Crafted and created with care: How to get a perfect nursery for your baby
Those first few months for any parent — experienced or first-timers alike — can seem like swimming in porridge.
Lost sleep, dealing with a shattered adult routine, the hypnotic round of feeding, bathing, gazing at each other — and getting your darling to sleep is tough.
Every bit of ergonomic forward planning is critical— efficient movement and comfort, while caring for your baby, will count.
A gorgeous hand painted fairy forest to the walls is a lovely touch when Aunt Aida comes around, but a fluidly operating cot and comfortable armchair are blessed additions 10 times a day as you privately nurture your little one.
The market in baby things is heaving with the adorable things — but get the basics drilled down before you go all ga-ga for the aesthetic fluff you and certainly the baby, do not need.
There are no compromises to be made with the safety and stability of the cot or anything related to a baby or young child.
Having seen a baby go backwards onto a stone floor in a vintage oak high chair beloved of one family, I’m a bit of an hysteric on this topic.
If you buy new or are gifted a cot, it must answer present standards to be safe to use. After that, it’s all best practice.
You’ll be buying either a cot, intended for baby until they are able to get out of it at 2-3 years (in UK or EU sizing), or a cot bed which converts for a toddler’s needs with removable panels on the side.
The base of a cot should be adaptable, to gently raise a tiny baby to you for lifting. Cot beds generally have less positioning points but can change into sweet little sofas for children’s rooms too.
Cribs, baskets and carry-cots for newborns should be rated for safety; EN 716 is a good start. Check any second-hand pieces for signs of tears or deterioration.
A second basket left upstairs or down can be useful for spontaneous naps.
Babies stay on their backs, (recommended practice to reduce the instance of SIDS and this is best achieved in a proper baby-sized bed.
All drop sides must lock in the lower position and be of EN 716-2:2008 standard. It’s worth noting that drop sided cots are banned in the US due to rare but serious accidents.
Wood slats should be 2.5cm (1in) apart and no more than 6.5cm (2.6in) to avoid trapping heads and limbs. Check each slat is complete without cracks or breaks. Include a teething cover for older babies who will whittle away at the top rail.
Wheels are available, and for a one level, open plan home, very handy for moving baby to where you are.
Ensure they include a locking device, (amazing how far a thrusting baby can drive a cot).
The same room, but not the same bed is the advice of the Lullaby Trust (UK) for babies 0-6 months — but co-sleepers will disagree.
Bedside cots are increasingly popular for those who want to have their baby in the room, but not in the bed. See our guide to independent nests. The same EN 716-2:2008 standards apply to every cot.
Budget: €120 classic non-toxic painted wood complete with foam mattress, cot-beds from €120 excluding mattress - to over €430 for top brand sleigh beds with storage.
Mattress materials for babies start at simple foam and rise to organic materials such as coconut fibre and fully sprung mattresses for cot-beds that could last right up to primary school years.
Though more expensive, a sprung mattress can potentially be cooler than a fully waterproof PVC covered support, even with a holed design. It’s a matter of price.
A firm flat waterproof mattress of a current safety standard will suit most babies.
The set standard is BS 1877-10: 1997. There should be no tears, holes, depressions or ground in dirt on a baby mattress. Fabric covers must be laundered regularly, or spot cleaned and vacuumed if attached.
The mattress must fit the cot, carry-cot or cot-bed, important if you are given a bed or basket and decide to replace the mattress. EU sizing and UK sizing is not the same.
It should not rise at the edge pitching the baby onto their side or front, or have gaps around the edges. With lightweight bedding, or in a properly detailed baby-bag, they should be comfortable overnight in a temperature of 16-20C.
Budget: From €199 for hypoallergenic foam or eco-fibre cot mattresses - www.cotmattress.ie (And check out their bamboo sheets).
You can change a baby quite adequately and safely on the floor using a changing mat priced from €10, and this is the preferred method of the European Safety Alliance.
If you must avoid bending and lifting, ensure a raised surface is safe, versatile and easy to use.
Do this only if you can reach for what you need while keeping one hand always on the baby (even if using a strap). Open shelving (with or without baskets) in set positions, is ideal.
Don’t use standard, flat changing mats on a pretty dresser/drawer top. The surface should be concave and attached to a stable dedicated unit.
The standard 5cm rise all around may not be adequate for a determined squirmer.
Inspect second-hand units, especially collapsible versions, for signs of wear at joints and hinges.
Expensive infant furnishings can gobble down money better directed to things that gain more importance, like a great 0-2 buggy and smart baby monitor.
Budget: from €70 for a sturdy plastic changing table (without a future). Look for designs that convert to a dresser or desk once obsolete for infants.
Finally, with a smoke and CO alarm installed near-by,
consider ‘off-gassing’ mattresses and any new furniture for the nursery for at least a week or more to release VOCs from its manufacture, like paint, solvents and glues.
A well ventilated space like a garage or covered porch on dry days is fine.
Oh — and congratulations from all of us!
Co-sleeping is a complex topic — with parents as well as health professionals — but there are cot designs which take the either/or out of this contentious and worrying choice.
Bassinette designs that sit closely and safely against the bed, without fully taking the child onto a potentially smothering bed, are a superb alternative for those who long for the feeling of bonding offered by sleeping in one group.
For breastfeeding mothers, a bedside cot allows light waking to take a child to the breast and then gently return them to their own area.
This Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper offers a 360° swivel, retractable side-wall with lock, a co-ordinating fitted sheet, and a Soother Centre with a reassuring night light, lullabies and sounds, as well as two levels of vibration and a nursing timer.
Maximum weight for baby, 20lbs, €354, www.littlewoodsireland.ie
The Chicco Next-to-Me, another favourite is €209 from www.bellababy.ie
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