When it comes to outfitting your nursery, there are tons of options. You might be wondering, ‘Where do I start with all of this?’ When we started our nursery, we asked ourselves the same question. There are many great choices, but what do you need the most? Whether you choose to have a dedicated nursery for your baby or make them a little home in your bedroom, here are our top ten things you’ll want to have at the ready.
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Crib or Bassinet
Babies need their place to sleep, a calm and safe space to call their own. Since your newborn will sleep a lot, you’ll want to make sure their crib is comfortable and safe.
We always recommend investing in a new crib, as hand-me-downs (especially if you don’t know their history) can be just like a used car — it’s hard to determine its condition and if it’ll be safe and stable for your child.
Finally, you might consider a convertible crib, meaning as your baby grows, you can adjust the crib to become a bed for your toddler.
Mattress
A good quality mattress will help your baby sleep safely and securely at night. Most baby mattresses are firm, which will help support your baby when they sleep on their back and reduce SIDS risk (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
Waterproof Mattress Cover
Accidents can happen at any time, so it’s a wise idea to invest in a waterproof mattress cover to help protect your mattress. (Even as adults, we use one of these on our bed to protect the mattress from absorbing the natural dander that we all naturally shed.) With a waterproof cover, cleaning up accidents will be a breeze.
Crib Sheets
A fitted crib sheet is perfect to complete the package. You’ll want to ensure the sheet is fitted and securely and snugly covers the mattress. We’re big fans of organic sheets for our baby crib.
Drawers
If you haven’t yet, you’ll soon start amassing an extensive collection of baby clothes, blankets, hats, booties, and other accessories. They’re so tiny that traditional storage often doesn’t work in a nursery setting, so you’ll want to have some drawers at the ready to store your baby clothes and gear.
Nursing/Feeding Area
We recommend a dedicated nursing or feeding area in your nursery. A rocking chair is an excellent investment if it fits your budget, and if you have space. Creating a dedicated place to feed your baby and rock them to sleep will have a calming effect on both you and your baby.
Changing Area
When it comes to changing your baby, a dedicated changing area can make all the difference. If you have space, a changing table (or topper for a dresser) is perfect. If you are short on space or want something more portable, a folding changing mat also works well. Some of these feature straps to make it easier to keep your baby from squirming around while you’re changing them, and things like mobiles to keep them entertained while you give them a clean diaper.
Diapers/Wipes/etc.
It’s no surprise that you’ll need plenty of diapers and wipes for your baby. If you’re choosing to go the cloth diapering route, you’ll need significantly fewer diapers, but you’ll still need a good number. We recommend keeping your clean diapers, wipes, and other accessories (like baby powder) organized in a diaper caddy, which makes it easy to have everything at the ready, both in your nursery or if you’re on the go.
Baby Swing or Bouncer
Before your baby comes along, you may think you will never want to put them down, but after they arrive, I guarantee you’ll be looking for a break from all the holding and rocking, especially if you need to get other things done. A dedicated baby swing or bouncer is a great solution for this. It can help entertain or lull your baby to sleep, keeping them close by, while your arms can take a well-deserved rest.
Baby Monitor
Baby monitors for us were definitely in the ‘must-have’ category. There are plenty of different models out there, though we’re fans of ones that allow for video and two-way audio. Some are even compatible with smart home tech like HomeKit, letting you pull up a video feed on your mobile device.
While we’ve only focused on the nursery itself, there are, of course, plenty of other things you’ll want outside your nursery, like clothes and stuff for feeding and bathing your baby. Stay tuned for more as we share some of our favorites for those areas soon!
