Practical Nursery Tips

[Mcakes]

I'm expecting my first baby in May and am starting to think about things to do and buy in advance. We are planning to have the baby in with us in a co-sleeper but also set up a changing room/nursery in the tiny box room next door where a cot may go eventually.

Have been googling nursery ideas but most of the info out there is more focused on decor and I am getting fed up of having to wade through pages of twee rubbish to find a few useful tips. Am not after decoration ideas, just advice from more experienced Mums on what works from a practical point of view.

I don't plan to go mad buying a ton of stuff and know newborns don't need a huge amount but of you have any ideas for equipment or room layout that will make new-parenting easier it will be very much appreciated!

Not in the nursery itself, but my sister recommended I have a basket downstairs with a load of changing stuff in it so that I don't have to take baby upstairs every time it needs changing.

A changing station of some sort with a laundry basket next to it.

The layout is a hard one, seeing as I have no idea where the doors/windows are or how big the room is.

I am very pregnant with number 4.

All of mine have slept in with us the first few months, have used Moses basket / Bed Nest so baby right by my bed. Have a box of supplies in each room you spend a lot of time - eg your bedroom and sitting room / wherever, with nappies, disposable change mats. cotton wool / wipes, spare clothes, nappy bags, muslins, breastpads, Lansing, change of sheets for bedside crib etc etc. I keep the bedroom one on my bedside table along with easy access to water bottle, phone charger and snacks for those early days/weeks. Also a small bin bag or carrier bag (or nappy bin I guess) somewhere within easy reach of bed so you can change night nappies on bed and put the used ones in a bin bag to go downstairs first thing, saving you getting out of bed. I am all about not getting out of bed in the night....! A v dim nightlight also handy (even one of those kids battery operated ones) when bedside lamp is too bright for the middle of the night.

In the nursery, I have had drawers (clothes and linen storage) with changing mat on top and box of stuff in easy reach, a rocking chair (one of those gliders - I have used it every single night for each child as soon as they are out of our room and in nursery), and a cot. Table with dim lamp / nightlight next to rocking chair. Blackout blinds (personal preference). Baby monitor (we have camera one). Washing basket somewhere nearby and a good supply of nappy bags.

If you can I would have a Moses basket / sleeping space for the baby in each room you spend most time (eg bedroom and sitting room) so you can avoid carrying up and down stairs. Same with bouncers. Again, I am about minimising trekking about carrying stuff as have lots of children and my house has 4 flights of stairs.

I would say if it’s a tiny room put all clothes in a chest of drawers, don’t worry about a wardrobe at all. Our DD is 3 and only just in the past month have we redone her room and put a wardrobe in. They really don’t need hanging space until they’re older though I know everything looks cute hanging up!
Cot top changer may be useful rather than a changing table but the latter gives more storage space underneath. Having said that we changed DD on top of chest of drawers for the first few months and then on the floor; but if the room is really small there may not be room for that.

I have a changing table with three drawers underneath. Top drawer - nappies/wipes/cream/nappy bags etc. Then vests under that, then sleepsuits under those. Nappy bin to the side. Basically, have everything within arms’ reach of the baby on the changing table.

Why would you change a baby downstairs on your nice carpet in front of everyone, and have an untidy basket of changing equipment lying around, when baby has their own room upstairs with private hygienic changing facilities? It seems lazy not to just go upstairs!

I'd suggest a changing table that converts to a normal chest of drawers later on. I don't use nappy bins because they encourage you to keep dirty nappies in the house instead of taking them straight out to the bin. Ikea does some lovely cheap storage baskets to keep changing stuff organised.

Bellamuerte 🙄

If you have one child to look after (or visitors) then fine. In the middle of tea / reading / cooking or while leaving a 2, 4 and 6 year old on their own four flights below? No thanks, I’ll do it on a changing mat in my (very large and hygienic!) kitchen in those circumstances. Small basket doesn’t have to be untidy and can easily be put away. Good grief.

Agree on nappy bins though.

Oh haha! I was so knackered I avoided any trip up the stairs!! Same with trips out to the bin. DH used to take the bag of nappies out to the bin when he left for work every morning.
Obviously each to their own but I was all about expending as little unnecessary effort as possible in the early days.

If you do have space for a chair I would get one. I got one given, and didn't think i'd need it but once he went in his own room it's used constantly for nightfeeds and story time etc.

Ours is a box room too and i've found the IKEA Malm narrow chest of 6 drawers really handy as they don't take up much floor space.

I remember stressing at 38 weeks that the nursery was not ready but at nearly 20 months old my toddler does not need it.

Get a chest of drawers for clothes - Kondo folding is great. Some where high to change eg changing table or cot top changer in case you have a c section and can’t get on the floor. A feeding chair might be nice. A washing basket. Maybe a shelf for keepsakes.

Be aware that Ikea Malm drawers have been recalled due to the deaths of eight children. Secure them to the wall or preferably choose a safer item of furniture.

My friend had a big-ish chest of drawers and was able to have a draw for each age category of clothing (0-3 months, 3-6 months etc). She didn't plan to, but got given so much clothing when the baby was born, either new as a gift, or as a helpful hand-me-down from friends with children. She said it was really helpful to see what she had ready and stopped her from excessive shopping.

Have a box of changing supplies and a mat upstairs and downstairs so you don't have to lug everything up and down morning and night.

If you have the room have a drawer for vests, a drawer for babygros/pjs/simple all in 1 outfits and a drawer for socks, mittens, hats etc. So when you need a replacement outfit in a hurry you can grab and go without wading through lots of things. I hang proper clothes/outfits in the wardrobe and have everything else in separate drawers easy to grab.

Don't buy a changing table unit specifically for changing if you don't need one. The mat can go on the bed/floor/sofa/where ever. Get drawers/storage unit to maximise storage instead.

Baby bath isn't necessary. They are big, heavy and clumsy and don't last long anyway. A bath seat/cushion or a wash in the sink is far easier.

If you are doing night feeds in the nursery, a comfy chair that can rock/bounce is invaluable.

Black out blind/curtains.

Cot literally just needs a mattress and a fitted sheet. No need for cot bumpers, duvet sets and pillows. They are not recommended for young babies and can be dangerous. A cellular blanket and/or sleeping bag is safer and the baby will stay warmer in a bag as they can't kick covers off.

Also, the cot should not be next to a window or radiator.

Why would you change a baby downstairs on your nice carpet in front of everyone, and have an untidy basket of changing equipment lying around, when baby has their own room upstairs with private hygienic changing facilities? It seems lazy not to just go upstairs

Well my house is private and I will change my baby in any room I like. They are all clean and hygienic rooms. A mat stops any accidents on the carpet, and changing supplies don't need to look untidy they can go in a cupboard or in a nice box.

You might think it's lazy but a baby can shit numerous times a day aswel as needing wet nappies changing. I quite simply do not want to traipse up and down the stairs lugging the baby with me in my own house.

When dd was still in with us (up to six months) the nursery was mainly used for storage. In our room we had a bedside crib and stored her bedding etc under it. I cleared the top of our chest of drawers added an oilcloth layer then popped a changing mat on it. I cleared a few of the drawers out (some of my clothes went into the nursery) for nappies and baby clothes. We did decorate the nursery before dd was born and put an Ikea kallax storage unit in, a big chest of drawers (changing mat went on top again), a laundry basket and an Ikea poang chair for night feeds. We didn't put the cot in until she moved in. It all worked very well and still does (dd 19 months now).

I also have a changing mat under the sofa in the living room with a little basket with nappies etc in. To be honest when she was tiny I preferred to carry her up but now she's so heavy it's easier to do it downstairs.

I also change the baby downstairs and it's absolutely nothing to do with laziness and everything to do with having a toddler who can't be trusted to be out of my sight for a second. Am I supposed to carry them both upstairs 10 times a day to change the baby?

Am I supposed to carry them both upstairs 10 times a day to change the baby?

Apparently so! It's lazy and unhygienic you know

Box from Ikea or somewhere with changes of clothes, couple of nappies and wipes in each room where baby could be. Downstairs I had a change mat with same box stuff and nappy bags but also antibacterial wipes to wipe the mat down with.

Nappy bags went into bin and emptied later when partner was home and no issues as dirty clothes straight into washing machine etc.

Keep it simple and you'll be fine ☺

First baby went upstairs to dedicated changing area for nappy changes. Second baby - boxes of supplies and cheap folding changing mat in every room. Double bag stinky nappies and empty bins often.

The only essential in the beginning is a chest of drawers to store clothes, nappies, bedding etc. It is also handy to have the changing mat high up to begin with (either on the chest of drawers or on a cot top changer) but obviously everything needs to be within reach so you don’t leave baby unattended on it, and when baby gets older and wrigglier, and you’re changing nappies less often, it’s safer and easier to just change baby on the floor.

It’s personal preference really but I prefer to have all the stuff in one place rather than several changing stations around the house but I can see how that could be handy especially with older children to keep an eye on.

We never changed the baby in our bedroom either, whoever changed him would do it in the other room so as not to disturb the parent in bed plus I never fancied getting wee all over my bed or bedroom carpet.

A compact armchair or rocking chair is very useful. I’m breastfeeding and have done all the night feeds in bed but the chair has become more and more helpful as we have been rocking instead of feeding to sleep and doing a bedtime story etc.

A blackout blind and/or curtains are handy and it would make sense to fit them before baby comes, although we weren’t that organised. You will need them in your bedroom as well as the baby’s room.

Have you bought your cosleeper crib yet btw? I like the look of the Tutti Bambini Cozee bedside crib and would have got that if it had been available.

I have a changing unit in the downstairs toilet but if that wasn't possible then I would take baby upstairs for each change. I agree with the PP changing nappies on carpets/sofas etc is unhygienic. And I couldn't change baby's nappy in a room full of people. If people are comfortable changing baby in a living room or kitchen then that's fine but don't judge others who wouldn't do the same. It's just personal preference, it really isn't a big deal.

Bellamuerte 😒

Prosecco, we're not the ones judging- we've been called 'lazy'

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