Thoughtful Planning Makes
Beautiful & Safe Baby’s Room
Whether you have a tiny member of
your household or you’re expecting
one, planning your baby’s room is always
exciting. Some parents go for bold colors
and fun themes and others go for subtle
softness and muted shades of pastels.
Regardless of which decorative path you
take, it’s always good to follow a few
guidelines to make sure the room is not
only attractive, but is also functional
and safe for the child.
Safety first and foremost
The first priority has to be safety with
a baby. Decisions must be made about
whether to allow bumper pads in the crib
or fluffy comforters. Some pediatricians
advise against these because of the risk
of suffocation. Talk to yours about the
types of linens your doctor feels are best. Be wary of anything that the baby could grab such as blinds, curtains, or nearby lamps or cords. It’s best to keep objects
away from little hands and is one reason I don’t like to see artwork or objects on the wall above a crib. If you’re
worried about pets bothering your child or want to hear the baby better but you don’t want to close off the bedroom door, install a screen door instead. It allows you to hear the baby and keeps pets away from the child. Always err on the
side of safety and you and baby will both sleep well at night.
Arrange carefully
Many parents arrange their baby’s bedroom the way it’s done in a decorating photo or do so for their convenience. For instance, cribs will be placed on the wall in line with the door so they can walk by and see the baby easily. Or, some cribs are pushed against windows. Worse still, some are set in the middle of the room. Baby cribs should be treated the same as a regular bed and arranged on a flat wall opposite the door to make the child feel secure. Secure?
That’s right. We wouldn’t want to sleep in line with the door or floating the middle of a room, and infants probably don’t either. In my work as a feng shui consultant and e-zine publisher, parents often write me and say their baby doesn’t sleep well. The very first thing I ask about is bed arrangement. Many times the crib isn’t positioned the way a regular bed would be. Once the bed is properly arranged, they’re surprised at how quickly the baby responds and how much better the baby sleeps. It’s important to remember that babies are very sensitive and that sensitivity extends to their environments, too.
Think future
As much as we may not like it, our little
ones will grow bigger and that teddy
bear theme might not make a five-year-old
as happy as tough superheroes. Murals
are also wonderful, but expensive hand-
painted murals might be hard to part
with – and paint over -- once your child
grows older. That’s why it’s a good idea
to use colors and elements that can be
easily transformed as your child grows.
This way you don’t have to completely
re-do the room to make it suitable for
your growing child.
More storage
Before baby comes, do what you can to
make the room storage-friendly. Install
closet organizers and make sure there’s
enough space for all the baby items
you’ll need. If space is hard to come
by, hang plastic shoe holders that hang
on the back of a door as an impromptu
storage solution for baby supplies like
powder and lotions.
Make your littlest living space beautiful,
safe, practical and able to grow with your child.
Nursery safety and decorating resources
Safety
Americanbaby.com
Tips to make the crib, room, and changing table safe
Consumer Products Safety Commission free reports on child safety
Decorating
Nursery design slide show by Better Homes & Gardens
© 2007 Kathryn Weber, all rights reserved
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Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Everydayclean.com Cleaning Calender, that calender that puts you in control of your home by ending the power struggle. For more information log on to http://tinyurl.com/d9rh5.
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©2001-2007 Kathryn Weber
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