Whether this is your first child or your third pregnancy, there are things you learn with each and every child. When it comes to decorating the nursery, how many times did you get it set up just as you wanted only to find that it was totally inconvenient or that you had failed to foresee a need which wasn’t altogether easy to address once the baby arrived? Here is some of what every mother needs to know about decorating the nursery so that maybe you won’t have quite so many of those “Oh my!” moments.
Accessibility Is Everything
If this is your first child, you will soon learn that during the first months of your baby’s life the changing table will be the centre of your universe. Who knew just how often those little bundles of joy left a little bundle for you in the course of a day? However, even knowing that it’s imperative that you learn to keep everything you will need close at hand.
This means that you should try to get a changing table with drawers in which you can store diapers, wipes, ointments and anything else you may need while changing the baby’s diaper. Try to keep it well stocked because many mothers have gotten that messy diaper off only to realize they hadn’t restocked the diapers! To their dismay, the baby chose that moment to wet again, all down the front of mom while she was walking to get that new pack of Pampers from the cabinet.
Toxicity and Child Safety
While every new mother understands that baby will be crawling around before they know it, child proofing drawers and electrical outlets isn’t the only thing to be worried about. Some mothers suggest that you paper the wall with washable wallpaper, but that may not be your best advice. Even when you are in the room with the baby, they will soon learn how much fun it is to catch a corner and start peeling away. The glue/paste is anything but healthy, and little people don’t understand that they can’t eat those pretty colors and fancy forest creatures!
It has been suggested that you hire a house painter to apply non-toxic washable wall paint to the nursery because it is the safest option out there. While you ‘could’ paint the walls yourself, a professional house painter will ensure that the paint used is non-toxic, that the fumes are dried and cleared and that there are no chips and cracks which baby can find delightfully tempting. You do know where those chips will go, don’t you? You can easily go online and search “interior painters near me” and do research to find the best fit for your needs.
Keep It Simple
One of the other huge mistakes which many new parents are apt to make is in overdoing the décor. As a rule of thumb, keep it simple for at least two very good reasons. Although you may want a nursery worthy of Better Homes and Gardens, it pays to remember that before you know it that infant will be a toddler and not long after that a school-age child. It is always best to keep it simple because you will find it easier to redecorate as the years progress.
Also, there are a number of safety hazards you may not be aware of. For example, those crib bumpers and lovely comforters can pose a choking hazard. Children have suffocated on soft, fluffy bedding, so it’s best to avoid it altogether. They were designed to keep a baby from bumping its little head when rolling over, but that isn’t as dangerous as suffocation, so avoid those at all costs!
Make Room for Mum
There was a television show that ran from 1953 through 1964 in which Danny Thomas gained a great deal of popularity, Make Room for Daddy. It was a show about a busy night club performer trying to juggle family life with a busy schedule. Today’s moms can learn something from this in that there is some amount of truth to the old saying, “A mother’s work is never done.”
One thing you may want to do when decorating a nursery is to set up a rocking recliner so that you have somewhere to rest on those nights when baby just can’t seem to get comfortable and is up every little while. Instead of listening for the nursery intercom, mom can simply kick back and snooze until baby calls again. No, you won’t want to stay in there every night, but when you need to be there, you deserve some comfort as well. Remember, décor is important but function even more so. Keep that in mind and you will do well.
