What You Don’t Need in Your Nursery

One of the most exciting parts of expecting a baby is decorating the nursery. But when you look around for inspiration—from Pinterest to Instagram—you may get overwhelmed at the sheer number of items people have in their nurseries. We thought we would take the guess work out of shopping for your nursery by sharing a list of things you won’t need in your nursery.

Baby Blankets

We get it—baby blankets are soo cute! But according to the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidelines, babies should sleep on their back on a flat surface without blankets, stuffed animals, bumpers, or pillows. These items—as cute they may be—are a suffocation hazard, so you can skip them when you’re getting ready for baby, or get one for decorative purposes only.

Changing Table

A changing table can take up a lot of space. Instead, think about using a changing pad which you can just put on top of the bed or dresser to change your little honey.

A Ton of Toys

When your little one is brand new, they don’t need lots of toys. And when they do start playing, they’ll be most interested in high contrast toys which are the easiest for infants to see. When they’re a little bigger, you’ll probably find out they like playing with the boxes their toys come in more than the actual toys. Keep these tips in mind when shopping to try to keep things to a minimum…though we can’t promise it will help you refrain from buying all the cute stuff!

Adorable Newborn Outfits

We know it’s tempting to buy trendy newborn outfits—after all, how much cuter is everything when it’s teeny tiny!—but the truth is, your baby is going to be living in onesies the majority of the time. (And chances are they will have a blowout in almost everything they wear.) Skip the intricate newborn outfits and wait until they’re a little older.

Baby Room Bookshelves

You definitely want to surround your little one with books, but bookshelves can take up too much space. Consider doing a hanging shelf instead with books that are swapped out every so often.

Wipe Warmer

Let’s just be real: your baby’s bottom doesn’t need a 5-star facial. It may sound nice to keep the wipes warm, but realistically, 200 diaper changes later, or in the middle of the night, you probably won’t be using the device. So it’s safe to say, you probably don’t need a wipe warmer.

Besides getting the essentials, feel free to do anything you want with your nursery. Maybe you don’t even want to do a nursery. It’s totally fine if you set up camp for your baby in a guest room or the corner of your bedroom. Don’t feel like you have to go all out Pinterest-style—just do what works for your family!

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.