Need or Not? The Nursery

Putting together the baby nursery is probably one of the most important parts of expecting a new baby. While some people may have the budget to go out and buy all new things, many people must decorate on a budget. Whatever is your situation, there are certain things every new mom needs in the nursery.

Changing Station

There are many amazing changing tables out there equipped with all the necessities, but if you can't afford to splurge on one, consider placing a changing pad on the top of a dresser (which you'll need for baby's clothes anyway). I found an old dresser no one was using and painted it to match my nursery colors. Each changing table should hold the wipes, diaper cream, and baby lotion. I also have some hand sanitizer close by for use after cleaning up an especially messy diaper.

I suggest using a diaper pail of some sort because they are designed to contain the smell. I have mine placed next to the dresser, and have a long-lasting air freshener on the inside of the pail as well, because some stink tends to leak out. The only draw back to using a diaper genie or similar product is that they run out of bags fairly often, and they aren't the cheapest thing to have to buy on a continual basis.

Because I used the dresser for my changing table, I have some fabric bins and a diaper storage station nearby. In the bins are: extra crib sheets, changing pad covers and blankets. In the storage station are: extra diapers, wipes, burp cloths, bibs, towels/washrags, and extra toiletries and miscellaneous items, such as: extra diaper bags, a thermometer, hair brush, nail clippers, nasal aspirator, cotton swabs, rubbing alcohol, and baby medicine (including baby tylenol, gas X, and teething tablets).

Glider/Seating Station

I highly recommend putting some sort of rocking chair or glider in the nursery. I didn't have one of these in the very beginning and I wish I had. Now that my baby is sleeping in her own room (we had her in our room for the first four months) it's very nice to be able to sit with her in her room as we wind her down for bedtime. It's a great spot to nurse, especially in the middle of the night. Consider buying a bobby or other nursing pillow. I found mine was super helpful when I was still struggling with nursing in the beginning. They hold up newborn babies very well. Older babies can use the pillow when learning to sit on their own. I always keep a burp cloth and extra blanket on the chair as well. Having a lamp next to the chair is great for reading to your baby, too.

Crib/Sleeping Station

While we used a bassinet next to our bed for the first few months, eventually you will need a crib. Make sure you use fitted crib sheets. As recommended by everyone these days, there should be nothing in the crib with your new baby, not even a blanket. Instead, you can use "sleep sacks" to keep your baby warm. Crib bumpers are also not recommended. We use one because our baby likes to sleep with her head pushed all the way up against the bars, but we didn't install it until she was old enough to be able to move around well on her own.There are mesh breathable crib bumpers you can use if you want a safer bumper. We use a light up musical glow worm sleep toy to help her fall asleep which she seems to like. I highly recommend getting a video monitor if you can afford it. I love being able to actually see my baby while she's sleeping and not just hear her, so I can be double sure she is safe. We have a night light in her room, which is great to be able to feed her in the middle of the night while it's still dark so as to keep her sleepy. We also use an air filter, but not so much for the cleaner air, but more for the white noise, which is supposed to be helpful for babies when falling asleep. You could get a crib mobile too, but we actually ended up never using the one we had.

Clothing, Toys and Accessories

As before mentioned, of course you'll need a dresser of some sort for baby's clothes. You will also need hangers for baby jackets and dresses. Since I had a little girl, I painted an old wooden container and it holds her hair clips. I put some nails in the wall for a place to hang her headbands. I have a toy chest and a bookshelf for all her stuffed animals, books and random toys. As for the big toys (such as play mat, swing, vibrating chairs, jumpers etc.), these tend to move from room to room, so I haven't included them in the nursery check-list.

Nursery decor, of course, is not a necessity and therefore I haven't included it in this list. After all, your baby won't really care how his or her room looks as long as the basics are there. I will, however, talk about some nursery decorating ideas in a later post. 

You may find that this list isn't perfect for your unique situation. All I can give are recommendations based on my own experiences and wish you good luck in setting up your nursery!