Checklist for baby nursery
The Complete Nursery Essentials Checklist For New Parents
Daydreaming about your baby’s room is a thing of the past; the time has come to get your little one’s nursery in order, starting with the nursery essentials.
This is such an exciting adventure! Unfortunately, if you’re on this adventure, you may feel overwhelmed by all the choices available. That’s why Newton Baby created this list of nursery essentials so you know just what you need!
Nursery Essentials For Sleeping
Crib Or Bassinet
When your baby is a newborn, they have a couple of sleeping options: a crib or a bassinet. To help you nail down your choice, check out our article Bassinet Vs. Crib: What’s The Difference And Which One Is Best For Your Baby.
Whatever you decide right now, your baby will eventually end up in a crib and will spend a lot of time in it, so make sure it’s sturdy. Safety is a top priority when it comes to your baby’s sleep!
Mattress
When searching for a mattress, it’s important to consider safety. For the safest mattress, choose one that’s breathable, like Newton Baby’s Crib Mattress. It’s 100 percent breathable, comfortable, and washable!
Yep, you read that right! We have the only washable crib mattress on the market. With our mattress, you can say good-bye to worry, sweaty backs, mold, bacteria, and allergens!
After you say good-bye to those things, your little one can finally get a good night’s rest! Babies often sleep better on a Newton Baby mattress because it’s much more comfortable than traditional mattresses, which are rock-hard and wrapped in plastic.
With the right mattress, you can rest easy knowing your little one isn’t sleeping on harmful substances, like foam, glue, or latex.
Mattress Pad And Cover
Countless inevitable messes and accidents will occur in your baby’s crib over their first year and beyond. Before they happen, try our Waterproof Crib Mattress Pad that makes any crib mattress washable!
It’s 100 percent breathable and waterproof, so it protects your baby while protecting your mattress from leaks, moisture, and mold. It’s perfect for quick changes after those middle-of-the-night accidents!
Swaddles
Your baby is used to being snug and tight in your comfy, warm belly. To give your little one that same feeling outside the womb — and to help them sleep well! — swaddle them during the first few months of their life.
Try Newton Baby’s 2-Pack Organic Swaddle Blankets to keep your little one safe and comfy all night long. Our swaddles are completely breathable, which helps to regulate your baby’s temperature so they don’t get too hot while they sleep.
Sheets
If you’re using a Newton Baby mattress, it’s OK to skip the sheet. Our mattress covers are comfy even without a sheet!
But if you’re using another mattress (or you’d simply prefer adding a fitted sheet to your baby’s sleep surface), look for sheets that are soft and safe — more specifically, breathable.
For example, your little one can breathe straight through Newton Baby’s Breathable, Organic Cotton Sheets! And the all-around elastic guarantees a safe, snug fit for any crib mattress!
Nightlight
To set the mood and help your baby associate dimmer lighting with nighttime, add a nightlight to their room. You’ll also find this nursery essential helpful when you have to stumble into the nursery for those late-night feedings!
Nursery Essentials For Feeding
Rocking Chair or Glider
After you bring your baby home from the hospital, there will be plenty of snuggles and feeding sessions going on!
This is where a rocking chair or glider comes in handy. It gives you a comfortable place to sit while feeding, and the rocking motion helps soothe your baby.
And even after your baby passes the age of bottle-feeding or breastfeeding, you can use the chair for reading, rocking, or late-night cuddling!
Nursing Pillow
In the early days of your baby’s life, you’ll nurse at least eight to 10 times a day. If you add up how many minutes you spend during one nursing session, you end up calculating a lot of time spent sitting for feedings in one day!
Obviously, you’re going to need to be as comfortable as possible. Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, a nursing pillow allows you to comfortably (and safely!) support your baby in your lap.
Nursery Essentials For Diaper Changing
Dresser/Changing Table And Changing Pad
You’ll need somewhere to store all of the essentials you were gifted with at your baby showers. A dresser is the perfect solution!
And if you’re running low on space, your little one’s dresser can double as a space for changing your baby. To make the dresser multifunctional, you’ll need a soft, comfortable changing pad and cover to place on top of it.
Conveniently, the obvious essentials for diaper changes — like wipes, diapers, and creams — can be stored right under the changing pad in a top dresser drawer.
And since you’re using the dresser for a changing area, you can skip over purchasing a separate changing table!
(If this is the route you take, always securely strap the changing pad to the dresser so it doesn’t slip off. And make sure the pad has safety straps to buckle around your baby to keep them from wiggling or rolling.)
Nursery Essentials For Storage
Storage Bins Or Baskets
Easily accessible baby essentials are going to be a top priority when your little one makes their big debut. But all of those items can create a big mess!
To find a solution to your clutter woes, design an organizing system in your baby’s nursery using storage bins or baskets.
Strategically place these storage bins or baskets in places where you can easily reach for blankets or other necessities while holding onto your baby, like right by the rocking chair and within arm’s reach of the changing area.
Hanging Bookshelf
Books are the next best thing to all of the baby essentials you received at your baby shower. But where in the world are you going to place all these precious picture books?
Instead of taking up space on the floor with a bookshelf, get creative by hanging a bookshelf on the wall and using books as nursery décor!
Hanging Closet Organizer
Sometimes standard closets aren’t practical for your baby’s little clothes and accessories. A hanging closet organizer is just right!
Even better, this type of storage solution is ideal for all of the additional baby essentials that you weren’t able to fit in the dresser or baskets.
Nursery Essentials For Playing
Baby Seat
Your baby will need a place to sit while you fold clothes, clean up, or do all the things. And sometimes your arms just need a break from cradling your sweet little one.
While you could place your baby in their crib so you can get things done, that doesn’t allow them to look around much, especially during the first several weeks of their life.
A baby seat gives your little one the chance to play, learn, and observe their surroundings.
Bonus: This way, you’re teaching your baby that their crib is just for sleeping, not for playing, which is beneficial when it’s time to sleep train!
Age-Appropriate Toys
A play mat is the perfect first toy for your baby! Toys hang down from the top of the play mat, encouraging your little one to start reaching for things, and the mat is visually appealing to them.
Store age-appropriate toys in an easily accessible place, like a basket, which we mentioned above. Any other toys that your baby isn’t quite ready for yet can be stored in the closet.
Nursery Essentials For Safety
Baby Monitor
A monitor becomes your eyes and ears in the nursery while your baby sleeps and allows you to stay in visual contact with them. The technology for baby monitors these days is phenomenal!
Your preference and budget are the only limits on this one!
Outlet Covers
Your little one will be rolling around and crawling before you know it!
When your baby starts crawling, they start exploring. Their minds are inquisitive, and electrical outlets are the perfect height for those curious little fingers to touch and investigate.
Your baby’s safety is your number one priority, so before they become mobile, cover the electrical outlets throughout your home with outlet covers.
Nursery Essential Extras
Journal
Those early days of parenthood can leave you sleep-deprived, which paves the way to a forgetful brain!
To help your mommy-brain (or daddy-brain!) out, keep a notebook and pencil handy to jot down when your baby napped, pooped, and ate. This way, you can more easily predict the next feeding or nap time.
Keeping a record of your baby’s diaper changes also helps you determine a pattern in your baby so you can detect what’s normal and what’s not.
And while you’re at it, jot down any milestones — like smiling, cooing, and rolling over. Your mommy-brain or daddy-brain will thank you later!
Blackout Curtains
Even a tiny sliver of light can disturb your little one from a sound nap or wake them up early in the morning. Blocking out daylight can be a lifesaver (or at least a sleep-saver!) for you and your baby, and using blackout curtains is the best way to do this.
Do You Have Everything?
There are tons of items out there in the baby market, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed trying to decide what you really need. Stick to our list of nursery essentials and you’ll have all the necessities to care for your new little one!
Babies are simple, so keep their nursery simple with these essentials. Consider our list when planning for your baby’s nursery, and give your little one the best sleep possible with Newton Baby’s Crib Mattress!
10 Must-Haves for 2022 – Liz and Roo
When you’re expecting a baby, whether it’s your first or your fifth, setting up the nursery is a most exciting times. Read our best baby nursery checklist: 10 must haves for the things that just have to get done! Given the number of must-have nursery items available on the market today, it can be a bit overwhelming to figure out exactly what you and baby will truly need.
Liz and Roo is here to help you sort out the needs from the wants. Our best baby nursery checklist: 10 must haves is a great place to start. Next up? Our free nursery interior design consultation!
1. Crib Furniture and Crib BeddingEven if you’re planning to have baby sleep in a bassinet during the first few months, you’ll want to select and purchase a crib right from the start. It’s a great, safe place to lay baby down, and he or she will get comfortable with the space when it’s time to make the nighttime move.
Getting a crib is harder than it used to be - shipping delays are the major problem. Be sure and order early. You'll want to have the crib in place and the nursery finished before you come home from the hospital.
The Westwood brand uses a durable, non-toxic lacquer finish. They test finishes for lead, phthalates, cadmium, and other heavy metals and harmful substances. You’ll find Westwood Designs at Buybuy Baby and Amazon.
If you live in a small condo, Westwood offers scaled-down furniture pieces (the company calls them “euro-sized”) for folks trying to fit furniture in a small nursery.
In specialty stores, Westwood is sold as Stella Baby, which has its own web site (stellababyandchild.com). Stella has four collections with prices that range from $400 to $800 for convertible cribs. Basically, the same furniture as Westwood but with fancier finishes and detailing.
Once you have chosen your crib, it is time to think about crib bedding. Purchase the coordinating crib bedding before baby is born and get your crib set up and ready to go, and you’ll be happy once baby arrives. Look at some fresh ideas on our bedding collections page: https://lizandroo.com/collections/bedding-sets
2. GliderLate night feedings will be so much more comfortable for both you and baby when you have a designated place to snuggle together. Your husband will love it too. He’ll be doing some nighttime duty, too! Gliders today are a must-have nursery item and have come a long way from what your mother used (a rocker) but a rocker will do the job, too!
For the best value, and overall ranked one of the highest by most glider reviews is the Babyletto Madison Nursery Glider. It is only $249. We found it on Amazon. It is $399 and comes in a variety of colors. Other features:
- Made with a water-resistant, stain-resistant microsuede and metal base
- Smooth and effortless gliding motion; Swivels 360 Degrees
- Upholstery is free of chemical flame retardants
Westwood Designs makes a swiveling glider with power controls that we also love. Featuring power recline, swivel, and rocking capabilities, upholstered in stain-resistant polyester and nylon, and a cool built-in USB charger, you’ll be ready to drift away with baby any time!
3. Sound machine or white-noise app/deviceHelp baby sleep more soundly, and help the rest of the family live their lives without constant worry about making noise that will wake baby.
Updated November 2022, here are the top five sound machines.
4. Baby monitor
There are lots of options available – from super simple to high-tech cameras with sensors and alarms. Gauge your comfort-level to decide the best fit for your family and you’ll breathe easier knowing you can keep an ear and/or eye on baby at all times. The new monitors with video can provide real peace of mind. Check out this extensive review of all the pros and cons and tips for buying.
5. Odor-free diaper pailYou will never regret this purchase, especially after you’ve dealt with your first few blow-outs.
The Diaper Genie takes the prize in this category.
Like a regular trash can, the Diaper Genie filters dirty diapers into a plastic sleeve, keeping the unit clean (and dry) and allowing you to easily empty the pail. The key difference between a Diaper Genie and your run-of-the-mill kitchen can is a mechanism that keeps that the main storage compartment closed at all times, even when the lid is open
6. Blackout CurtainsWe recommend blackout curtains because they fake nighttime when it’s time for that morning or afternoon nap. A valance may be adorable, but it will do nothing to block out sunlight. Same for simple lined curtains. And, most babies are smart enough to know that sunlight means playtime, and darkness means bedtime! You’ll be the one who benefits the most from this.
Looking for inspiration? Take a peek at these custom curtains available in over 75 different fabrics. They are hand sewn (custom) to your requirements for length and finished in tab top, rod pocket, or pleated!
7. Changing pad and washable changing pad cover
Having a designated spot for changing baby makes it much easier to keep your nursery and changing materials organized. Plus, a contoured changing pad (the most popular style) gives baby a soft, safe place for diaper changes. Contoured changing pad covers can tie into the overall nursery theme and add a stylish touch to the room. Make sure that it is high-quality, durable, and washable. This is an item that will get washed regularly for sure! Check out the Liz and Roo selection of contoured changing pad covers here.
8. Playmat or rugGive baby a place to spread out and play. Tummy time and crawling practice will become a part of daily life as baby grows, and you’ll be happy to have a safe spot for baby to hang out. We suggest these stunning, machine washable Lorena Canals rugs. They make a great finishing touch to nursery decor. When they get dirty (and they will), just pop it in the washing machine. We’ve tested these rugs and they come out of the dryer looking like a new rug.
Another thing we absolutely LOVE about Lorena Canals is their social mission. With the purchase of a rug, you’ll help a child in India attend school. Believing that education is the key to mobility and vital in breaking the poverty cycle, those who purchase Lorena Canals’ rugs not only help children to get an education but also the opportunity to live a better life.
Their Sakula project built a nursery in India for children who were on the streets without protection and security. They provide a place to go, meals, and education. What is not to love about that!
9. Swing or bouncerThis item is likely to become your best friend and sanity saver. You’ll soon realize you don’t know how you’d function without it, especially if you ever need to do anything that requires 2 hands, like cooking dinner! Here’s a great link to a review of the top baby swings/bouncers.
10. Books, softs toys, stuffed animalsYou want baby to love their nursery (it makes night time so much easier!), so make sure it’s a fun and inviting place for them. Get lots of books. Reading to baby should be a nightly event. Remember never to put anything in the crib, no matter how cute, with your newborn. Stuffed animals belong outside the crib. Our favorite stuffed animal is by Jellycat. These are the absolute softest animals you'll ever cuddle with!
Round your best baby nursery checklist with plenty of clothes, diapers and wipes, and bathing and feeding supplies, and you’ll be ready for your new baby!
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November 18, 2019 — makespace
Tags: Baby Gifts parenting tips Preparing for baby
9000 Safe children: checklist for parents23. 06.2020
6463
10
Sleep Service
0-6 months --9 months --18 months
Translation of Article
Anna Sukhih
Anna Anna Anna Anna Anna Sukhikh
Senior sleep consultant, supervisor, lecturer
Mom of three children
We live in very different conditions, it is impossible to create a universal instruction for organizing a children's room. However, this checklist will help make the room in which the child sleeps safer.
Baby crisis calendar
Changing table
The changing table makes it easy to change your baby's clothes and diaper. But falling off a diaper can have serious consequences. You should not rely only on your good reaction to prevent the baby from falling; also note the following recommendations :
- Choose a sturdy, stable changing table with 5 cm high sides on all four sides;
- The mattress on the changing table should be concave, i. e. its edges should be slightly higher than the middle;
- Fasten your baby with a safety belt and never leave your baby alone on the changing table, even when strapped in – you must always hold the baby with your hand. The baby should not remain alone on the changing table for a second;
- Keep diapers and necessary baby cosmetics close at hand, but out of the baby's reach. Do not let the baby play with baby powder: if he accidentally opens the container and inhales it, it can be dangerous;
- If you use disposable diapers, keep them out of the baby's reach and wear clothing over them. The baby can tear off a piece of plastic from the diaper, swallow it and suffocate.
Attention: danger of suffocation!
- Do not use baby powder or talc. If inhaled, they can cause serious lung damage.
- The crib should not contain small items (pins, parts of children's toys) that the child can swallow.
- Never leave plastic bags or packaging within reach of a child.
- Do not put your baby on an adult bed next to you, put him in a crib.
- Use a baby sleeping bag instead of a blanket that can get tangled or pulled over your baby's head.
- Do not put the baby to sleep on the stomach, nor should the baby sleep on soft positioners or pillows. The child should sleep on his back.
Beads, chains, cords
- Check that there are no cords or ribbons hanging near the crib.
- Do not tie pacifiers or other items to the baby's crib or body.
- Do not hang anything (beads, chains) around the child's neck.
- Do not use children's clothing with drawstrings or ties.
Crib
Most often, the baby is left unattended in the crib, so it is important to make it as safe as possible. Falls are the most common injury in cribs, despite falling being the easiest to prevent. Babies usually fall out of the crib if the mattress is too high for their height.
Use cribs manufactured after June 2011. In 2011, new safety standards were passed to ban the production and sale of cribs with side walls. Older cribs may not meet these standards.
Whether your crib is new or not, inspect it carefully, paying attention to the following points:
- Keep the slats no more than 6 cm apart so that the baby's head cannot get caught between them. If this distance is greater, the legs or body of the baby can pass between them, and the head will get stuck, which can lead to death;
- The walls of the crib should not have decorative holes in which the child's arm, leg or head can get stuck;
- If the crib has corner posts, they must end flush with the side walls or be very high (like a canopy bed). The child's clothes can catch on the high corner post and cause suffocation;
- All screws, bolts, plastic parts and other fasteners must be in place. It is important to use original parts: if something is broken or lost, a replacement should only be purchased from the manufacturer of the crib. All fasteners must be tightened; if the child loosens the crib with active movements, it can fold and cause injury;
- Regularly check the crib: fasteners are tight, all parts are in place, and there are no sharp edges. Do not use the crib if it is broken or any parts are missing.
More things to make the crib safer
- The mattress must be the right size for the crib so that the baby cannot get stuck between the mattress or the crib. If two fingers pass between the crib and the mattress, this mattress will not fit, it is too small for this crib.
- When purchasing a new mattress, remove all packing materials as they may be swallowed and suffocated by a child.
- Before your baby can sit up on their own, lower the bottom of the crib so that the baby cannot fall out of the bed. Before the child begins to stand at the support, the bottom of the crib must be lowered to the lowest level. Most often, falls occur when the child tries to get out of the crib on his own. Therefore, when the height of the child will be 89cm or the side of the crib will be below the level of the chest of a standing baby, it's time to change the crib to a large one.
- Check the crib regularly for sharp edges, chips or cracks. If your child chews on the sides of the crib, you can buy plastic pads, they are sold in many children's stores.
- Do not use soft sides. There is no evidence that they protect the infant from injury. But the sides are dangerous: the child can bury himself in them, get confused and suffocate. Doctors attribute the deaths of young children in cribs to the presence of soft sides. In addition, older children can use the bumpers as a step to try to get out of the crib.
- The crib should be free of pillows, blankets, blankets, sheepskins, soft toys and other items that the baby can bury and suffocate.
- If you are hanging a mobile over the crib, make sure it is securely attached to the side. Hang it so that the baby cannot reach it and drop it on itself. The mobile should be removed when the baby is on all fours or 5 months old (whichever comes first).
- It is not recommended to use the toy bar in the crib: the child may be injured if he falls on it or drops it on himself.
- Do not place the crib near a window so that the baby cannot get tangled in the cords from the blinds or curtains.
In May 2022, the United States passed a law banning the manufacture and sale of upholstered cribs and reclining beds for babies in the United States. Within six months, these goods must be withdrawn from sale. The ban also applies to previously manufactured goods.
This decision was the result of a two-year investigation by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Between 1990 and 2019 in the United States, such bumpers caused the death of 113 babies. Almost 200 more children received various injuries, entangled in the elements of the soft sides.
Other items in the children's room
- Lamps or nightlights should not be placed near curtains or bedding to avoid fire. Choose fixtures that do not heat up during operation.
- Install a fire alarm in every bedroom (or anywhere where someone sleeps), in the boiler room and on every floor of a private home, including the basement. Buy alarms with long life lithium batteries. Batteries should be changed every year. Check the alarm every month to make sure it works.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home. It is a toxic gas that is tasteless, colorless and odorless. It comes from appliances or heaters that burn gas, oil, wood, propane, or kerosene.
- The best toy box is a box or basket without a lid. If the lid is still there, it should be fixed in the open state and not slam shut. There should be air holes in the box in case the child climbs into it and cannot get out.
- Use cold evaporative humidifier, ultrasonic humidifier or air washer; there is a risk of burns when using a steam humidifier. Clean the humidifier according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
Source: Healthychildren.org. Make Baby's Room Safe: Parent Checklist
Baby shopping checklist | Children's room
⚪ BABY CED AND ACCESSORIES
The bed is the main dowry for the baby. But many supporters of co-sleeping are sure that their baby will not need a crib, and boldly cross out this piece of furniture from the list of must-haves. On the one hand, it's logical. Why buy something you don't plan to use? On the other hand, there is one big BUT.
Especially if you are expecting your first child, your "pregnant" dreams of co-sleeping with your baby may remain only dreams. But this does not happen with the first baby: even if the older siblings did not sleep in their beds from the word at all, it is not a fact that the younger one will also be delighted with co-sleeping - children are different.
Imagine what happens if, in the first days after discharge, you find that co-sleeping is not for you (not very comfortable for you, your spouse, the baby or all at once): you have to choose a crib online or hastily send dad to the store, wait for delivery and assemblies...
The conclusion suggests itself: it is better to buy at least the simplest crib in advance. Even if the child sniffs in your bed, the nursery will not remain idle: it is safer to put the baby in it than to leave the baby on an adult bed if you need to move to another room, and for older toddlers the bed will also replace the playpen - it is convenient to play in it while sitting .
By the way, you can also choose add-on model . This is a great compromise - close, but everyone in their place. It is only better to buy a special crib, and not try to upgrade the usual one. Otherwise, an unsafe gap between the children's and adult beds may form.
Round crib - TOP-sellers in recent years - looks stylish and modern, and parents are usually more comfortable with this model:
- you can put a sleeping baby on any side, and do not try to "fit" him into an ordinary rectangular bed strictly along the long side;
- "fewer angles = less danger" - a formula that works flawlessly;
- if space permits, such a bed can be placed in the center of the room: you can approach the baby from any side, and he himself will not be limited in the review and will not be clamped in the corner.
- Mattress + oilcloth or waterproof mattress cover
- Blanket
- Bed linen: 2-3 sheets (more comfortable with elastic) and 1-2 duvet covers if required for quilt
Please note that in this list there is no pillow and pillowcase - most pediatricians believe that a child does not need a pillow under 2 years of age, except for indications (torticollis, neurological disorders - in this case, a specialist will "prescribe" a pillow).
Also not in our shopping list canopy and soft sides - they can not be called mandatory purchases. The canopy will become the main dust collector in the room, so you should buy it only when necessary (for example, in a studio apartment, when you want to protect a crib) or if your mother really wants to (but be ready for frequent washing). The bumpers will not be needed until the baby learns to roll over, so this purchase can be postponed.
⚪ CHANGING TABLE / CHEST
Your best bet is to purchase the complete changing chest: this is the most secure (stable) option + storage boxes (which will keep all the essentials close at hand).
If the room space or budget is limited, you can purchase the changing board (it is placed on a regular chest of drawers, table or bed).
But we do not recommend buying a light plastic changing table - the risk of injury is too high for such unstable models.
⚪ GADGETS FOR KIDS
For babies, with their still imperfect thermoregulation system and delicate skin and mucous membranes, optimal humidity (at least 50%) and air temperature are extremely important (most experts indicate 20-22 ° C).