute. ALWAYS keep one hand on your baby when using a changing table, even when you are using the provided safety strap. Ignore the phone during this time — your baby’s safety comes first!

JOHNSON’S^® always strives to make parenthood a memorable time for you and your baby. When you bring your new-born into her very own nursery with a unique baby room décor, you can ensure her journey begins on a positive and happy note! So go on, decorate your new guest’s bedroom with love and affection!

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