Creating the Perfect Nursery… for a Sleeping Baby
When you first got pregnant or learned your baby’s gender, how long did it take before you started visualizing what your baby’s nursery was going to look like?
Go ahead. I won’t judge. Because for all three of my kiddos, I walked into their rooms daily to dream for a few minutes.
At first, I was thinking there had to be a major theme and purpose that was fun with great energy. I figured I’d be spending a lot of time there, so I needed the room to just as entertaining and joyful for me as for my baby. Then I felt the pressure of keeping up with all my friends’ designs and creative sparks… so I had to have a nursery that they would gush over (and my social media “friends” would like and comment to).
If I had known then what I know now, I would have painted it a nice, neutral earth-tone and spent the rest of my time researching crib mattresses, sleep sacks and creating an ideal schedule.
Because when it comes to nurseries, I’ve got four words of advice for you.
Dark, cool, comfortable, and boring.
I know how tempting it is to stuff baby’s sleeping quarters full of adorable mobiles, inspiring images, and fluffy, squishy toys. After all, wouldn’t baby want to be surrounded by a sea of cuteness while they drift off to sleep?
Well, probably not. And let’s be honest, they will never remember what their nursery looked like.
I mean, they may like it in theory, but a nursery that is “busy” is not conducive to a good night’s sleep, for the same reasons that you shouldn’t bring your iPad to bed, or watch TV while you’re drifting off. 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 DARK
I’m talking pitch black. Some blackout curtains or blinds are a much better investment than a colorful mural. I’m a huge advocate of baby sleeping in the same place all the time, which means naps should be in the crib too. And you’ll find naps go down with a lot less fuss if there’s no light coming into the room.
IT’S COOL
It may sound cold, but studies show that babies sleep best in a room that kept between 65 and 70 degrees. Obviously, you should follow your baby’s lead on this, but a warm, comfortable, breathable cotton sleep sack or onesie in a cool room will often lead to better sleep than no cover in a warm one.
IT’S COMFORTABLE
Babies sleep for nearly half the day, so a great mattress is a sound investment. It’s well worth your time to do some extensive research and spend the money you had set aside for mobiles and artwork on the surface baby’s going to be spending the vast majority of their time on. Which brings me to my major point...
IT’S BORING
Music and soft light, pictures of Disney characters, swirling colors and little plastic fish, all of them seem like they should have a calming effect on a baby, but it’s just the opposite. These standard nursery accompaniments are distracting and stimulating. Blank walls and an easily accessible changing station, those are your best decorating choices when it comes to baby’s bedroom.
I know it’s probably a little bit of a tough pill to swallow for new parents, because we really do look forward to putting together a little corner of baby-themed paradise for our little ones. But bear in mind, this room serves a crucial function in your baby’s day-to-day life, and that’s to be a quiet, relaxing environment for them to get the extensive amounts of sleep that their growing bodies need.
There will be plenty of opportunity for them to adorn their rooms with extensive amounts of knick-knacks when they’re school age and up. So, take the pressure off, invest in a great rocker for the baby’s room, and allow the space to be cool and comfortable for you both.
Adrienne Beatty
Pediatric Sleep Consultant
Founder/President, Sleep Joy Pediatric Sleep Consulting
Proud momma of three young kids! Based out of Wilmington, North Carolina and serving sleep deprived parents virtually all over the world to teach their newborns, babies and toddlers independent sleep skills to sleep through the night and take great naps too! Sleeping through the night is in sight!
Instagram: @sleepjoy_consulting