Where will the baby sleep?
The first thing to decide is where your child will sleep. The first months it is normal for you to put the crib in your room, in order to facilitate nighttime feedings and have him close when he cries. But as he gets older - and even more so when it comes time to switch to a bed - he will need his own space.
You must decide which is the best room for your child. You have to take into account several things:
The situation. As long as the child is young - up to 6 years or so - it will be very useful for you to have his bedroom close by so that you can hear him if he cries or attend him if he is sick. It is also important that it is not a very noisy room.
The light. A room as bright as possible is essential. In addition, the more light you give it, the more sun, so it will be warmer in winter.
Is the baby's room ready?
Once you have chosen the room, you will have to prepare it for your arrival. A baby's room should be warm and cozy.
It is very important that you check that it is warm enough in winter and not too hot in summer. To achieve this, the windows must be double or double glazed so that the heat does not escape through them. And in summer, it may be necessary to put an awning so that the sun does not shine directly.
If the floor is tiled, the rugs will make it warmer and prevent the child from putting bare feet on it and thus cooling it down, as well as serving as decoration. However, it is very important to clean carpets often, since they are inhabited by many of the mites that cause allergies in winter.
It is also essential that his bedroom has a large closet in which all his things can fit, in addition to a chest of drawers or low drawers that he can reach and trunks or chests in which he can store the multiple toys that he will surely accumulate along the way. throughout their birthdays, Christmas, etc.
For a newborn, you do not need to buy tables or chairs, although you will need them later. But for this first stage of his life, while he is still sleeping in a crib, what you will need in the room is space to put the changing table, the stroller, the bassinet, the playpen in it ... That is, forget -for the moment- to buy a beautiful bed, matching a bedside table and a study. Save it for later and, for now, keep your room free of other furniture that is not strictly necessary.
Is the house safe for a baby?
As soon as your child starts running around the house, any furniture, corner or vase will seem like a danger. Although when you take him home for the first time it seems like centuries before he starts to walk, you will see that once you are immersed in the process of changing diapers and feeding bottles, time flies by. So the sooner you baby-proof your home, the better.
You should pay special attention to everything that is nailed to the walls within easy reach of the child: a lamp, a painting, a hanging plate or a mirror can cause bumps and cuts if they fall on their head. Also be careful with floor lamps, ceramic ornaments or any ornamental element that is on the floor. It is more worth giving them up for a few years than having to end up in the ER.
Another great source of danger is plugs, to which children are inevitably attracted. The first thing is to check that the electrical installation complies with safety regulations. Later, you can change the plugs for those whose holes are blocked and it is necessary to exert great pressure to unlock them, or cover them with protectors to prevent them from sticking their fingers or any object in them. Do not forget to turn off any electrical appliance after using it (iron, mixer, drill, etc.).
If your house has several floors and therefore stairs, you must put safety barriers, both at the bottom and at the top, and use approved doors with bars close enough together so that the child's head does not fit.
Also be careful with the windows and balconies. Today's windows have an opening system that is inaccessible to babies, so most accidents are caused by neglecting to leave them open. Guardrails and safety barriers are essential on tall windows and balconies. Check that they are well fixed and that the child cannot climb or enter them.
Protect all the corners of low furniture that your child could collide with. And to prevent a door from slamming shut and trapping your hand, you can resort to door security systems that limit the speed of the closing and cushion the door slam.
As for cleaning products and medicines, as well as garbage bags and sharp and sharp objects, they should be stored and out of the child's sight, although they will inevitably try to discover the treasures hidden in cabinets and drawers. Ideally, they should be hidden under lock and key, but if this is not possible, a good solution is the cabinet lockers that, by means of a latch, prevent the doors from opening.
The decoration of the baby room.
Surely you have always dreamed of a blue room full of clouds and birds or animals that roamed the walls of your child's room. But unless you got down to work as soon as you found out about the pregnancy, I don't think that with your eight-month-old belly you would like the least bit to start painting. You can leave this work for later, think that the little one is going to sleep with you first and that it will give him a little the same color as his room.
When you decide to decorate the walls, opt for some plastic paint that can be cleaned with water, it will be very useful when your child explodes his artistic vein by painting on the walls. In addition, there are many templates that will facilitate the task. Choose soft colors that help relax the child: pale green, soft yellow, light blue, etc.
Look for curtains that allow you to keep the light blocked at certain times and dimmer at others. Ideally, have a thicker curtain and a transparent one. The latter can be used to maintain a dim light during the day.
Do not go crazy buying stuffed animals for his room, it is one of the gifts that will make him the most. In addition, you must be careful with them because they are also a source of mites and allergies. Wash them often.
And, when he's a little older, let him take part in the decorating tasks: choose the color of the walls, help you select the curtains, etc.
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