Setting up a nursery.... Help!!

[Renaissance227]

My first (probably silly) question is when do you start to set up a nursery for bump? Obviously not too soon but when?
And my second question is what do you put in it? Obviously a cot/cotbed, a wardrobe, and a set of drawers but what else?

I can't wait to start but know I can't do it now (only 12 weeks along!). I've got a cot/bed held for me at a local shop but when should I pick it up and buy everything else.

All advice greatfully received. This is my first and I am totally in the dark about everything baby prep related!!

You can start as soon as you like - and there's a lot to be said for doing it sooner rather than later. You can spread the cost and do all the shopping while you're still feeling relatively fit!

That said, you don't really need a 'nursery' as such when you first bring the baby home. You'll need a moses basket or something similar for it to sleep in while it's tiny, but this will probably be in your room for the first few months. Baby won't need a full-size cot until it's about three months or so, so you don't need to have this straightaway.

Other furniture - somewhere to put the baby's clothes, which only needs to be a chest of drawers to begin with - a tiny baby is unlikely to have too much stuff that needs hanging up, so you might find a wardrobe takes up unnecessary space. You might want some extra storage for its sheets, towels, muslins and other things if you don't have other space in the house for them.

Where will you be doing most of the nappy changing? It's best to have one area in the house for this so that you can keep all the things you need in one place. All you really need is a changing mat, but you might want to put this on a surface so that you don't have to do too much bending down.

Thank you for that Treats. That's all a big help. Where do you usually do changing? I've not got a clue!
Plus, what are muslins? I keep hearing people on here mention them but not really got much of an idea!
Sorry, I know I sound totally stupid!

I'm 36+2, and still have no nursery Mind you, we have loads of stuff, just no room ready yet to put it in! Need to do some decorating first...

The only designated nursery furniture we bought was a changing table, and that's just because I don't like the idea of changing baby on the floor because I'm worried about my back. Lots of people just change their babies on the floor, so all you need is a changing mat.
We use an old chest of drawers to store the baby clothes, no need for a wardrobe IMO.

Muslins are cotton fabric squares, which are apparently the holy grail when having a baby - I'm a first timer as well, but everyone has said that. I've been given loads by friends, but I imagine that you can buy them in the usual baby supply places... No idea!

Thanks a lot JBrd, that's another big help.
So what do you do with muslins? I can think of a few things but don't want to sound more stupid than I already do!! x

. Babies are sick a lot and you can fling a muslin over your shoulder when you burp your baby to catch any.

Once you're done with them, they also make great dusters.

Oohhhh!!!! Now I see!! Thanks midnightexpress. xx

They are also useful as spare (cloth) nappies, for wiping noses, and for mopping up spilt juice as they get older :)

I got some muslins from sainsburys - £5 for 5 - much cheaper than Mothercare! I'm going to do my changing on the bed with a changeing mat. No space for a changing table and the nursery has to double up as a spare room. Baby will have to get used to sharing!

Thanks for the tip Joannezipan. I'm going to Sainsbury's later so will have a look!
I think I'll change on the bed too because I have limited room!

Hi,

I am probably a bit too early to be thinking about this too (10weeks) but have started riffling through DS's stuff already to see what is recyclable.

I would really recommend a changing table, we got one 3 months in and it made life so much more comfortable. I have one which is corner shaped, so you get to change the baby while it is lying with its feet towards you - i dont like the ones you get in restaurants that have the baby lying sideways, I find that really akward. We also had for DS some shelving units to store the nappies, wipes, bum cream etc. Its really handy to have somewhere totally out of their reach as when they get bigger they want to play with the wipes, cream, etc.

Blackout curtains are an absolutely essential. You will desperate to do everything you can that will help them sleep! I got thermal ones which also keep the room warm in winter and cool in summer. He has some pretty curtains with teddies on which go over the top. (DS's sleeping DID improve a lot when we got them, naps especially)

We have a wardrobe too, which I would recommend. Clothes on hangers high up are much harder for toddlers to grab and throw around than stuff in drawers - obviously this is a long term consideration but I doubt you want to buy new stuff in 2 years.

muslins are great - works as burp clothes, thin summer sheets, protective layer for when you are using change mat in restaurants, swaddling blanket, breast feeding cover, feeding bibs etc etc

Also we installed a dimmer switch in his room - very handy. Cant tell you how many times I bumped into the effing rocking chair in the dark before that.

I will NOT be using the rocking chair again (see above) budget permitting I want to get one of those lovely comfy soft, rocking SOFA chairs.

thats all I can think of for now.

best wishes xx

The guidelines for avoiding cot death are that the baby should sleep and have all his naps in the same room as you for the first 6 months. Therefore you don't actually need to set up a nursery as such, although you might need a designated store room for all the gear, initially.