When it comes to building a nursery for your first child, it’s easy to get so caught up in the details that you forget about the most important parts. Whether your nursery is stylish or mundane, what ultimately matters is the range of furniture you have within that space. After all, it’s impossible to properly care for your child if you don’t have the proper tools to do so. These are some of the essential furniture pieces for a nursery to have on your shopping list.
Crib and Mattress
No nursery can be considered a nursery without a secure place for your baby to sleep. Cribs are designed to provide optimal comfort for your newborn while ensuring that they’re out of range of potential hazards. The bars will keep them from moving about the room freely and the mattress that often comes with offers the proper support. So, you can rest assured that your baby is both safe and comfortable—even when your eyes are elsewhere.
Changing Table
The second most important item to place in your nursery is a designated changing table. While you can change your baby on a multitude of surfaces throughout your home, very few of them are as safe as they need to be. In fact, it’s very common for infants to squirm and wiggle out of their parent’s grasp while being changed, which greatly increases the likelihood of an accident. Changing tables significantly reduce this risk by coming equipped with a soft, flexible safety strap that keeps your baby in place.
Dresser
Though they often tend to get overlooked, another essential furniture piece for a nursery is a sturdy and spacious dresser. Once your baby officially arrives, you’ll quickly discover that you’re acquiring more clothing, changing materials, and towels than you know what to do with. When this happens, it’s easy to let the clutter simply overwhelm this space. Fortunately, by choosing the right dresser, you can store all of these essential items in a compact way—saving yourself time, stress, and precious floor space.
Rocking Chair
You also want to make sure to buy a quality rocking chair to help soothe your baby. With regular bouts of crying in the middle of the night, you’ll need a comfortable place to sit and effectively calm them down. Rocking chairs work well because many infants are relaxed by the repetitive back and forth motions. With the right model, you might even find that you’re lulled to sleep by it as well.