So you’ve already read the first part of this series and tackled the basics? Super! If you have the space – like, say, a dedicated nursery – and extra funds, there may be a few more items you may want to consider getting now, or putting on a list to find a bit later on.
- Something to soothe or entertain Baby: This might mean a white noise machine, a machine that projects “starlight” onto the ceiling, or a mobile.
- Humidifier for cold months or when Baby has a cold: When you need a little extra moisture to be circulating where they sleep – whether it’s during the cold winter months when your home heating system might cause the air in your home to dry out, or when Baby has a cold and needs a little extra help breathing clearly – a humidifier is great.
- A fan and/or air conditioner: Depending on what your home heating and cooling system is like, in warmer months you might want one or both of these to help keep Baby from getting too warm. Even in cooler months, you might just want a fan on to help circulate air and add a little bit of soothing white noise to Baby’s sleep space.
- Air purifier: An air purifier – specifically a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance) one – can help to remove tiny, icky particles from the air. Air purifiers can be used to keep the air where Baby sleeps free of smoke, dust mites, and animal dander particles, as well as other not-so-friendly particles created by household appliances and products. Many purifiers also make a soft whirring sound, which can add more of that white noise magic that can help your little one sleep easy.
- A soft rug or play mat: In a pinch you can always place a clean blanket on the floor for some tummy time or play, especially early on when your little one is so, well, little, and won’t be traveling far. But if you have the space, you may want a soft rug for this purpose too. Soon Baby will be on the move and doing a lot of play on the floor, and it doesn’t hurt for them to have a comfortable space set aside to do so.
- Books: Certainly, you can keep these somewhere separate from you baby’s sleeping area if you’re short on space, but it can helpful to have at least a few nearby for bedtime reading with Baby. You might even want a bookcase, a few small shelves, or storage cubes to hold them.
- A surface for extras: Not a necessity, but you might find it convenient to have a small surface or table nearby on which you can place or store items, like a glass of water for you to drink as you feed Baby or a nail file so you can trim their tiny claws while they snooze.
- Stuffed animals or toys: These are also not a bedroom necessity while Baby is a newborn. Remember that you don’t want to put anything soft in their bassinet or crib because of risk of suffocation. But you may want to have some of these items nearby for them to play with when they awake. If you don’t get these right away, there’s plenty of time for toys once Baby is a bit bigger and more able to have fun with them.
- Decorations, pictures, and the like: Even if baby isn’t in a dedicated nursery space, you can always hang a small picture or some festive bunting near Baby’s bassinet or sleep space in your room. And if Baby is in a nursery, even just a few small items on the walls – meaningful pictures, their name, or a cheerful banner – can make a big difference in creating a personalized space.
Remember, whether you just get the basics or go ahead and get some extra baby room gear too, as long as you prioritize what’s best for you and your family, you really can’t go wrong.
Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
