Creating a beautiful nursery for your new baby is just one of the many joys of becoming a parent. Typically, a mom and dad will begin the process of painting, stenciling, picking out the crib and changing table, choosing lamps, clothing, and window treatments, and so on, months before the arrival of the baby. Once it’s all together, the room becomes a room of anticipation and dreams. When you first bring your newborn home, he or she will be 100% dependent upon you. However, as the baby grows, he or she will soon discover mobility.
Even before your baby is born, you should create a nursery that is not only what you want as far as appearance and functionality, but also one that is safe. For example, if you need a new crib and purchase one from a thrift store or perhaps have a friend that passes one down to you, you want to make certain it meets current standards for safety. Unfortunately, cribs that are not even that old might pose safety risks.
For this, you want to check for any protrusions in the corners, sharp edges, and most importantly, the spacing of the slats, which should be no more than 2 3/8 inch apart. In addition, the mattress for the crib should fit tight. If it is too loose, it could create pockets in which your baby could become stuck and sustain serious injury. When your baby is small, you can keep the height of the mattress near the top, making diaper changing and picking up and laying down easy. However, as your child begins to get around, the mattress should be lowered sot he baby cannot climb or fall out.
Another helpful tip is to use a detachable rail on the crib. If the crib were not designed for this, even placing a padded mat on the floor by the crib would help should the child accidentally fall. We also recommend that you never place your baby’s crib by a window, shelving, or window treatments, all things that can be grabbed. Keep your baby warm with clothing, not a big comforter. Additionally, make sure pillows and stuffed animals are removed, again objects that could cause suffocation.
Then, some parents will burn aromatherapy candles in a baby’s room to help the child relax, which is fine. However, these would need to be monitored carefully. In addition to the candles, any cords, lamps, or other objects need to be out of reach. Remember, you want your baby’s nursery to be beautiful but most important safe. Babies quickly learn how to get what they want so you need to see things from his or her level and never think your baby can’t get to something – they are usually very innovative.