Nursery

Your Baby Today: Pregnancy: Checklists

Nursery
Mary Ellen Branna

From the Editors of Your Baby Today

Decorating and furnishing the nursery is probably one of the most enjoyable parts of preparing for your baby's arrival. And because your baby will be spending lots of time there, you'll want to make it comforting and cozy for sleep and stimulating for when she is awake. The following list is a general guide to items you'll want:

Crib. Make sure it meets safety standards by checking for approval by the American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM)

Crib mattress. To ensure the proper fit, purchase the mattress with the crib: You should only be able to slide one finger between the mattress and the rails

bandages, in assorted shapes and sizes

sterile gauze pads and bandage rolls (1-inch and 2-inch varieties)

5 fitted sheets

Crib skirt

Crib bumper. This should be removed when your baby is able to get into a crawling position since she could use it as a step

3 or 4 cotton receiving blankets

Cotton quilt or full-size blanket

Musical mobile

Changing table with protective pad, and shelves for storing baby items. Or, a changing dresser with changing pad on top and drawer for storing baby items

Diaper pail with deodorizer or the Diaper Genie Twistaway Disposal System & refills

Rocking chair or glider with a footrest

Nursing pillow

CD or tape player

Infant monitor

Toy chest or basket

Wall shelves or hooks for decorative items and stuffed animals

Window treatments. Once baby is mobile you'll want to make sure any drapery or blind cords are out of their reach because the string poses a strangulation hazard

Small clothes hamper

5 to 10 small clothes hangers

Wastebasket

Small picture frames and photo albums