Should You Put a TV in a Nursery? (Four Drawbacks!)

Planning a nursery can seem like a daunting task.

Think about it. You want to create a functional space but a beautiful one at the same time.

Many parents often include a daybed, a rocker/glider, a dresser, etc.

But, Should You Also Put a TV in a Nursery?

Choosing to put a TV in the nursery is an individual decision. Some parents feel like having a TV in this room helps them get through the prolonged rocking, feeding, and playing hours with their baby.

Generally, the disadvantages of having a TV in the nursery are more than the benefits. While the TV could keep you entertained late at night, the light it emits interferes with the baby’s sleeping hours.

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Three Benefits of Having a Television in the Nursery

People put televisions in their houses to help them unwind after having a long day.

Many people use them to watch movies/sports, be updated with the latest news, listen to music and watch documentaries.

But when you are a parent, there are many decisions to make regarding the health and safety of your child.

You might be tempted to put a tv in the nursery, since you’ll be spending lots of  time there taking care of your child.

Here are some pros of installing a television in your baby’s room.

1. For Entertainment

During your baby’s first year, you will spend a lot of time breastfeeding or bottle feeding them in the nursery.

It’s also where you will put your baby to sleep or soothe them when they cry.

You may want some entertainment when doing them, and television can be a good choice.

A TV can also entertain your baby since there are several channels for babies.

They may enjoy the sounds of soothing music while you are feeding them.

When changing their diaper, you may put on a distracting program to allow you to change them easily.

2. To Combat Sleep

Most mothers invest in a nursing chair to keep them comfortable.

However, this comfort also means that you can easily fall asleep even before your baby does.

A television can prevent this from happening.

You can switch it on and put on your favorite series while caring for your baby at the same time.

Besides soothing your baby, you may also need to feed them early in the morning or late at night.

But you can easily fall asleep while doing so if you are tired.

Bear in mind that breastfeeding encourages the release of oxytocin, a hormone that creates a bond between a mother and her child.

This hormone also calms the mom down, making her feel sleepy while breastfeeding.

If you notice you are dozing off while breastfeeding, you can turn on the television and watch a program.

Doing that keeps you entertained and awake while your little one breastfeeds.

3. To Help Your Baby Sleep

If your baby is unhappy or unwell, playing music can help calm them down.

Various YouTube channels play meditation music.

You can play such to create a soothing atmosphere in your baby’s nursery.

Alternatively, you can try looking for natural sounds like the water flow from a river or the wind blowing through the leaves.

Playing white noise from the natural environment offers a relaxing atmosphere which helps the baby sleep. It blocks out distracting sounds like barking dogs, noisy neighbors, or traffic.

A TV in your baby’s room can help you offer these white noises.

Drawbacks of Having a TV in the Nursery

Although installing a television in the nursery offers some benefits, it also comes with some disadvantages that you need to be aware of. Experts discourage parents from having a TV in the nursery for various reasons, including;

1. TV Exposure in Babies Is Not Good

Exposing your child to a TV screen when they are too young might affect their brain development.

It’s better to let them learn through physical interaction, that is, by touching, seeing, and hearing.

Watching TV means that your baby will have less time for these interactions, and it will also interfere with their language development. Too much screen time has also been linked with infants’ delayed reading skills and short-term memory.

2. Babies Need to Differentiate Between Day and Night

Television screens produce light in the nursery. As a result, it affects your child’s ability to differentiate day from night. Some newborns also don’t develop circadian rhythms during the first two to three months. The light from a TV interferes with such babies.

When your little one can’t tell the difference between day and night, they will struggle to sleep at night.

Additionally, when the TV is playing all day and night, it can interfere with the sleeping patterns and lead to many sleepless nights.

Allowing your child to watch television when they should be sleeping disrupts their nighttime sleep.

3. Affects Bonding Time

Newborns and older babies need to bond with their parents.

Bonding with the child can happen by playing, cooing, making eye contact, cuddling, and smiling.

The best times to create these bonds are during feeding, diaper changes, and soothing your child to sleep.

Having a TV in the nursery can distract from bonding with your child.

In this case, your baby may start feeling unsafe about their world.

So, they won’t be enthusiastic about playing or exploring as they didn’t get quality bonding with their parents or caregivers.

4. Interferes with Breast Milk

Most mothers say that they produce more milk at night than during the day. So, if you are pumping milk for your child, the ideal time is at night.

But, some women say that this only works when one is looking at their baby.

If you’re watching television while pumping, you may realize that your body doesn’t produce as much milk as when looking at your child.

TV Alternatives for the Nursery

Sure sitting in silence in the dark may not be appealing. If you are worried that you may fall asleep before your baby, you could try several other TV alternatives.

These include a cell phone, which most, if not everyone, already has. It can offer you nighttime entertainment while tendering to your baby in the nursery.

You can use your cell phone to listen to music, read blogs, edit photos, or listen to a podcast.

Alternatively, you can also consider investing in a tablet where you can learn several valuable skills by watching YouTube videos.

Lastly, you can consider reading a book in the nursery while holding your baby to sleep.

Final Thoughts

A TV in the nursery offers various benefits. But the drawbacks are more than the perks.

For this reason, you should consider it carefully before you install it.

References

https://www.parents.com/baby/development/can-listening-to-the-tv-be-helpful-or-harmful-to-a-baby/

https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/threads/tv-in-baby-nursery.565726/

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/bonding.html

https://www.starschildcaregroup.co.uk/blog/10-popular-nursery-extra-curricular-activities