<<back to Sleep Well with KUB homepage

Creating the perfect nursery room

Every parent wants the perfect nursery for their little one – and with a little help from KUB, the sleep experts, it can be as easy as 1, 2… 6

6 top tips

• Unless you already know the sex of your baby, choose a neutral colour for the room – cream, green, lilac and yellow work for boys and girls. The golden rule is “keep it simple” as babies are constantly developing, and a complex scheme (even though it may be fashionable) can be overwhelming to their little senses.

• KUB’s sleep-training expert, Brenda the Nanny, advises siting the nursery near your bedroom – after all, no one wants to be climbing into the attic every time you need to feed or change baby! When you’re planning the layout, place the cot away from the radiator (to prevent overheating) and put up some blackout blinds to help with daytime naps and summer mornings. Try to keep the room at a constant 18°C (65°F), the optimum temperature for sleeping babies

• When it comes to furniture, make sure you have somewhere to change baby, like a specially designed unit or a cot-top changer. Brenda recommends making sure any equipment you buy is at the right height for you so you don’t have to bend too far – no one wants a bad back with a new baby.

• When choosing your cot, make sure it has adjustable mattress positions so you can alter the height as baby grows. Consider buying a cot bed that converts easily to a day bed, so your baby can keep the same bed from birth to around three years.

• Brenda the Nanny advises not placing mobiles and stimulating toys or pictures around or near the cot. Apart from the possible dangers of suffocation with anything in grab-reach, you want the cot to be a place your baby associates with sleep, not excitement. However, Brenda does suggest having pictures on the wall near the changing mat – babies have their nappies changed an awful lot in the first few months and it can be boring lying there with nothing to look at.

• And finally, spare a thought for yourself when planning your nursery – include a comfy chair as night-time feeds are much easier when you’re relaxed and properly supported. And, as your child gets older, it’s a great place for you both to snuggle into for the bedtime story. Sleep well!