Design the Best Nursery Room with These Tips

Moms and dads often find themselves making a lot of decisions even before the baby is born. For example, what’s the best way to design a nursery? Do they ever need one?

If you find yourself in this situation right now, may these tips give you the clarity you need.

Should You Co-Sleep or Use a Separate Room?

Before you even consider having a nursery room, you may have to choose which setup you prefer: co-sleeping or the baby sleeping in a separate room?

Each has its advantages and disadvantages. In 2020 guidelines by the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, co-sleeping or bedsharing promotes breastfeeding initiation. It may also lengthen the duration of each feeding and encourages mothers to engage in exclusive breastfeeding.

Some proponents of this arrangement also suggest that co-sleeping may help their newborn feel secure and safe, especially when they’re still new in the environment. If the baby sleeps on the bed, then they can bring their baby close for some kangaroo care.

Most of all, co-sleeping may help prevent kids from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This is because parents can keep track of their environment and breathing.

However, for others, babies should co-sleep only until 6 months to 1 year. Others even say that they can already sleep in a different room by the fourth month.

Babies who sleep in another room can also help parents (or at least one of them) have a decent sleep each night, allowing them to recover from exhaustion.

In the end, James McKenna, an anthropologist who studies child sleep extensively, thinks that where the baby sleeps is more of a reflection of the parents’ belief than scientific evidence. In other words, as long as the setup is safe, either option will do.

So what if you want to build a nursery room? Consider these ideas:

1. Know the Best Size

In general, nursery rooms are the smallest room in the house. After all, the baby won’t be moving around a lot until they near their first year. A size that’s 7 feet by 7 feet is already enough to fit a bassinet, crib, or cot, as well as a chair and a changing table.

You can also use an empty average-sized room, which you can later convert into a playroom and children’s room. If you don’t have any spare space, you can use a portion of your master’s bedroom into a nursery. Usually, such a room has a size of 15 feet by 15 feet.

2. Decorate It with Wallpaper

Some people want to paint the room, but often, this leaves a certain smell that may be harmful to the newborn later. Many conventional paints may even emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The better option is to use wallpapers, which come in a variety of designs and textures. You can be creative with the space. For example, if you want a safari theme, you can look for papers that feature cute animals. A designer wallpaper can also elevate the look of the room in no time.

Moreover, wallpapers may be cheaper to acquire and easier to install. They are also more convenient to change or upgrade to newer designs and themes.

3. Spend Money on Wooden Floors

When designing a nursery room, you can consider two factors in choosing your flooring: sounds or vibrations and their ability to resist allergens and microbes.

With these in mind, the best choice is wood flooring. Although this is likely to be the most expensive, the eco-friendly material doesn’t allow pathogens to grow or allergens like dust or pet dander to accumulate.

They also don’t produce sound when you step on them, and they are durable in case you want to keep using the room as the child grows.

If money is tight, the next best option is vinyl. It has an easy-to-clean surface and doesn’t trap allergens. They are also available in various colors and designs.

4. Choose the Right Lighting

Lighting that produces soft, warm glow may help babies sleep better as it prevents overstimulation. However, you may want to avoid using halogen. Not only does it consume a lot of electricity, but it also produces heat.

Dimmer lights are also another great choice as you can control which part of the room lights up. You can arrange the changing table at night without disturbing the baby.

Parents may want to avoid using floor lamps as wires can increase your risk of injuries, especially at night.

With some planning and knowing which matters to your nursery room, you have one less problem to be worried about.

Meta title: 4 Ways to Design a Nursery Room
meta desc: Are you confused about whether to have a nursery room or let your baby co-sleep? Would you like to know how to design a nursery room? Here are the essential four tips to remember.