The Best Nursery: A Guide to Moving Your Baby into Their Room
Most parents start with baby in their room. Room sharing is highly recommended by me, as a sleep consultant, and the AAP to prevent SIDS. 90% of SIDS occurs in the first 6 months so it is recommended that you share a room with your baby for the first 6 months of life.
When you are ready to transition them to their room it can feel emotional and scary. I want to help ease your mind and make the transition as smooth as possible.
Adhering to AAP Guidelines
As a sleep consultant and with my certification in safe sleep I adhere to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines. Key recommendations include:
- Back to Sleep: Always place your baby on their back to sleep for every sleep, including naps.
- Firm Sleep Surface: Use a firm mattress covered by a fitted sheet. Avoid soft bedding, pillows, or toys in the crib.
- Room Sharing: Ideally, keep your baby’s crib or bassinet in your room for at least the first six months.
For more details, refer to the AAP’s official guidelines.
Creating a Dark Room
Sleeping in a dark room signals to your baby’s brain that it’s time to sleep. History lesson! The invention of the light bulb began a cultural shift from rising and sleeping with the sun to the general population staying awake into the late hours of the night. Stimulating our brains with light interferes with natural melatonin production. I am not suggesting that we do away with electricity to promote better sleep. I love electricity. I am making a case for sleeping in a dark room and maybe even dimming the house lights 30 minutes before bedtime to encourage your baby’s body clock to adjust to bedtime.
Tips for a Dark Room
- Blackout Curtains: Use blackout curtains to block out external light, especially during daytime naps. If you don’t have or don’t want to purchase blackout curtains a comforter, or black trash bags can work just fine.
- Dim Lighting: Use dim, warm-colored nightlights if necessary. A red light is a great choice for a nightlight. Avoid bright, blue-spectrum lights which can disrupt sleep.
Using a Noise Machine
I love my white noise machine. Love it. Having a low level of noise in the background to drown out the barking dogs, cars driving by, and my neighbor’s party is so beneficial for my sleep. I recommend a white noise machine to every client that I work with.
Appropriate Decibel Levels
- Volume: Keep the noise machine at a volume of about 50 decibels, which is roughly the sound level of a quiet conversation.
- Placement: Place the noise machine at least 7 feet away from the crib to ensure the sound is diffused and not too loud for your baby’s sensitive ears. Feel free to place it between their crib and the door or window of their room to block out the most noise.
Safe Sleep Tips for the Crib
One of the scariest things I see in working as a sleep consultant is parents going into survival mode out of sheer exhaustion. Sleep deprivation reduces your ability to make decisions and impairs judgment. Just one sleepless night can impair performance similar to a .10% blood alcohol level. If you’re struggling with sleep please keep safe sleep a priority.
Key Safe Sleep Practices
- Firm Mattress: Use a firm mattress covered with a tightly fitted sheet.
- No Soft Bedding: Remove pillows, blankets, stuffed toys, and bumpers from the crib.
- Dress Appropriately: Dress your baby in sleep clothing, such as a wearable blanket, without covering the face and head. Ensure the room temperature is comfortable to avoid overheating. Grab my free dressing guide for extra help!
- Pacifier Use: Consider offering a pacifier at naptime and bedtime.
For more information on safe sleep practices, visit the AAP’s safe sleep guidelines.
Setting up your baby’s nursery is exciting! I hope you loved picking paint colors and have lots of Pinterest boards. But keeping darkness, white noise, and crib safety top priorities will help your little one sleep much better. Check out my free dressing guide in the free resources tab and book a free call with me to have support on your parenting journey. My End of My Rope and Apocalypse Now Packages come with nursery assessments!
