Planning a baby nursery can be an overwhelming task. It often seems like one giant never ending to-do list of things to get ready, buy, organize, design and install when trying to get your nursery ready for the arrival of your littlest one.
There are so many baby items available these days, you feel like it requires a Herculean effort to wade through all of the marketing hype to discover which of these baby essentials are really “essential” and worth buying for your new baby’s nursery.
There are a few major baby items that are truly essential to every nursery. The particular items you buy will depend partly on your personal preferences and can be organized into these basic categories: Crib Mattresses, Cribs, Co Sleepers, Monitors, Rockers & Swings, and Safety.
The items represented by these categories really are baby essentials and to assist you in your planning I have compiled a list of popular products for each category. It is my desire for these reviews to jump-start your imagination and help get those creative juices flowing.
Hopefully, reading through the site inspires you to create your own personal list of baby essentials that align perfectly with your unique parenting style and fit your growing family.
Crib Mattresses
Choosing a crib mattress may seem to you like a boring and mundane task but it is actually one of the most important decisions you can make for your baby.
The mattress is easily just as important as the crib, and we recommend buying the best one you can afford. If there is one baby essential that you should never skimp on it is the crib mattress!
Why does it matter? Well, that is a great question and I am glad you asked! Believe it or not but your baby will spend a lot of time in her crib.
It may feel like she never sleeps, especially when you’re exhausted and getting up to feed a fussy baby every few hours, but infants can easily sleep up to 18 hours a day.
There are so many kinds of crib mattresses available, and each brand declares to have figured out the secret sauce and claims to be the very best crib mattress for your baby. How do you dig through the advertisements and marketing gimmicks to determine which crib mattress really will be best for your baby?
I have created an in-depth guide on crib mattresses that will equip you with every tool and all the information you need to choose the perfect baby mattress for your precious little one.
Check out my complete list and expert reviews of the Best Crib Mattresses.
Cribs
There are few things in life more amazing than watching your little one peacefully snoozing away in her crib. Peeking into the baby’s nursery to see your doll-faced little angel blissfully sleeping in her crib is one of the great pleasures of raising a child.
The baby crib should be a place of peace and safety for your newborn. Your child will spend many hours of her young life resting in her baby crib and it is so important that she feels it is a place of peace, refuge, and an escape from the seeming chaos of the “outside” world.
Whether you use a crib from day one or transition your baby into the crib later, if you choose a quality crib you will be sure to get years of use of it, and even longer if the crib converts to a toddler bed. It is so important to take your time and really research the available options for baby cribs in your price range to find the right crib for your nursery. I have compiled a list of baby cribs to help you on your way to making this very important decision.
Check out my complete list and in-depth reviews of the Best Baby Cribs.
Co Sleepers
Sharing your bed with the newest family member is growing in popularity with parents every year. Making use of bed sharing or a co-sleeper is one great and safe option for parents who want to sleep as close as possible (as safely as possible) to their precious baby.
A co sleeper often provides more rest and convenience, especially in the first weeks or months when Mom is more likely to be feeding baby around the clock. Co-sleepers can also be a huge boon for any Moms who have had a c-section making frequent trips in and out of bed to feed very painful and next to impossible.
The choice between a bed-sharing or bedside co sleeper primarily depends on the size of your bed and bedroom as well as your personal philosophy and preferences on how to sleep your child. To aid you in figuring out what is the best option for you, we have chosen to review only the best and safest baby co sleepers available on the market today.
Check out my complete list and insightful reviews of the Best Co Sleepers.
Monitors
If you have a newborn or are expecting you have almost certainly noticed during your search for baby essentials that stores and the web are just loaded with baby products of all types aimed towards infant safety.
One of the most important, baby monitors, come in many different shapes and sizes with features ranging from two-way communication, night vision, pre-recorded lullabies, multi-camera functionality, and cloud connectivity.
We are even beginning to see smart baby monitors that track and measure baby’s breathing, movement, and oxygen levels. All of these baby monitors are modernized with rechargeable batteries via USB, touchscreen pads, and full HD visual displays, and even recording and playback functions.
So how do new parents make informed decisions on what the best baby monitor is for their family? Do you go with an older sound monitor, a standard video baby monitor, or one of the new smart baby monitors? Maybe some combination of all three types would be best for your family.
To help you make the most informed decision, we’ve compiled a list of the best baby monitors that will meet all of your baby monitoring needs.
Check out my complete list and reviews of the Best Baby Monitors.
Bouncers, Rockers & Swings
Both babies and parents love bouncers, rockers, and swings for creating a soothing place for their babies to rest, sleep or play while they are free to move around the room and actually get a few things done.
The typical baby bouncer is a lightweight, low-to-the-ground seat designed to rest on the floor and bounce when your baby kicks her legs or moves her arms.
Usually more sturdy than bouncers, a baby swing is a seat that gently moves your little one back and forth, from side to side, up and down or some combination of all three.
Your baby loves being rocked and jiggled. It is a comforting motion that reminds her of the womb where she moved with the motion of your body.
However, there are some times when you just need the complete use of your hands. This is where your rocker, bouncer, or swing really shines and can be a total game changer for parents with fussy babies who have difficulty napping or resting in a regular crib or bassinet. These life savers can really help soothe your baby while you cook dinner, answer a few emails, change your clothes, or even go the bathroom.
To help you buy a little time for yourself now and then we have reviewed the safest and most popular baby bouncers, baby rockers, and baby swings to help you decide which will be best for your child.
Check out my complete list and comprehensive reviews of the Best Baby Swings.
Saftey
In the first couple years of life, your child will spend much of her time in the nursery. It is absolutely vital that you minimize or even eliminate potential dangers to ensure this room is as safe as possible.
Designing your dream nursery can be a challenging but it is also a most rewarding experience. Although you must remember that process involves more than just choosing a cute theme and mooning over paint colors. While it’s easy to get lost in the details of the fun stuff, you need to spend even more time making sure it’s a safe space for your littlest one.
Accidents in the home send nearly 2 million children under the age of 4 to the emergency room each year, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. So before your precious one arrives into her new home make sure you have the nursery prepared with these baby essentials for Safety.
Check out my complete list and thorough reviews of the Best Baby Safety Essentials.