Don’t be caught at 3 a.m. (or any time of day or night, in fact) without these nursery essentials. Here are my must-haves for any nursery—trust me, I learned the hard way on some of these!
1. Noise maker or music
When my daughter was about 10 months old, the homes behind us in our neighborhood were under construction and it was loud. I quickly learned that this noise was a deal breaker for nap times and that no naps meant a very cranky baby.
2. Blackout curtains
Some babies and toddlers rise with the sunrise, which can be pretty early come spring and summer. I use blackout curtains in both my nursery and toddler room to keep the rooms dark.
3. Spare matress pad and sheets
There are countless ways the crib sheets can get soaked and need a change… and it always seems to happen in the middle of the night. Don’t be caught without a spare set or two (sheet + mattress pad).
4. Nightlight
This nightlight isn’t for the baby—it’s for you! Having a nightlight saves you from having to turn on a bright light and risk waking the baby. Some ideas for a nightlight…
- Color-changing iPod player (like this one) – we use this with an old iPhone that we’ve loaded with lullabies that play in the nursery, which serves as another idea for a noise maker or music to block out neighborhood noice.
- For breastfeeding moms, this Nighty Night Nursing Light by BornFree is great. I use it with my baby and it helps so much with those middle-of-the-night feedings.
5. Lumbar support pillow
I shared some fabulous gliders and rockers earlier this month (see them all here). A lumbar support pillow is an absolute must for any glider or rocker. It makes those late-night feedings and cuddles so much better by saving yourself a terrible back ache.
See more nursery ideas and tips on my blog, xo, lauren and jane.