With so many parents-to-be considering co-sleeping when their newborn arrives, the task of preparing a nursery can often be low on the list of priorities.
However, once your baby comes along, being able to devote time and indeed energy to making this room look its best is often difficult.
It, therefore, pays to begin your nursery preparations during the pregnancy stages, rather than after it.
A Completed Nursery Can Be Used Immediately
Like some parents, you may decide to keep your baby with you in your room for the first few weeks, mainly for ease of night feeds. However, as all babies develop at different rates, you may find that your baby adapts to a routine quite quickly.
When this happens, you may want to consider trying out the nursery, for example for the occasional nap time. This allows you to look at developing the very beginnings of a sleeping routine.
There are many advantages in working gradually towards moving your baby into their own room, including:
- There are fewer interruptions for your baby when they’re in a dedicated space of their own, meaning they don’t wake each time you or your partner enters the room.
- You and your partner get to maintain some form of intimacy while sleeping better, without continually worrying you are going to disturb your new-born.
- A bedtime routine will be much easier to establish and more importantly maintain in the nursery, as your baby becomes accustomed to this area which he or she will equate to sleep time.
Deciding on Your Nursey Theme Needn’t Be Complicated
You may be wondering how you can begin decorating your baby’s nursery when you have no idea whether you are expecting a boy or a girl? However, this need not be an obstacle to starting work in this beautiful room.
A nursery no longer needs to focus on pink, blue or yellow designs. In fact, by taking a look at guides such as this nursery look book, you can get an idea of the range of neutral colors, which are thoroughly inspiring for all nursery types.
The trick is to start small and build up as the pregnancy progresses. Remember, your baby’s first few weeks will be spent mostly sleeping, so the simplest of decorating schemes and most basic of items which encourage the sleeping process are all that’s needed at this stage.
Why not make it a point to start with a crib or cot that catches your eye first and, once you have invested in this essential piece, work outwards when further creative inspiration hits?
A Finished Nursery Is One Less Job to Do
All parents will tell you that when your newborn comes along, the last thing you will have time for is getting to grips with an extensive nursery project! With late nights, interrupted sleep patterns and sheer exhaustion, not many a new parent will want to pick out furniture or pick up a paintbrush during the first few months of their baby’s life!
Not only that, those first few weeks and indeed months are crucial bonding times, and time which you can never get back again. Why bother wasting this and get started on your project before your precious bundle comes along?
Once your nursery is ready, it doesn’t mean you have to use it straight away. In fact, should you decide to keep your newborn with you for the first few months, that’s no problem. When you and your baby are comfortable, you will have a completed nursery which is all prepared and ready to go, allowing you to move at a pace which suits you both.
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