It's Preparation Time: 10 Nursery Essentials Every Baby Room Needs Before Baby Comes Home

If you're getting ready to welcome your first child into the world, there's almost no way for you to be 100 percent prepared for it. According to a study conducted a few years ago, almost 75 percent of parents believe parenting is the biggest challenge they've ever faced.

You might not be able to fully prepare for the challenge that awaits you. But you can prep your child's nursery so that it's all ready to go when your new baby comes home. It'll make life slightly easier on you and your baby right from the start.

Here are 10 nursery essentials that every baby room needs.

1. Crib

The average newborn sleeps for about 17 hours every day. And while they're not going to spend all their time sleeping in their crib, they're obviously going to spend a lot of time in it after you bring them home from the hospital.

Your baby's crib will serve as the centerpiece of their room. Look for one that will keep your baby comfortable and safe while also matching the theme of the nursery. You can consider going with a bassinet instead of a crib as well.

2. Bedding

Most new parents aren't aware of how many different types of bedding they'll need for a baby's crib. But there are a bunch of kinds of bedding that you'll want to buy for your baby. This includes:

·      Crib sheets

·      Bumper pads

·      Pillows

·      Crib skirts

·      Blankets

You'll want to stock up on lots of bedding, too, since it'll need to be washed pretty often. This will prevent you from ever running out of bedding for your baby to sleep on.

3. Mobile

There will be times when it'll be tough to get your baby to go to sleep in their crib. You can soothe them and help them drift off to sleep by setting up a mobile that hangs over their crib.

As an added bonus, a mobile will also keep your child entertained when they wake up. They'll love looking up at it and watching it go round and round.

4. Changing Table

Did you know that the average baby goes through at least six diapers every single day? In some cases, your baby might even run through 10 or 12 diapers in a matter of just 24 hours.

It's going to be awfully hard for you to change your baby's diaper time after time without a changing table. It'll help you hold your baby in place while you take off their old diaper and replace it with a new one.

Compare the different changing tables that are out there to find the one that'll work best in your baby's nursery. Changing tables come in so many shapes and sizes at this point and can fit within almost any nursery theme.

5. Diaper Pail

Where are you going to put all those diapers that your baby uses?

If your plan is to throw them into the regular trash can, it won't be long before your baby's nursery smells like, well, a diaper. Avoid this problem by setting up a diaper pail that will hold diapers as you dispose of them until you're ready to take them to the garbage can outside your home.

6. Rocking Chair

When your child wakes you up late at night or early in the morning for a feeding, you're going to want a place for you and your baby to relax. A rocking chair will provide both of you with the comfort you need in the wee hours of the morning/night.

7. Dresser

Your baby is going to need a lot of clothes during the first couple years of their life. Babies, toddlers, and even small children tend to get very messy for a variety of reasons.

Therefore, dressers are nursery essentials for new parents. Even if you plan on hanging a lot of your baby's clothes up in their closet, it'll still be good to have a dresser around to hold onesies and other baby clothing.

8. Hamper

When you're changing your baby out of one outfit and into another, you might be tempted to pile their clothes in a corner of their nursery. Don't do this!

This will make it more difficult for you later when you go to do your baby's laundry. Instead, invest in a hamper that you can use to hold all of your child's dirty clothes. It'll keep the nursery neat and orderly and make it simple to transport dirty clothes to the laundry room.

9. Storage Baskets

There are a million and one baby accessories that you're going to have lying around inside your home once your baby arrives. From burp cloths and bottles to blankets and toys, it's going to feel like your baby has taken over your home!

One easy way to keep things under control is by buying storage baskets and using them to hold all your baby accessories. It'll make it easy for you to find them later.

10. Baby Monitor

You're going to be surprised by how difficult it can be to be apart from your baby for any length of time, even if your baby is just one room away. A baby monitor can help you manage this problem and keep you in constant contact with your baby—even when you're not in the same room.

You'll sleep much better at night when you can keep an eye and an ear on your baby using a baby monitor.

Obtain Nursery Essentials for Your Baby Room Today

When it's all said and done, some new parents spend more than $2,000 setting up a nursery. But many of them are able to offset these costs by putting nursery essentials on their baby shower registry.

Think about adding the items found here to your registry so that you have them when your baby arrives. They'll all come in handy when you're taking care of your baby during their first year.

Read our blog to learn some tips for throwing a stress-free baby shower.