As a new or expecting parent, it can be extremely overwhelming trying to decide exactly what you will need for your baby. You could empty your bank account filling up your home with every cute item from the baby aisles or while shopping online. It seems like there are new baby items coming on the market all the time. As a new mom or dad, you might feel like you need to buy everything advertised to make it easier as you think about bringing your new baby home for the first time. But, how do you answer the question, “What do I really need in my baby’s nursery?”
As a mom, I have thought about this a lot and I have narrowed down which items I think are really necessary to complete your baby’s nursery. In the last five years, I have also had to move a lot so I have had to think simply when it came to my home including the baby’s nursery. I want my baby’s nursery to be functional, adorable, and not overly cluttered.
Also, babies can be expensive so I prefer to think through what my baby truly needs instead of buying things that are quite possibly unnecessary and certainly costly. There is a way to create a nursery with the look that you prefer that is completely functional without overbuying and overcrowding.
A Place for Your Baby to Sleep
Obviously, you will need to have a safe place for your baby to sleep. Many parents choose a bassinet or Rock ‘N Play when their newborn comes home so that the baby can sleep in multiple rooms throughout the house.
But eventually, your baby will most likely need a crib. There are so many options to choose from.
One of my favorites is the Delta Children Emery 4-in-1 Crib in white. I chose this one because it grows with your baby. It can convert from crib to a toddler bed when your little one gets a little older. It can also work as a toddler daybed and even a full-size bed.
Keep in mind that the toddler daybed support is included with the purchase of the crib but the toddler guardrail and crib conversion rails are sold separately.
I also like that sturdiness of the wood construction. Plus, it is adorable and would work with most nursery décor. I am personally a sucker for a white crib and white furniture for a nursery.
This crib is a great option for your baby’s nursery. As you think about decorating your nursery, be sure that your baby is tucked away at night without any extra bedding or blankets as they are dangerous and no matter how cute, they are a suffocation risk. You can choose super cute crib sheets to help the nursery look nice and then buy swaddling blankets or a sleep sack to keep your baby warm so that blankets are not needed when your baby is asleep.
A Place to Change Your Baby’s Diaper
You will need a place to lay your little one to change his or her diaper. Honestly, out of necessity, you will likely change your baby in every room of your house on a blanket on the couch or floor.
But, it is great to have a place that you can normally change your baby. A changing table is a perfect height to change your baby without breaking your back. Plus, you can have all the necessary supplies like diapers, wipes, lotions, and creams readily available.
I used the Delta Children Infant Changing Table. I chose it because it met all my needs in terms of adequate space for storage. It is also very reasonably priced and is well made. If you have a dresser, you could easily buy a diaper changing pad and place it on top. You can either get cute baskets to hold your needed supplies or use a few of the drawers with organizers. Be sure to never leave your little one alone on either a changing table or on a changing pad on a dresser.
Rocking Chair or Glider
You will certainly want somewhere to rock your baby. They love the rhythmic and repetitive motion. A rocker or glider is a great place to hold your little one from the moment you get home from the hospital to their toddler days when they sit on your lap for a bedtime story.
I also used my glider as a place to nurse my son. It soothed me too during those middle of the night feeds. The Windsor Glider and Ottoman will fit into any nursery scheme and is made of solid wood. Gliders can vary greatly in terms of price but this one is very reasonably priced. You will be able to use this glider for many years.
If you are looking for a glider that offers maximum comfort and style, the DaVinci Maya Swivel Glider is impressive. It is an investment in terms of price but it comes with a lovely ottoman that will prove very useful.
The glider and ottoman set are offered in four different color schemes including light grey with cream piping, cream, dark grey, and dark grey with cream piping. This glider also swivels 360 degrees in addition to glider forward and backward. The sleek style of this glider makes it usable in other rooms of the house once you no longer need it in the nursery.
Storage
You will need to take care of your little one at all different hours. I would suggest having storage in your nursery that is easy to use and organized so that you are not looking for something you need in the middle of the night. It can be very frustrating when you cannot find diapers, wipes, or burp cloths when you are sleep deprived and your baby is restless or upset.
Storage cubes and colorful bins are a nice addition to a nursery closet. Baby clothes will not hang down to the bottom of the closet so the storage cubes can fit nicely in the bottom underneath any hanging clothes.
The mDesign Fabric 5-Drawer Nursery Storage Organizer Unit is sleek, well-priced, and holds many items for your baby. These bins are deep enough to hold toys, clothes, extra diapers, blankets, or any other baby supplies. You can select different styles and colors of storage bins to match your nursery décor.
Additionally, a dresser for clothes and a few baskets for toys and books will keep the nursery organized but also not overcrowded. I used our closet for some nicer clothes but I mostly use the drawers of the dresser for clothing, burping clothes, crib sheets, and blankets. These bins helped our nursery stay very organized.
Sound Machine
It is extremely helpful to have a sound machine in your baby’s nursery. Your baby will likely sleep every two to three hours as a newborn. The sound machine can create a sound barrier for your little one and also soothe him or her to sleep. This will help you be able to do what you need to around the house without disturbing the baby.
The Baby Oasis White Noise, Soothing Sound Sleeping Aid was developed by doctors with years of experience with newborns and the science of sleep. There is a pre-loaded soundcard with twelve sounds to help your baby drift off to dreamland.
You will not regret adding a sound or music machine to your shopping list for your baby’s nursery. Honestly, my four-year-old still uses his sound machine each night to fall asleep so it was a great purchase for our family. Hopefully, you will find one that works just as great for your family. I do not think you will be disappointed with the Baby Oasis option.
The Skip Hop Moonlight & Melodies Nightlight Soother is also a great option for your little one. It features serene moon and stars projection and a glowing nightlight belly with a dimmer control. It also plays four melodies including Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Brahms’ Lullaby, and Rock-a-bye Baby.
Additionally, there are four nature sounds including rainforest, jungle crickets, waves, and white noise with a heartbeat. You can choose the light and sound combination that will soothe your baby the best.
It is so helpful that this bedtime nightlight comes with an auto-off timer that can be set for fifteen, thirty, or sixty minutes. If you would like something that provides a bit of light with the music, this just might be a great fit for your baby’s nursery.
Diaper Pail
Before I had my son, I thought that diaper pails were largely unnecessary, unattractive, and obtrusive. They can so be bulky and take up needed floor space. Let’s face it, most of them do not add to your baby’s cute nursery décor. I had decided against buying one for our baby’s nursery.
Then my son was born and my opinion changed pretty quickly. Littles ones are so cute but rest assured that they will go through lots of diapers and you will want a convenient place to put them to control the strong and unwanted odor from spreading throughout your home.
For the first month or so, I tried to take the soiled diapers to the trash outside but honestly, it became way too much of a hassle to do that each and every time. So, I finally decided we needed to get a diaper pail to help control the odor and save us the time we were spending running dirty diapers outside.
I like the Dekor Classic Diaper Pail because you can use it completely hands-free which is so convenient when you are juggling a little baby, plus it is more sanitary. It does not have the look of some diaper pails so it easily transitions from a diaper pail to a trash can once your little is potty-trained.
It is also not overly bulky so you can simply place it next to your baby’s changing table so that it is conveniently placed. It also sells at a great price point as well.
Opaque Drapes
Since your baby will be sleeping throughout the day, it will be very helpful to consider opaque or blackout drapes for the windows in the nursery. Some babies can sleep almost anywhere but others will sleep better and longer if the room is darker, especially if there are several windows that are facing a direction where a lot of sunlight enters the room.
I like the selection that you get from the Yakamok Light Blocking Darkening Thermal Insulated Blackout Curtains. You have plenty of variety with the seventeen color choices and five different length options.
They not only block out excess light but they also help keep cold air out of the nursery to provide the perfect environment for your baby. You receive two curtain panels in your selected color with your very reasonably priced purchase.
Conclusion
As you are already aware, your baby will have many needs. It can be so difficult figuring out what is really essential.
I hope that this list will help you select a few key items that you will need as you care for your new baby. There are so many products on the market that could be helpful to you but they are not always necessary.
This list is meant to help you feel that your nursery is completely prepared for your precious bundle of joy without needing to buy an excess amount of baby products.
As a mom, these are the items I had in my baby’s nursery. It was a peaceful, efficient, cute space for our son. It was not overcrowded or frustrating to use. We also were able to get prepared without overwhelming our budget.
I hope this list will help you do the same in this time of preparation. Congratulations on your new precious bundle of joy. I hope you can say that you now know exactly what you need in your baby’s nursery.