collaborative post
So you’re bringing your family’s latest edition home. What kind of room should you design for your newborn baby? It’s vital to not think of it as a ‘room’, but more like a nursery. Creating a home nursery will take time and effort but in the end, it’s so worth it. You’re making the environment for your fragile baby safe. He or she will feel comfortable and secure in this nursery if you do it right. On top of that, it should be the main place where you change nappies and do most of the feeding for the first 6 months or so. The materials you use should not stoke up any allergies, but they must be warm, soft and reusable. The overall decor should be child-friendly. You don’t want to have giant clowns on the wallpaper like you might for your toddlers. The lighting must also be versatile, able to be brightened or dimmed easily. Here’s how you can begin this complex task.
Lighter shades
Whatever you do, the nursery has to be in a light shade of color. The most common choice is baby blue because it’s inviting, welcoming and easy on the eyes. It’s not too bright but it’s not too dark either. Subtler shades of green will also be ideal for a newborn’s nursery. According to Feng Shui, the colour green represents the wood element, which promotes the healthy growth of your child and provides the room with positive energy. On the other hand, you may also have to have a sandy yellow, this has much the same properties as baby blue. The reason why you have lighter shades specifically is that you want to allow as much natural light in the room as possible. Bear in mind, your baby will be looking up for most of the first few weeks. You don’t want the ceiling light to hit him or her squarely in the eyes. Thus, a lighter shade will keep the room friendly, non-threatening and naturally bright.
Avoid too many things
Don’t forget, you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the nursery too. So you must have spatial awareness for you and your baby. Avoid clutter at all costs. In fact, the fewer things the better. Just keep it simple and less can go wrong. You should have toys and books for your newborn, but they should never take up too much room. Buying a drawer for the room is, therefore, a must. Don’t install shelves in the room for obvious reasons. Not only do you not want to cramp the space you have, but something might fall off the shelves onto your newborn. Drawers are great for storing all kinds of things for your baby. However, they can also be a good height for other things such as lamps. Again, the light shouldn’t be too tall over the baby, so a lamp on the drawer is just the right height regarding your cot.
Away from the window
Make sure you put your cot away from a window. Windows allow in a little bit of air. Even if you can’t hear or feel it, the air is pouring into the room from the outside. Equilibrium keeps the airflow on the outside of the home the same as the inside. Therefore, not placing your cot next to a window will keep your baby warmer. It will also prevent your baby from developing dry skin on top of the head. Winds and rapid airflow can sap the natural oils off newborn baby skin, which results in a cradle cap. Here is what to avoid when treating cradle cap. Don’t bathe your baby more than once a day. The water will wipe away the natural oils on top of your baby’s head. If you’re going to brush your baby’s hair, do so with a soft brush and don’t apply any pressure. Keep a humidifier in the room to prevent the air from getting too dry and sapping the moisture from your baby’s skin. There are lots of simple solutions to treating cradle cap, but remember not to panic. It’s not harmful to your child and it usually goes away before their first birthday.
Not so dark
When the room goes dark, your baby will feel like he or she is in danger. Thus, you must keep a night light in the room and switch it on whenever you’re putting the little one to bed. This is something that parents should not overlook. If you’re not going to have your newborn sleeping in the same room as you, keeping a dull yellow-filter night light is very important.
Designing your nursery is going to be great fun, but think long term. This is how your baby’s room will be for over a year. Avoid clutter so it’s a room you can use to clean and bathe your baby.
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