A Guide To Setting Up Your  Nursery: What I wish someone had told me! 

Setting up your nursery for the first time can be an exciting experience. Some of us leave it until the last possible minute to do it as part of our ‘nesting’ and others get onto it early so that they can take the time to curate their little ones' room.

No matter which type of parent-to-be you are, Designer Bums have you covered with our guide on some of the things to keep in mind as you set up your nursery. There are also some great guides available from professional bodies such as Red Nose Australia which we have listed at the end of our post.

Space Saving Tips
Clothing is one of the things that you will be gifted with right from the start of announcing you are expecting. You may or may not be at the stage where you own more singlets than you think should be reasonably possible - so where and how do you store them all?

What’s our Top Tip for baby clothing storage? Sort out your clothing by size 

You will be surprised how many different sizes of baby clothing you will get. Keeping 2 sizes out and available to you can ensure you are always prepared, and storing the rest away can help reduce clutter. 

Using the Designer Bums XL wet bags can be a great way to store clothing by size, whilst keeping everything clean and dust free until it’s time for it to be used. Once you have moved past a size you can wash your items and pack them into an XL Wet Bag for longer term storage by size as well. Storing by size can help you to find things easily later on if needed.

Your XL Wet Bags can also come in handy for travel, toy storage, Santa sacks and many other creative uses! Just remember that if hanging your wet bag you need to do so with the zip closed to avoid any strain on the corners of the zip. 

Setting up your Change Table

Creating Storage
What may look great may not always be functional once your little one comes along. When you are setting up your change station there are some things to take into consideration. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you plan out the perfect change station configuration: 

Where will you be changing your little one? 
Our first instinct is to set it up in the bedroom but you may want to think about functionality first. Some families opt for 2 change stations if they have a large house, and others may choose to locate theirs in the bathroom close to running water. Do you want a big setup in one part of the house but a mini set up somewhere else? This can be a great option if your house has multiple stories. Something like a portable caddy or Change Mat may be worth investing in.

Nappy Storage

We get a lot of questions at our expo's about how to store Reusable Nappies in between uses. And nappy storage is an important thing to think about no matter what type of nappies you use. Because solid poo is often left within disposable nappies you may choose not to purchase a disposable nappy bin. Although great at first, many families find that once their little ones start solids the bin becomes too stinky to leave in the house. Once this happens the bin is often discarded and nappies are taken directly to the bin. Families choosing Reusable Nappies will usually set up an open laundry basket in their laundry for all of their Reusable Nappies to be popped in until wash day. Check out our Blog on Reusable Nappy Storage for more information. 

Can you reach everything you need?
Your little one will be a wiggly worm before you know it so keeping one hand on them at all times is recommended. This means everything needs to be within easy reach. Planning this out ahead of time means you can avoid any surprises before they arise.

Designer Bums can help you to achieve a functional change station with our handy Wet Bags. All of our Wet Bags come with straps which allow you to secure them to your change station and fill them with the things that you need (remember to keep the zips closed if hanging!). They can also be handy to have stashed around the house or in your car with a Designer Bum Change Mat inside for a makeshift change station.

How do you choose the best Nappy Cream?
Not all nappy creams are created equal and choosing one that has ingredients that are gentle on your little one’s skin whilst getting the job done is important. Look for creams containing zinc oxide to provide a barrier against moisture whilst being gentle on the skin. Purchasing your nappy cream in a tube instead of a tub may not seem practical at first - but nappy creams can grow things if contaminated by your fingers making tubes better in the long run. If you choose to use Reusable Nappies you won't need to use nappy creams as frequently (if at all) and so a tube may be all you need for your whole nappy journey.
Our choice is Weleda Nappy Change Cream which is 100% natural and nourishing for sensitive skin. 

How do you create a Healthy Sleep Space?

Bedding
Choosing bedding that is made from natural fibers can allow for breathability and  airflow around your little one. You may be tempted by a cheap price point and this is usually reflective of the materials that the product is made from. Synthetic materials are cheaper to produce but unfortunately don't allow for huge amounts of airflow. The Designer Bums bedding range is made from 100% GOTS certified organic cotton jersey and are manufactured to OEKO-TEX Standard 100. This ensures that your little one's bedding is gentle on their skin whilst also being an environmentally conscious choice. 

Check out our full bedding range here. 

Airflow

Provide adequate airflow within both the nursery as well as in their sleep space to avoid overheating. Place your cot away from a window and heating sources as this can result in temperature fluctuations. Selecting furniture positions that are functional will help you to create a healthy flow to your nursery. When positioning your cot you will want to make sure it is placed away from any hanging chords, windows, or wall hangings for safety (they will often check this in your at-home MCHN visit. Although your little one won’t be mobile at first, they will be moving before you know it and future proofing your nursery will save you time later.

Safety Testing

Another consideration is to ensure that all bedding is firm against the mattress and not placing anything into the cot with your little one. This includes the use of decorative bumpers and air wraps which are now seen as a sleep hazard. Check that your cot meets the current requirements set out by ACCC here. 

Although not all baby and child products have safety guidelines that they have to meet to be sold, cots have a very clear set of specifications that need to be met. If you are buying a second hand cot it is important to make sure that the cot meets these guidelines as they have changed over the years.

Your best resource as a parent or caregiver for bed and sleep safety is the Red Nose Guide to Safe Sleeping: https://rednose.org.au/resources/education. Familiarize yourself with the information and also let anyone else who may be setting up a sleep space for your little one know about this information as well. Over the years the advice around sleep spaces has changed as our knowledge and research has increased. Having this conversation early can ensure that everyone is on the same page.

General Safety Considerations
Your little one won’t be so little for very long and you can never start baby proofing your house too soon. 

• Securing bookcases, chests of drawers and other large or heavy furniture to the wall is recommended.
• Reduce and cover any cables in the room and utilise power point protectors.
• Shortening any hanging chords e.g. from blinds so that they are out of reach
• Store medications, liquids and creams up high and out of direct sight (u high is best).

Many parents-to-be are surprised to hear that not all baby products need to meet specific safety guidelines or are tested for safety at all. Many of us assume that to be sold within a store it must be safe which is simply not the case for many products. This doesn't mean that everything is unsafe, it just means you will need to do a little research and make a decision for your family. Checking products for safety requirements and assessing their suitability for use before purchase is recommended.

We hope you have found this information helpful!

If you are still in the process of setting up your Nursery you will want to check out our Book Inspired Collections from May Gibbs, and The Gruffalo and Friends. These are limited releases so once they are gone, they are gone for good. If you love a print we recommend stocking up now.

Why trust us with your little ones Bedding and Nursery essentials?
Designer Bums have a range of exclusive products to suit any nursery theme from Reusable Nappies, Bedding, Change Station Essentials, through to personal care products such as Nursing and Sanitary Pads. We get so much pleasure out of seeing our products being used and loved. We pride ourselves on offering practical solutions for parents and caregivers whilst also offering eco-friendly beautiful products. Read more about our Ethics and approach to Sustainability.

You can check out the full range of products here.

Resources
Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), Product Safety Australia: Mandatory Standards: https://www.productsafety.gov.au/product-safety-laws/safety-standards-bans/mandatory-standards 

Red Nose Australia: https://rednose.org.au/section/education