Creating the Perfect Nursery

When you first found out you were pregnant, how long did it take you to start visualising what your baby’s nursery was going to look like?

For me, it was about an hour.

At first, I was thinking cute animals then later I changed my mind and decided a more elegant, contemporary look was the way to go.

If I had of known what I know now, I would have gone with a nice, neutral earth-tone and spent the rest of my time researching cot mattresses and sleeping bags!

Because when it comes to nurseries, I have four words for you.

Cool, dark, comfortable and boring.

I know how tempting it is to load up baby’s room with adorable stuffed animals, mobiles, inspiring images and fluffy toys. After all, wouldn’t we want baby to be surrounded by a sea of cuteness as they drift off to sleep?

Well, not exactly.

I mean, baby may like the theory, but it’s not conducive to a good night’s sleep. This is for the same reasons you shouldn’t drift off to sleep watching TV or bring the laptop or iPad to bed. It’s stimulating and stimulation and sleep are best kept at a distance from one another.

So, what does the perfect nursery look like?

● It’s cool

It may sound cold, but studies have shown babies sleep best in a room that is kept between 18-21 degrees. Obviously, you should follow your baby’s lead on this one, but a warm comfortable sleeping bag in a cool room will often lead to better sleep than a warm environment.

● It’s dark

I will repeat this over and over in all my blogs and tips. Blackout curtain or blinds are a much better investments than a colourful mural. I’m a huge advocate of baby sleeping in the same place all the time, which mean naps should be in the cot as much as possible. Naps go down with a lot less fuss if there’s no light coming into the room.

● It’s comfortable

Considering babies sleep for half the day a great mattress is a sound investment. It’s well worth your time doing some research and spending the money you set aside for mobiles and stuffed toys, on the surface your baby is going to be spending most of their time on. Which brings me to the most important point..

● It’s boring

Soft light, music, pictures of Disney characters, swirling colours, all seem like they should have a calming effect on baby, but it’s just the opposite. These standard nursery objects are distracting and stimulating. Blank walls and an easily accessible change table are your best decorating choices when it comes to baby’s bedroom.

I know this is probably a tough pill to swallow for new parents, because we really do look forward to putting together a baby themed paradise for our little ones. You need to bear in mind that this room serves a crucial function in your baby’s day-to-day life. A quiet, relaxing environment where they can get extensive amounts of sleep that their growing bodies need, is the perfect nursery for you baby.

There will be plenty of opportunity for your little one to decorate their room with extensive amounts of knick-knacks when they’re a teenager!

For now, your child’s bedroom needs to be all about sleep!

Contact our sleep consultant today to book your free introductory consultation.