The birth of your future child is fast approaching, but you still haven't taken the time to prepare his room? No worries ! We will guide you step by step to best prepare your little cocoon.
You are probably asking yourself the following questions: when should you start the preparations? What are the elements to consider so that the newborn does not miss anything? Where should the crib be placed?
It is completely normal for you to have some apprehensions about your child's bedroom. After reading this article, you will be able to answer the following questions:
- When does the baby room have to be ready?
- What should be prepared in the room?
- How much do preparations for the baby room cost?
- What are the essential tips to know to organize the room well?
Let's get started without further delay!
When should the baby's room be prepared?
Most people wait until the second trimester of pregnancy to start preparing the baby's room. This is explained by the fact that at this stage the sex of the baby is already known and the mother is no longer as tired as she was at the beginning of the pregnancy. She is therefore able to move around without too much difficulty and to easily accomplish some simple physical tasks. It also means that the room will be ready when the baby is born, even if the latter arrives earlier than expected.
If you're thinking of getting started during this time, try to start with the major and essential items, such as furniture, paint, and upholstery , while waiting to see what gifts your family and friends have in store for you. If you need some specific items, do not hesitate to share them with the closest people.
Don't forget that during his first six months, the baby will spend most of his time with you and that he will also sleep in the parental room. In other words, if you are unable to prepare the entire room, for one reason or another, you will have plenty of time to do so during this period.
How to prepare the baby's room?
While you can take inspiration from the baby room designs you see on social media, remember that these are artistic and commercial products that may not fit most baby rooms. By the way, if you take a closer look at most of the photos of this type, you will find that the rooms are full of elements that are dangerous for the baby. Besides, your child doesn't care what his room looks like. All it needs is:
- A comfortable cradle for sleeping
- A closet for his clothes
- A space to change diapers comfortably
- A quiet place to breastfeed
As we have just indicated, during the first six months, you can content yourself with properly equipping the space you reserve for your baby in your room. To do this, use a bedside bassinet and empty a few shelves for the baby's clothes. You can change his diapers directly on the bed, but don't forget to do so by placing him on a sheet, which you can easily wash afterwards. As for breastfeeding, you can do it on your most comfortable armchair.
As far as the baby's room is concerned, always start with the elements that you consider essential, and then proceed step by step, until the room is ready. Everything doesn't have to be finished in record time and the preparations don't have to cost a fortune to make the space perfectly usable.
What budget should I reserve for a baby's room?
Costs to prepare a newborn's room can vary greatly from household to household. In France, it is possible to spend between €500 and €3,000, depending on the ambitions of the parents and their ability to control their compulsive purchases.
If your budget is rather tight, here are some ideas that can save you some money. These will allow you to considerably limit costs, without sacrificing your baby's comfort:
- Buy used furniture. That said, to ensure better safety for your baby, it is always better to buy a new crib.
- Use your old furniture as essential elements in the decoration of the baby's room. Indeed, this “vintage” approach is certainly trendy, but it is also economical.
- Along the same lines, if you and your spouse are DIY enthusiasts, convert old furniture to create new ones. So even your old chest of drawers can become a changing table for the baby
- Opt for the best deals on the online market. Do your research and you will be able to save several hundred dollars
- Ask your relatives if they have extra furniture that could be useful to you
- Avoid luxury bedding. All you need is a fitted sheet and a mattress for your baby
- Promote inexpensive decor, such as printable wall art. You just need to choose some beautiful pictures to make the bedroom more vivid
- Launch your research as soon as possible so that you can take advantage of the most advantageous offers
Our best tips for the nursery
When it comes to decorating your baby's room, you should definitely consider three essential factors. We analyze them here, point by point:
The style of the baby's room
As with any other room, a baby's room should have a style that defines it. You can opt for a continuation of the theme of your home, if you prefer consistency. However, if you are not afraid to take a few risks, a variety of themes are available to you. Here is a non-exhaustive list of the most popular themes of the moment:
- astronomy
- Racing cars and motorcycles
- Nature (rainforest, savannah, greenery)
- Dinosaurs
- Rainbows
When it comes to paint, pick a main color that goes well with your chosen theme. We can take the example of red, which works rather well with the theme of car racing. In addition to red, choose a neutral color , such as taupe or off-white, to bring a little more sobriety to the design.
Finally, you can incidentally use some decorative elements of various colors to make the design less predictable and monotonous. Besides, a good idea would be to proceed based on the decorative items you already have. In this way, you can be sure that they will find their place in the new room.
The practical side of the baby's room
Having a nice room for your baby is one thing, but it should above all help you take care of him. Raising a child is certainly not easy. You must therefore put all the chances on your side, by making sure that your baby's room will make your life easier. To do this, when you create his design, think about later, when your child will become more dependent. You certainly don't want to have to redecorate the entire bedroom, then.
For your nursery to be suitable for all ages, you need to ask yourself three essential questions:
Is the baby's room well equipped for eating?
While you can certainly feed your baby in any other room of your house, you're not going to find yourself moving their high chair with every meal. It is therefore preferable to dedicate a space for his meals. In its design, the space should include a comfortable high chair .
Don't worry about the design of the chair in question, just make sure it's comfortable for your baby. This will help him be in a good mood during his meals, which will help you avoid countless headaches. To do this, make sure that the armrests are at the perfect height and that the upholstery of the chair is soft enough. You can also opt for a chair equipped with awakening toys , to distract the baby while he eats, but this remains optional.
Is the baby's room well equipped to sleep in?
Newborns are notorious for being difficult when it comes to sleeping. Many think they never sleep and cry all the time. However, the reality is quite different. While it is true that babies wake up several times during the night, they actually spend most of the day sleeping. Indeed, a newborn sleeps between 8 and 9 hours during the day and no less than 8 hours at night, on average. To help your baby sleep better, we advise you to:
- Maintain ambient room temperature by using an air conditioner or heater. It is strongly recommended to limit the temperature to a minimum of 18°C and a maximum of 19°C.
- Darken the room as much as possible, even during the day. Do not hesitate to install opaque curtains to prevent the sun's rays from entering the room. Black helps the child to secrete melatonin, which is the hormone that causes sleep and preserves it for hours. It is therefore recommended to let the baby sleep in the dark, day and night. To avoid accidents when moving around your baby's room, use a small nightlight with dim light.
- Also remember to accompany your child's sleep with white noise, which has already proven its effectiveness. These are a source of relaxation for babies and allow them to sleep more calmly.
- Place your baby's crib away from windows and the door. These areas are often exposed to outside air and are therefore more likely to be colder or warmer than the rest of the room. Placing the baby away from windows allows him to avoid accidental exposure to the sun's rays, such as when you simply forget to close the curtains.
Is your baby's room well equipped for changing diapers?
This is another task to which you will have to adapt quickly. Indeed, it is not a bad idea to prepare yourself to change your baby's diaper in the best conditions, because you may have to do it several times a day. We advise you to acquire a changing table .
The latter will give you easy access to all the tools you will need to accomplish this delicate task. Moreover, we recommend that you choose a table with a barrier, to prevent the baby from falling, if he were to accidentally roll outside his limits.
Is your baby's room secure?
Finally, it is important to make sure that the decoration of the room and the objects in it do not pose any risk to the baby. Admittedly, the latter will only develop his mobility after a few months. However, he will know how to expose himself to danger long before that. You must therefore take the necessary measures to guarantee a safe environment for him. Here are some important suggestions to consider:
- Attach large furniture to bedroom walls
- Place medicines out of the baby's reach
- Hide the electrical cables
- Secure electrical outlets
Preparing a baby's room can take a lot of time. For this reason, it is always best to start preparations from the second trimester of pregnancy. As we indicated above, for the room to be ideal for receiving the newborn, it must be practical and well secured.
This preparation does not require having an astronomical budget. The main thing is that the baby feels good there, and that you find everything you need to take care of it. Up to you !