Creating the Ideal Sleeping Space. What are some of the things to consider when setting up a nursery?
Health Canada recommends that your baby shares your bedroom for at least the first six months of life. So, consider the size of a master bedroom with a bassinet; it is a must when planning on co-sharing a room for this long. Bassinets come in a variety of sizes and shapes but are generally around 3×1.5ft.
So, where should the baby’s bedroom be when they are ready to move? I would suggest a room closest to Mom and Dad, ideally not south-facing. South-facing rooms tend to get very hot in the summer, usually have larger windows that can make the room cooler in the winter. Another reason is the amount of sunlight that comes through. Darkness is crucial for the onset of sleep. With a little one that naps anywhere from 3-4 times a day from 4-7 months, there is a lot of sleep happening in their bedroom. When I talk about dark, I mean ‘cave dark’. As dark as you can possibly make it, and here are my tricks for achieving this…
Use two blackout products, blackout curtains AND blackout blinds. I know this sounds overboard, right? As a sleep consultant, I recommend my clients look for a 10/10 for darkness in a baby’s bedroom. Why is this, you may ask? When any amount of light shines through and comes into contact with the baby’s eyes (open/closed), it sends a signal to the brain that tells the baby it’s time to wake up. We are trying to avoid unnecessary wakeups; having good blackout products is a great way to make sure this doesn’t happen. Blackout curtains offer a 6/10, and blackout blinds offer an 8/10. When used together, it gives a perfect 10/10 for darkness.
One of the more important items in a baby’s room is a crib. There is a wide variety on the market, and all meet safety standards when sold in Canada, so there is no need to worry about the safety of construction. My suggestion is to purchase a crib without a bottom drawer. This extra space below the crib (where the drawer would have been) comes in handy in a year or so when you have a crib crawler. This is where your little one is scaling the crib sides to get out. My top tip for parents with a crib-crawling toddler is to remove the mattress spring and place the mattress on the floor of the crib. This gives an extra 6-8”, and a possible 6-8 months of extended life for your crib! Ideally, you do not want to switch to a big bed until the baby/toddler is 3 years of age.
Some of you may have heard of a sound machine for babies’ rooms. There are two reasons why your baby will benefit from having a good sound machine. Firstly, the baby is used to the loud sounds of the womb, loud enough that it has the same decibel volume/level as a vacuum cleaner. When a baby arrives in our purposely quiet world, it can be a deafening silence. Investing in a white noise machine can help soothe the baby by resembling the sound of the womb.
When your little one gets a few months older and grows out of this soothing device, it offers coverage for unexpected sounds, like the neighbor’s dog barking or a truck passing. It is important to mention that the white noise machine should play continuous white noise, not music or any other sounds. It should also have a continuous play option. To invest in a good white noise machine.
A baby monitor with a temperature sensor takes the worry out of checking the room during the coldest part of the night. Mount the camera where you have a clear view of all corners of the crib. The newer cameras being released have lights on them. I suggest blacking these out with tape.
For the changing station, I suggest purchasing a dresser that will grow with your child. It is easy to attach a changing mat to the dress and remove it when your little one has outgrown it. Keep necessary diaper changing items in little baskets on top.
A humidifier is important in drier climates. It is easy for your little one’s nasal passages to get dry and be prone to infections. If you live in a dry climate, having a humidifier running can keep the baby’s nasal passages moist and healthy.
A comfortable rocking chair is a must for your baby’s room. When your little one is young, you will want to feed your little one in the room they are sleeping in. This will help your baby establish day and night. The goal is to feed at nighttime in a quiet dark room. During the day, feed in a common living space of your home like the living room. This helps avoid day and night confusion.
The must-haves for baby apparel to encourage good sleep are a swaddle. Swaddles are great for reducing the number of wake-ups your baby has. It prevents scratching during sleep and also stops babies from jolting themselves awake with a reflex known as the startle reflex. This disappears after 3-4 months of age.