Seven must-haves for your baby’s nursery
Once your baby is born, getting eight hours of peaceful sleep each night will be a distant memory.
Even once you have moved them into their own room, they’ll wake up several times a night, usually for a feed. If you are lucky, your little one may start to sleep through from between four to six months but for others, this can take up to a year.
If you are struggling with the lack of sleep – especially if your baby is waking up when they don’t need a feed – then there are a few things you can add to the nursery to encourage them to sleep for longer. Hopefully allowing you to, too!
Seven must-haves for your baby’s nursery
If you want to make sleepless nights a thing of the past, here are seven must-haves for your baby’s nursery.
1) A lamp
Switching on the bright ceiling light won’t only startle your baby and intensify their crying, it will also be harsh on your eyes that have only just opened from a deep sleep.
A lamp will create enough light for you to see but will keep the space feeling cosy and encourage them to drift back off. Plus, with many cute designs available, it can be a great decorative piece for the nursery. Don’t forget to include western lamps in your search for the perfect one!
2) A comfy chair
If you are comfortable, relaxed and calm, this will reflect on your baby, which will help ease them back into sleep. If you are feeling the opposite of this, it will affect them negatively. A comfy chair will help you settle down with your baby, so you create a tranquil and quiet atmosphere, for both of you.
3) Blackout blinds
These blinds don’t only block out the light, they also help to reduce noise, which is ideal if you live in a noisy area. This will prevent your baby from being woken up when you don’t want them to be and encourages them to sleep later than they might otherwise.
4) A cosy blanket
Wrap yourself and your baby up, so you are warm and cosy. A snuggly blanket – the likes of Vertbaudet stock extra cosy designs that will last years and years – will make it easier for them to fall back to sleep and be more comfortable for you as you sit with them.
5) Baby monitor
As much as you want your baby to sleep, you can’t help but worry about them when they are quiet. Having a baby monitor will enable you to check on your baby from another room without having to keep going in and potentially disturbing them. If they do stir, you can watch or listen for a few minutes and see if they really need you or will go back to sleep by themselves.
6) Cot bumper
A cot bumper won’t only make the space cosy, it will also protect them from bumping the sides which can wake them up or worse, injure them. Make sure you go for touch ‘n’ close fastening, so the air can circulate.
7) Sleep aid
There are various items that will soothe and settle your baby, encouraging them to drift off into a peaceful sleep. These tend to have comforting sounds such as shushing, white noise, or a lullaby. Many also feature lights with a calming glow.
Other tips to help your baby sleep
There are also techniques you can use such as ensuring they have a routine at bedtime. This should include winding down before you start and could be followed by a bath and lullaby.
Plus, there are sleeping training methods you can try. Not all parents feel comfortable with this, but you can try controlled crying, where you leave them and continuously increase the time.
If that’s not for you, there are also sleep training programmes you can purchase, such as this one endorsed by influencer and new mum, Carly Rowena.
From the items you put in the nursery to using different techniques, it’s worth trying everything you can because the sooner your baby sleeps through the night, the sooner you can and the happier you’ll both be during the day.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema
