6 Ways to Make Your Baby's Nursery Double as Your New-Mom Sanctuary

9/27/2020

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Your nursery is your baby’s first home in the outside world, but it’s also where you’re going to spend the majority of your time in those first few months—especially in those first few weeks. It’s where you’ll be doing the bulk of the diaper changing, feeding (day and night), dressing, book reading, and plenty of picture taking. In other words, it’s about to become your most inhabited room in your home! That’s why it’s so important to design a nursery with not only your baby in mind (even though it is his room, after all)—but also with mom in mind.

Tack on the undeniably important fact that we’re parenting in the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, and the need for a mom-friendly nursery is all the more valid. You’re less likely to have the help of well-meaning family members and friends, and may even have a partner who has to return back to work earlier than anticipated. All of these reasons and more justify why it’s important to consider how to make your baby's nursery work for your needs and serve as a respite of relaxation and relief from the stressors of the day.

Here are some pro tips to help ensure that your nursery works just as much for you as it does for your new bundle of joy.

See this mama's sanctuary.

1.
When designing a nursery, functionality is key

Of course you want a nursery that’s delightfully decorated and Instagram-worthy as can be, but functionality also plays an important role and is something that your YouthfulNest designer will help you factor in throughout the process. Once you decide on the other big decisions such as the theme or your nursery, whether or not to opt for a gender-neutral paint color and the big-ticket furniture items that you’ll use on a day-to-day basis, there are a handful of other things to consider to make your nursery truly work for your lifestyle.

Shop: YouthfulNest E-Design Services

2.
Don’t compromise on a nursery chair

Whether you go the glider or old-school rocking chair route, it’s important that you choose a chair that is comfortable enough for you to sit in for hours at a time. The last thing you need as you recover from labor and delivery and ease into the postpartum period is to deal with a pesky back ache caused by a chair that lacks the support you need.

If there’s one area to splurge in, it’s here. At YouthfulNest, we’re familiar not only with gliders that match your nursery decor to a tee, but also with ones that moms love and have passed the test of time.

Shop: Kiwi Glider Recliner with Electronic/USB Control

3.
Position storage near the glider

While you’re sitting in your nursery chair, you’ll be doing some very important activities that need no interruptions—i.e. nursing, rocking your baby to sleep, reading books, etc. If you’re short on space, a great solution is to purchase a pouf or ottoman that doubles as storage space.

Inside, you can store some goodies like snacks for late night nursing sessions or your favorite throw blanket in case you get a bit chilly (we love this one from Bearaby).

Shop: Snoozer Storage Ottoman

4.
Incorporate multi-tasking side tables

Side tables are great for lamps and sound machines, as well as storing your phone and water bottle while you’re busy caring for your baby. But instead of purchasing just any side table, it pays to be smart with your selection. Our founder, Lisa Janvrin recommends side tables that come with USB ports and outlets for plugging in your phone or other electronics.

This is one area that can be tricky when designing the nursery—the perfect spot for your glider or crib might not make the most sense when it comes to where the outlets are located in the room. A smart side table can easily solve this problem.

Shop: Lamont Two-Tone Night Stand

5.
Hire a virtual assistant

Speaking of smart—get more done without having to leave the nursery by adding a virtual assistant device like Google Hub to your baby’s nursery. This way you can ask Google to do things like play certain songs, add to your grocery list and even answer all sorts of questions like “how much milk should a 2 month old be drinking?”

Shop: Google Hub

6.
Set up a spot for you to snooze

Especially if you plan on breastfeeding, you may spend more time in your baby’s nursery over the course of a night than in your own bedroom. To help score extra Z’s that you so desperately need, consider purchasing a daybed for your baby’s nursery.

In the day time, you can add some throw pillows and have it double as a couch and in the nighttime you can get some sleep without having to leave the nursery.

Shop: Hampshire Spindle White Daybed