You know your life is about to change when your pregnancy test reads positive.
Virtually all the plans you make after that point would include the incoming member of the family.
One of the first transformations to make would be setting up a nursery.
So, When Should You Get The Nursery Ready For Your Baby?
It would be prudent to start setting up the room somewhere in the second trimester, preferably month 6 (week 24). The room should be up and ready by month 8 (week 32).
How Early Is Too Early?
You are free to embark on planning as early as you please, but 6 weeks or less would be too early.
Also, while a miscarriage or child loss is unimaginable to most people from most cultures, it does happen.
Having to repurpose a nursery after, ahem! miscarriage would be more devastating than if you didn’t have it.
Morning Sickness
The first trimester can be chaotic for some people. It’s around this time that you’d deal with morning sickness, pains, and erratic moods as part of your daily routine.
Trying to start building a nursery at this time would be both difficult and unadvisable because your mind is murky.
When Is The Perfect Time To Get Started?
The best time to get started is week 24. Here’s why:
1. The First 3 Important Ultrasound Scans Are Out by Week 24
By the time you clock 24 weeks, you have completed the first three important ultrasound scans.
The details obtained from these scans can be valuable in the initial planning of the nursery:
Week 11: Early Pregnancy Scan
– your first ever baby scan.
At this point, you can tell the viability of the pregnancy and even estimate the due date.
Also, twins would be conspicuous enough to help you plan the size of your nursery.
Week 12: the NT Scan
This scan takes place anywhere between weeks 11 and 12.
While it may not have a big impact on your nursery decisions, it gives you rough measurements of the baby.
Such abnormalities as Down Syndrome can be screened and assessed at this point.
Week 16 – 24: The Growth Scan
The actual age of viability is 24 weeks, even though 22 weeks gestation is the earliest a baby can survive out of the womb (about 10% chance of survival).
Details obtained in this scan include measurements such as the size of the baby’s head (so that you can consider the cesarean route), limbs, abdomen, and weight.
In these three scans, you can embark on nursery building with optimism if all is well.
2. No Last Minute Rush
Starting this early gives you enough time to choose things carefully and complete the nursery before labor pains kick in.
Remember that you need to make informed choices early enough regarding the paint, measurements of the space, furniture, and toys.
You don’t want your baby to arrive at a fresh coat of paint on the wall, still reeking of kerosene or turpentine thinner.
A trip to the furniture shop alone may take a week if you aim for nothing but the best. The supplier may take a little longer to deliver the furniture.
3. Conscious Budgeting
Another reason for starting nursery building at week 24 is the need for conscious budgeting.
A new nursery is likely to cost you anything in the region of $2000 if you stick to the basics.
Your style and wants will change along the way and will impact your budget.
If you are planning to get one from a big box store, you might budget for anything between $150 and $400.
If you change your mind and source from a baby boutique, you are looking at anything in $3,000.
When Should You Be Done With The Nursery Setup?
The nursery should be up and ready for use by month 8 (week 32). Here’s why:
1. All Ultrasound Scans Are Complete
By month 8, you’ve completed all the 7 essential ultrasound scans (early pregnancy scan, the NT scan, growth scan, anomaly scan, gender scan, 3D/4D scan plus, and wellbeing scan).
You’re almost out of the woods, basically. The bits of information gathered in these 7 scans may give you a reason to make a few adjustments where necessary.
The Gender Factor
Of all the details you will obtain from the 7 ultrasound scans, gender is the most important of all as far as the construction of the nursery is concerned.
Few parents would opt for a gender-neutral nursery. A boy’s nursery would demand slightly different décor from a girl’s nursery. This may have an impact on your overall budget.
2. By Month 8, You’re Literarily Incapacitated
You don’t want to be still fumbling with baby furniture and stuff in month 8. At this point, your strength and ability to do anything are on a rapid decline.
The final stage of the pregnancy can be just as chaotic as the first semester, with such crippling issues as varicose veins, tiredness, and breathing problems.
The best thing you can do at this stage is to sit comfortably to ease the stress in your back and brace for labor.
Accordingly, a first-timer may ask….
What Are The Top Mistakes To Avoid In The Designing Phase Of A Nursery?
There are no rules when it comes to designing a nursery – your imaginations are the limit.
However, you should avoid a few mistakes at all costs if you want to build a safe and comfortable space for the baby.
Here are some:
1. Outsize Pieces of Furniture
This may sound like something for common sense but be sure not to fill the nursery with outsize pieces of furniture.
It doesn’t matter how big or small your apartment is; no nursery should feel stuffy and cramped.
The same extends to the décor – approach your decoration with moderation.
2. A Heap of Baby Stuff
Before you hoard all the cute pillows, soft toys, toys, and rugs in the nursery, take a moment and picture how you’d clean the room.
Nurseries are seldom large spaces unless you deal with twins, so reduce the number of baby stuff in the room.
3. Going with A Trend
While it can be easier to decorate your nursery around a specific character theme, the lifespan of your design may not last long.
The process of replacing old themes with emerging ones can be both expensive and inconvenient when you should be focusing on your baby’s wellbeing.
4. Thoughtless Furniture Placement
You should probably seek the service of an interior designer to help in the placement of baby furniture.
Like the rest of your home, the nursery needs to be balanced.
You don’t want to pile the furniture in one place.
Pieces of furniture such as the crib, toy storage containers, and nursing chairs must be distributed evenly.
5. Matching Color Scheme
Don’t get me wrong, it’s perfectly OK to match colors to achieve some level of uniformity.
Matching your decors and colors can transform a home quite considerably.
However, when it comes to the nursery, any slightest attempt to match décor and colors almost always flops.
Stick to the traditional mix of playful decors.
Conclusion
To summarize everything, the perfect time to embark on nursery building is week 12. The room should be up and ready by week 24.
Related
References
https://naturalbabylife.com/when-to-get-baby-nursery-room-ready/
https://spaceoptimized.com/10-mistakes-to-avoid-when-designing-a-nursery/
