Setting up Your Baby Nursery

Setting up a baby nursery is one of the most exciting things that new parents do! It is a lot of fun getting things ready for your new bundle of joy. Although it is fun there are a lot of things that you will want to take into consideration when setting up your baby nursery.

First you will need to decide what type of nursery furniture to buy. There are several different brands and styles on the market and the prices are all over the place. Buying furniture that has extra storage can be especially helpful. It is amazing the amount of things that you need for a baby.

If you decide to purchase a changing table then you may want to consider buying one that has plenty of drawers or shelves. Many parents prefer the tables with drawers so that all of the baby’s stuff is not sitting outside on a shelf; however the changing tables with built in drawers tend to be a little more expensive.

A diaper pail is also a necessary investment. There are many available on the market today, but the best is the kind that locks in odor such as the Diaper Genie. The only downside to the Diaper Genie is that the bag can be extremely heavy when it comes time to empty it.  You also have to buy special refill kits for the Diaper Genie.

There are other diaper pail options as well. Many of them claim to lock in the odor just as well as the Diaper Genie. You can empty these pails more often. Lysol wipes are handy for cleaning them after they are emptied.

If you decide to forego the changing table you will want to figure out a place to store your baby’s things. Over the door organizers are inexpensive and handy. They are nice because they usually have many pockets. This allows you to store things like baby powder, hats, gloves, shampoo, brushes and diaper rash cream all in one place. Some over the door organizers have clear, almost transparent pockets. This is great. It makes it easy to find exactly what you are looking for quickly. Most parents will tell you that being able to find what you need fast is key when you have a baby!

Many cribs also come with storage units. Some of them come with a storage chest on the side and others come with a drawer underneath. Both are great options. They make a great place to store extra bedding, quilts and receiving blankets.

You will also need a dresser for your baby’s clothes. Five drawer dressers are usually plenty of space to store baby’s clothes. If you are having twins then you may need to buy two dressers.

A laundry basket is also a necessary item for a nursery. You can find nice wicker laundry baskets with liners or you can use a plastic basket. The choice is up to you. Whatever you do decide to get make sure it is a large one. Babies make a lot of laundry.  

There are also products that can increase the comfort and safety of babies. For example, if your home is very dry, it may be a good idea to get a humidifier. Another item which you should not leave out is a baby sound monitor. It can give you peace of mind when your baby is sleeping on her own.

As you can see, there are many things that you need in order to get ready for the new baby. Having them in place before the baby is born will make things a lot easier in the hectic first few weeks of her life.

The crane humidifier is well suited for a baby nursery and it comes in many cute shapes. Safety 1st baby sound monitor uses advanced DECT technology to minimize interference. Find out more at Household Gadgets.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/setting-up-your-baby-nursery-1533865.html

Do you really need a Baby Changing Station?

As a parent to be, its very easy to spend huge amounts of money on those essential pieces of nursery equipment which you think you will need to get you through those early days. But you really have to wonder how essential are ‘the essentials’? Parents with toddlers will be more than aware of just how much money is wasted on baby equipment which is supposed to simplify and ease the process of parenting but is in fact never really used!

Baby Changing Station

According to most parenting magazines, one of the ‘essential’ pieces of furniture which ‘every nursery should have’ is a changing station. Before you go running to your local baby shop or searching for the cheapest deal online to get yours, save yourself the hassle, cost and effort of buying, using and having a changing table and consider the following facts:

  • Changing your baby on an elevated surface can be dangerous. The SAFEST place to change your infant / toddler is at floor level.
  • A changing table / workstation can cost from £80 upwards depending whether you wish to have a basic table or one which matches with a particular theme / brand name.
  • A changing table takes up valuable room in your nursery / bathroom
  • A changing table is simply another surface which can harbour germs and needs to be cleaned regularly!

So what you essentially want is a baby changing mat / waterproof sheet / towel to lay your child upon comfortably (on the floor), a packet of wipes/ cotton wool and water and finally a clean nappy.

For simple storage simply tuck your changing mat under the cot or perhaps down the side of the sofa for ease and accessibility during the day.

baby changing mat

By simply using a changing mat on the floor you will find it is now more convenient to change your baby in any location as the mats are light and easy to transport. The price of a changing mat is fairly cheap and therefore you could even splurge and buy almost ten for the price of one changing table, that’s one for every room of the house and probably a few more for the car too!

If you are adamant that you must have a designated changing surface, then the best option has to be a baby cot top changer. It simply sits across the cot /cot bed forming a secure work surface. Please note that the cot top changer should have a safety buckle or strap which is secured to the top rail.

Baby Cot Top Changer

Unlike the changing station, the cot top changer can be stored away without taking up vast amounts of space and its a fraction of the price!

Save yourself from wasting the ‘real essentials’ (money, time, effort, space, safety risks and more) and don’t bother with a changing station!

Childs Play Sussex is an online baby and nursery store with several years experience selling infant products. We are putting together a series of informative articles to aid parents when making important decisions about the pros and cons of different products.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/do-you-really-need-a-baby-changing-station-1527094.html

How to Organize a Nursery

Keeping the nursery organized is not always easy, but is always essential.  Babies need so much and almost always on the spur of the moment.  Parents find it difficult to stay on top of things if they don’t have a good system in place.  Use these tips to get your nursery in working order while making it look great at the same time.

1)  Categorize the nursery.  Keeping related items together will help you know where to find them when you need them.  Divide each category into frequency of use categories, because you may need some things quickly and some things less often.  For example, you may want your diaper rash cream close at hand near the changing table, but other medications are kept in storage for when you need them.

2)  Get the essentials organized first.  Diapers, wipes, bottle care and nursing needs, first aid, and cleaning supplies will most likely be needed quickly when they are needed.  Make sure that all of these things are easy to find and well out of baby’s reach.  A designated closet shelf or wall mounted shelf that can hold baskets will help you to know exactly where certain items are when you need them.  Plus, clean-up will be a snap because you can simply toss the item into the right basket or bucket when you’re done.

3)  Toys can quickly get out of control, especially if your baby is too young to help clean up.  Keeping them organized makes them more interesting to your baby.  You can separate your toys into different developmental areas.  You can have a quiet corner for books and stuffed animals, a gross motor area for foam climbing structures, an art table for arts and crafts supplies, a loud area for toys that make sounds, and a fine motor area for blocks and other manipulatives.  Not only will it be easier to figure out where things go in a hurry, but it will make it easier to see if you are lacking in any one area of development.

4)  The other big hurdle in keeping a nursery organized is clothing.  Here is where your closet can really come in handy.  Many parents are avoiding putting dressers into the nursery because of the tipping and climbing hazards that they present.  Even a small closet can be easily organized to hold baby’s burp cloths, shoes, bedding, and clothing.  You may need to install some shelves to make a place for everything, but you could also just use some bins that go on the top shelf and hang everything else on baby hangers or children’s hangers.  They save space and won’t cause your baby’s clothes to become misshapen.  Infant hangers are the right size and shape for delicate baby clothes.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores. For more information, please visit www.onlykidshangers.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/how-to-organize-a-nursery-1459832.html

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