5 Tips to Set Up Your Nursery to Help Your Baby Sleep

As a sleep consultant having helped over a thousand families I’m going to share with you the best way to set up your nursery to help your baby sleep. A good set up can help your baby sleep soundly for longer periods.

Where Will Your Baby Sleep? 

The American Academy of Pediatrics would like you to room share until ideally 6 months of age.  This is part of the Safe Sleep initiative that was put in place to help reduce the incidences of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.   This was reduced from 12 months in the fall of 2016 to provide guidelines that were more realistic and easier for parents to adhere to.  Also evidence was lacking that after 6 months, room sharing provided any large benefit against the incidence of SIDS.

The truth of the matter is that MANY parents move their children out of their rooms earlier than 6 months as they find that both babies and parents sleep better in their own room.  There’s also one study by Paul et al, 2017 Insight Study, showed that in babies 4 months and older, those who slept in their own room at night slept 45 minutes MORE than those room sharing.  45 minutes might not seem like a lot but that’s the difference between waking at 5:15 am vs 6:00 am.  45 minutes in baby sleep is significant.

When you decide to move your baby to their own room is a personal decision.  You can read more about when to move baby to the nursery in this blog.  The purpose of this post is to share with you tips for creating an optimal sleep environment for your little person.

When Should You Prepare Your Baby Nursery? 

It can often feel like you will have plenty of time to prepare the nursery.  Your newborn baby will not likely sleep in a separate room that first month of age but rather be close by to you for those late-night feedings.  However, it's still a good idea to prepare the nursery in your second trimester of pregnancy to be safe and ready.  Your energy may wane your third trimester and once baby comes your time to prepare the space will be very limited.  At the very least get your essential items such as a swaddle, crib, changing table, dresser and glider or rocking chair on hand. You can easily add a personal touch to any room with name decals from etsy or home depot and of course the right color palette to reflect your personality.

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1.  Safe Sleep Environment

Crib, Mattress and Bedding

The American Academy of Pediatrics  has specific safe sleep guidelines.  A quick summary of these guidelines to help prevent the incidences of SIDS include: 

• Place infants on their backs for sleep in their own sleep space with no other people. 
• Use a crib, bassinet or portable play yard with a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet. some text
  • Avoid sleep on a couch or armchair or in a seating device, like a swing or car safety seat (except while riding in the car). 
• Keep loose blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, bumpers and other soft items out of the sleep space. 
• Breastfeed if possible and avoid smoking.

Therefore your baby should sleep in a crib, bassinet or portable pay yard with a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet. 

You'll need a crib by 4-5 months of age when most kids have outgrown the bassinet.  Your baby will start to roll around that time and will need more space to be comfortable.   There are a wide variety of possible mattress and crib variations out there. 

Some parents will purchase a bassinet for the first few months, while others use the flat bassinet that comes with their stroller for the short term and move baby into a crib sooner.  Room sharing is suggested until 6 months of age but read our blog post on why that may or may not be right for your family in this blog.

I'm a fan of organic mattresses that don't carry the toxins of manufacturing. That's why I like the Naturpedic organic mattresses.  Your baby will stay in a crib until at least 2.5 years. That's hundreds of hours your baby will be on the mattress. 

Some things to consider when buying a mattress:

• The mattress needs to be firm to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• It needs to be well vented some text
  • You can spend extra on "breathable mattresses" if that's a concern for yousome text
    • This is a nice to have, but not a must have
• It needs to fit the crib perfectly, you can't have any gaps on the side out of safety 
• Is organic a priority for you? Keeping your baby away from the off gassing from mass produced mattresses.

As a bonus to a great mattress would be great bedding.  Don’t use polyester as it is cheap, stiff and not very breathable.  You can find beautiful organic bedding all over the internet these days and don’t forget about flannel for those winter months for extra softness and comfort.  You'll want a tight fitting crib sheet for your bassinet or crib. Your newborn may be swaddled, I love this Miracle Blanket, and then after 4 months you’ll want to find a sleep sack to keep your baby warm.  You can read more about my favorite sleep sacks here.

Cribs‍

As for cribs themselves, there are hundreds of options. Aesthetically you'll consider your overall design. You might reconsider the family heirloom that was passed down to you as it may no longer fit with current safety recommendations. You just want to make sure you can lower the crib level as your baby ages and a low crib is a great benefit when your little one can start to climb, and potentially climb out of the crib around 2 years of age. Evaluating how low the crib mattress can go is a helpful thing to consider. 

Things to consider when buying a crib:

• Ensure it's certified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC.)
• Slat spacings should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart to prevent baby's head from getting stuck.
• Avoid cribs with corner posts over 1/16th of an inch in height to prevent clothing from catching.
• Avoid drop-side cribs as they have been banned due to safety concerns.
• The crib should be sturdy and shouldn't wobble or shake.
• Look for a crib with adjustable mattress heights to keep the bay safe as they grow and begin to stand. 
• Consider convertible cribs that can transform into a toddler bed or full size bed for longer usability.
• Ensure the crib's paint and finish are non-toxic and free from lead and other harmful chemicals. 
• As a bonus to a great mattress would be great bedding.  Don’t use polyester as it is cheap, stiff and not very breathable.  You can find beautiful organic bedding all over the internet these days and don’t forget about flannel for those winter months for extra softness and comfort.  Your newborn may be swaddled and then after 4 months you’ll want to find a sleep sack to keep your baby warm.  You can read more about my favorite sleep sacks here.

2. Nursery Furniture Placement and Nursery Layout Essential Nursery Components

Furniture:  Crib, changing table, dresser, glider or rocking chair

Room Layout

Your room layout is important.  All too often I see the crib located in baby's room in  the middle of the wall with baby’s name in decal’s above the crib.  The nursery design is impeccable.  But as one client said to me, “I wish I’d spent more time thinking about what baby needs to sleep than what the nursery theme was.”

To be able to sleep peacefully a child needs to feel safe and secure.  Situating the crib in a corner, rather than in the middle of the wall,  can help achieve that.  In addition as babies get older it can be helpful to have the crib positioned with a clear view of the door. You want to make sure window coverings, electrical outlets and cords are not within arm's reach of the crib. Ideally the door is not within baby's reach and not so close that you can't exit the room without walking past the crib.

Changing Pad

If you're in a small space, what you don’t really need is an entire piece of furniture that takes up lots of space  is a dedicated change pad.  It becomes useless after your baby is out of diapers.  I used this Ikea Hemnes dressers because you can use them as a changing area and a regular dresser in your baby’s nursery.  The only catch is that you need to be tall enough.  I’m 5’8″ and this worked fine for me but might be a little high for a shorter parent.  

But the idea is the same – seek out a dresser with a flat top that you can use that suits your height.  Then store your diapers, wipes, etc in the top drawer, or on the end of the dresser.  There’s also a longer version of this dresser if you want more storage space on top.  In this picture my diaper is out of diapers and into “trinkets”.   She’s had this dresser since she was born and it has served us well.  You’ll want a change pad close to your baby’s crib so the whole bedtime routine is the nursery and you have a predictable routine in one room to help your baby sleep.

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Comfortable Rocking Chair or Nursery Chair

In the newborn phase you'll be nursing every 3 hours in the day and a little longer at night.  After a few months, you'll start to fall into more of a predictable feeding schedule where your baby nurses around sleeping time, either before she goes down, or ideally when she wakes up from sleep.  It can be very easy and effective to have a comfortable place to feed in the nursery.   

In addition to using this as your nursing chair, you’ll want a comfortable place to sit as she ages and you have a longer bedtime routine.  This chair is going to last you likely until she’s 3 or 4 years of age. Make sure you like how it fits in with your decor and is comfortable. 

Lastly, as your child grows she’ll go through a variety of coughs and flus, and you’ll want a comfortable place to comfort and hold her.  When my daughter was congested I would rock with her in this chair in an upright position to help her sinuses drain, and then put her back down in her crib. When your baby is sick with congestion it can be helpful to hold her upright to help your baby sleep. 

Things to look for in a comfortable chair:

• Adjustable positions
• Being able to recline it slightly or tilt it back is helpful when you’re comforting a sick baby
• Being able to keep it stationary or rocking is helpful
• Good arm support
• If the arms are too wide apart it won’t offer good arm support when you’re nursing but a pillow can help
• Washable material

Something like this Stork Chair from Amazon is a great buy. While not particularly the most stylish furniture piece it's helpful because the arms are close together, is adjustable, washable material and lots of storage.

Storage

The amount of clothes your baby will grow into and then out of baby's first year of will be surprising.  You'll want handy storage solutions in your room.  This could be a dresser, a closet or furniture pieces with storage build in.   Be smart with your placement of items close to where you plan to change your baby. 

3. Environment

Lighting

You're likely going to spend a fair amount of time in the nursery over the first two years so you want this to be a comfortable space for you.  For a great sleep environment, the nursery will not be the place that you will be storing toys or having a significant play area.   You want the nursery to be associated with sleep so it helps your baby know what to expect as you enter the room. 

Natural light is helpful as early as 1 month of age to delineate between sleeping and non sleeping time.  Research shows that as early as 1 month of age, exposure to light during awake times can help entrain a newborns circadian rhythm. 

It can be helpful to have an overhead main light that is dimmable as well as a side table lamp that can be used eventually for reading or during night feeding.   Night lights are for parents for the first two years as children generally don't develop fears of the dark until close to 3 to 3.5 years of age when imagination gets more active.   

This Hatch Rest light is a fan favorite. It can be helpful as you can turn it on from your phone, by tapping the top or set it on schedules to turn on at certain times. It is a night light, sound machine, plays lullabies and is an ”okay to wake” clock. This clock has longevity and will stay with you from newborn to preschool years. The white noise won’t “make your baby sleep longer.” It is not a magic solution, but it is one helpful tool in your parenting tool box to help your baby sleep.  
White noise helps by soothing newborns, not so much older kids but it helps by blocking out household noise that could distract a child from sleeping or wake a child up. In addition, lullaby’s won’t make your baby sleep, but are a beautiful way to set the stage and help your baby sleep. Read my blog post on white noise and why you DON'T need it to play all night long. 

Black-Out Blinds or Black Out

Curtains

Some of my clients have told me that they didn't get black out curtains because they were worried the baby would "become dependent on it to be dark” to sleep, while others just didn't think about it.  Your newborn may sleep anywhere, anytime but that will change when she wakes up to the world around her at 4 months of age.

Blackout curtains are an easy way to help your baby sleep more.   They help by minimizing daylight and distractions. They are also very very helpful in the summer to keep the light from shining in at 5:00 am.

In general babies and toddlers nap longer when the room is dark, and have a greater chance of “sleeping in” when the room is dark in the morning.  These will undoubtedly help your baby sleep. 

I love these Sleepout Curtains. They revolutionized blackout curtains. I use them in my own room in the summer to keep the sun and heat out. Use my code helpingbabiessleep for 10% off. 

4. Temperature

Humans generally sleep better in colder temperatures.  A general rule is to have your baby in one layer less than you're wearing.  We're not growing.  They are growing exponentially and thus their metabolism is higher and produces more heat than ours. 

Layers are important. Swaddles often have multiple layers.  Make sure you're using natural fibers that help regulate body temperature such as cotton or wool. Synthetic fibers such as polyester can trap heat and in the weak newborn system, temperature regulation is more challenging for them.  

A temperature of somewhere around 67 to 72 degrees is ideal for sleeping.  You'll also have to consider what your baby is wearing.  Generally cold hands are not uncommon, but a cold nose might indicate the room is a little cool.  The back of the neck should always be warm. 

5. Baby Monitor

While you might not be in need of a baby monitor if you're room sharing, it can still be helpful unless you want to be going to bed at the same time as baby.  In general most people will use a baby monitor at some point. This can be super helpful to be able to correlate your baby's sounds and body language should they wake in the night.  It's a great tool to become a strong sleep detective.  It also prevents you from barging into the room when your baby maybe wasn't even really awake and avoiding an unnecessary wake up. 

Choosing a baby monitor is an important decision for new parents, as it helps ensure the safety and well-being of your baby. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting a baby monitor:

Types of Baby Monitors

1. Audio Monitors: Basic models that transmit sound from the baby's room.
2. Video Monitors: Provide both audio and visual monitoring, allowing you to see and hear your baby.
3. Movement Monitors: Track the baby's movements and may alert you if no movement is detected for a specified period.

Key Features

1. Range: Check the monitor's range to ensure it covers the distance between your baby's room and where you'll be in the house.
2. Battery Life: Look for monitors with long battery life or options to plug in, especially for overnight use.
3. Sound Quality: Ensure clear audio without interference.
4. Video Quality: For video monitors, consider the resolution and clarity, especially in low light or night vision mode.
5. Screen Size: Larger screens can make it easier to see your baby, but they might be less portable.
6. Two-Way Communication: Allows you to talk to your baby through the monitor, which can be soothing for them.
7. Temperature Sensor: Monitors with this feature can alert you if the baby's room is too hot or too cold.
8. Multiple Cameras: Some monitors support multiple cameras, which is useful for monitoring more than one room or multiple children.
9. Remote Pan, Tilt, and Zoom: Allows you to adjust the camera angle remotely for a better view of your baby.

Connectivity

1. Digital vs. Analog: Digital monitors generally offer better security and less interference than analog models.
2. Wi-Fi Enabled: Wi-Fi monitors can stream audio and video to your smartphone or tablet, providing more flexibility but requiring a reliable internet connection.
3. App Compatibility: Check if the monitor has a compatible app for your smartphone and what features it offers.

By considering these factors, you can select a baby monitor that best meets your needs and provides peace of mind while your baby sleeps.  My favorite is the Nanit.  Has a great app interface and provides good visualization of baby while sleeping.

Interior Design

You want a comfortable space that is user friendly for diaper changes and the much time you'll spend nursing or feeding in the night.  Pick paint colors that represent your personality or the aesthetic you're going for.  Generally you'll want more calm peaceful colors instead of an abundance of bright colors. 

In Summary

Great sleep for your newborn or baby is all about creating a calming space with a firm mattress, comfortable chair, ability to block out light, have soothing sounds.  Uncluttered spaces with lots of extra storage set up to have things within reach when needed.

Now that you've got your nursery set up for great sleep, the next thing to think about is growing your parenting skills to establish healthy sleep habits and troubleshooting skills for your newborn. All of this is in our step by step approach in The Helping Babies Sleep Method on Amazon.