Where She Sleeps

Noah's Ark, Winnie the Pooh, pastel or bright pink, or blue -- designing a nursery is fun! It's easy to focus on how the nursery will look but safety within a nursery is just as important. To help you get started, lets take a look at key features to remember in the nursery.

Arrange your baby's room so that furniture is away from the window to avoid the hazard of window treatment cords and falls through windows. Install window guards.

Keep toys in open bins to avoid lids falling on fingers. Use cord shorteners, or tuck cords behind furniture out of your baby's reach. They will inevitably pull on an electrical cord once they're within reach.

Lock It Up: Creams And Lotions, Supplements

All baby products such as lotions and creams should be kept out of your baby's reach. In fact, in some cases it may make more sense to have them stored away in a drawer, or even locked up.

While lotions and creams may not be the most dangerous things for your child to get their hands on, some supplements (like Vitamin D) can be dangerous in certain quantities. Some parents prefer to keep these supplements near a change table, or in a nursery. Make sure they're out of reach.

Watch It: They Squirm

If you have a change table in the nursery, always make sure that little one is secure before reaching for the diaper. Things can get chaotic around that change table, so make sure you keep one hand on your baby at all times, even if you're just reaching for a wet cloth or clean diaper.

Change tables should also have a 2-inch guardrail around all four sides. Safety straps should be buckled - never leave a child unattended even when buckled, though.

If It's Heavy, And Could Fall, Get Rid Of It

Stay away from heavy decor on walls or items that dangle. It may seem secure enough, but where there's a will, there's certainly a way. Your baby is capable of amazing feats of strength, so don't be surprised if they pull something off a wall, or yank a planter off a table. It's best to remove these temptations from the room entirely.

Additionally, Mobiles should be removed before your baby can sit up, or even stand in a crib. If they can pull themselves up, they can certainly pull a mobile down on top of themselves.

Here are a few more things to consider for the nursery:

  • Cordless window coverings. Blinds with draw strings can be dangerous.
  • Window guards
  • Outlet covers
  • 'Hand me down' cribs should meet current standards
  • No bedding in cribs -- such as pillows, blankets and bumper pads -- until 6 months
  • No stuffed animals until they are at least 6 months old
  • Your baby should also be encouraged to sleep on their back