It's nesting time! No matter where you are on your 9-month marathon, here's how to set up a gorgeous nursery for your brand new baby.
Hey new parent! Congratulations on your exciting news and welcome to the club. Amidst the flurry of emotions, growing baby bump and doctor visits, it can get overwhelming pretty quickly. So, Victoria Yim from Kit+Un is here to help. Kit+Un is a local brand that produces beautifully designed baby essentials (everything from bibs and baby wraps to crib sheets and teethers), so it’s safe to say that Victoria knows her stuff when it comes to setting up a nursery. Whether you have a space entirely dedicated to your new baby, or you’ve decided to integrate these essentials throughout the house, here are Victoria’s five tips and tricks to consider when setting up a nursery here in Singapore.
HOW TO SET UP A NURSERY FOR YOUR NEWBORN IN SINGAPORE
1. First, create a space for your sleeping baby
There are plenty of sleeping options available on the market: some parents prefer co-sleeping, while others will place baby in a cot or bassinet. There’s also the decision of whether baby sleeps with you in the same room, or in their own room. Regardless of your lifestyle and preference, it’s important to ensure you’re heeding safe sleeping advice. The general rule of thumb says to remove any loose items in the bed, your baby should be placed in a supine position (on their backs), and no sleeping on the same bed.
Once you’ve familiarised yourself with the sagely words of paediatric experts, it’s time to go shopping! Rattan bassinets have been all the rage recently and there are plenty of local stockists who carry them here in Singapore. If you’re after something that can last baby for a longer time, we love the modern convertible cots at Hatchery, and of course, the organic bedlinen from Kit+Un that keeps baby cool while looking fab at the same time.
2. Next, make a space for changing
Those soiled diapers aren’t going to change themselves, and unfortunately, there will be plenty of them. While the task doesn’t get any more fun (cue increasingly wriggly baby), it’s helpful to have a space set up for diaper changes to facilitate the entire process – all the while not breaking your back from bending over. You could consider a proper changing table or dresser which will have a nook on the top for a padded changing mat. Some options out there allow you to remove the changing pad nook for when baby has outgrown it, so the table becomes storage instead. If you’re short on space, you can just purchase a contoured changing pad and use any comfortable surface (like your bed or a floor mat) as your changing area. Have the essentials such as diapers, diaper cream and wet wipes in a caddy ready to go whenever you need to get baby changed in a jiffy.
3. Find a comfortable space for nursing
Feeding your new baby is going to take up a large part of your day, so having a nursing chair or a comfortable spot set up for feeding is crucial for preventing and alleviating backpain, stiff shoulders and even sore wrists! Everyone has their own ideal set up, so do take some time to test out a variety of positions with different cushions, pillows and even specially designed nursing support pillows. If you’d like to go the extra mile, a caddy with some feeding essentials is also very handy – ours includes tissues, wet wipes, a burp cloth and nipple balm if you’re breastfeeding (they do get sore and the skin can crack especially in the first few weeks!). If you do find yourself having a challenging time with nursing, creating a routine around it could help you mentally prep for it. For example, you could put together a playlist of songs that are calming and soothing to you and play it whenever it’s time to nurse, or perhaps do some simple breath exercises during nursing to help you feel more settled.
4. You’ll then need somewhere to store things
It almost seems inevitable that you’ll end up with more things than you thought you needed, especially when you’re stockpiling on essentials like diapers as well as clothes and toys that baby will grow into. To keep things in order and not forget that you actually have all these items, storage (and some labelling) will go a long way! Items on high rotation should be easily accessible, while other items can be labelled and stored away in clear bins for easy identification to keep your space as clutter-free as possible. Trolleys are a good storage idea; they can turn into an art or self-help station when the children are older. If you’re getting drawers and shelves, we like to avoid in-built furniture items since children’s needs will change as they get older. Find something that you can easily swap out, and don’t forget to mount them to the wall for safety.
5. And finally, don’t forget a play space!
One of the most important milestones for an infant are movement milestones. Besides hitting all the growth milestones, the next thing paediatricians check for are gross motor milestones such as flipping from tummy to their back, flipping from the back to their tummy, crawling, pulling to stand… the list goes on. In fact, developing gross and fine motor skills are the gateway for language development. So, what this means is that baby needs space to explore and move. A thick, padded playmat on the floor is highly recommended since it’s comfortable yet firm enough for baby. Since there will be lots of drool, spit-up and maybe even spills, an easy-to-clean surface is ideal. Babies also tend to put things into their mouths, so shaggy carpets should be avoided. Designating a play space also means ensuring that the items within baby’s reach should be safe for your child. As baby gets older and begins to crawl, you can also start introducing tunnels (IKEA has a lovely one!) and ramps made out of firm pillows to help build their psychomotor skills.
WHERE TO BUY BABY ITEMS IN SINGAPORE FOR YOUR NURSERY
Kit+Un
For all your baby bedlinen and swaddle needs, Kit+Un is a homegrown baby essentials label in Singapore that celebrates Asian heritage through bold and bright designs.
Hatchery
Looking for something trendy and modern? We love the clean lines and high quality baby furniture from Hatchery.
Liliewoods
Locally designed and manufactured, the range of nursery furniture at Liliewoods is as functional as they are sturdy. We especially love their children’s tables and trolleys.
IKEA
No one needs an introduction to IKEA, but just in case you need some inspiration, do a quick search on IKEA’s room ideas and you’ll see their nursery furniture in a whole new (stylish) light.
Need more tips on designing a nursery in Singapore? Check out our fab listings in Bumps and Babies!