Top 5 Questions We Get Asked By New Parents
By Kim Proulx
We get a lot of questions, I mean a lot! It is crazy when you get started thinking of your nursery and can get almost paralyzed trying to figure out where to start, what to decide, and what you really need to make your baby's nursery stylish, functional, and perfect! So here are our top 5 parent questions about baby furniture needs, budget constraints, and twins!
1. When should I buy my baby furniture?
Our #1 question has a bit of a loaded answer, but here is what I tell my friends. Start looking when you are ready and then buy around month 6 of your pregnancy. Depending on the type of furniture you want it will take anywhere from 1 to 6 weeks to arrive. Some high-end boutique brands with custom finishes can take longer so read the product listings for availability. Also, you need to get the furniture in, build it, and get a part if something gets damaged in shipping. The fact is your baby can use a bassinet, co-sleeper, or cradle for the first few months so you can even purchase the crib later if needed.
2. What are the hot colors and styles in baby furniture right now?
Over the past 10 years we have seen various trends come and go and have seen the baby furniture brands morph with the consumer preferences. However, our customers most recently prefer espresso furniture and other dark colors, followed closely by traditional white.ÿ Parents are buying bigger cribs with strong lines and thicker molding, although modern cribs have become much more popular. Also the traditional changing table has been replaced by the combo dresser, which can be used as a changing table with the addition of a pad, and then becomes a regular dresser. One thing I tell new parents is to consider your house style, this baby and future children who might use the furniture, and what you will like both today and in 5 years.
3. What are the key things I need for my nursery?
An infant really doesn't need much aside from a safe place to sleep and a bit of storage for essentials; however most of our parents will tell you that they need a crib, a mattress, a combo changer/dresser, and a nursery glider or chair. What they tell us they don't need are the gimmicky appliances like the wipe warmer or bottle sanitizer, things that seem cool in concept but actually are just clutter. Other key baby items are a breast pump, stroller, bath seat, a bouncer (so helpful when you are showering or in the kitchen ,etc.), a baby monitor if you will be far from the baby at times, and a boppy type pillow.
4. I am on a tight budget, what should I buy for my nursery?
Some parents are lucky and have unlimited budgets for the nursery (or a grandparent), but for the rest of us this is the main issue when shopping. What I would say is please don?t buy a used crib, safety standards have recently changed and most cribs sold on craigslist are a couple years old and will not comply. I advise people to buy just a standard crib as they are less expensive and I find that most parents have a second child before they have a chance to convert the more expensive convertible cribs to a toddler bed anyway. The other great option is to get a mini-crib, which is a smaller crib, but they last just as long and some of them even convert into a twin bed which is probably all you have room for anyway. Second, re-purpose a dresser or get a used dresser, paint it with baby-safe paint, and use it as a changer too.
5. How do I set up a nursery for twins?
We call this double trouble and I love this question because I know several friends with twins and they always wonder how to plan their nurseries. Unless you have a huge room to put them in, I always recommend buying two mini-cribs and one double dresser to use as a changer and for storage. I love the mini-cribs that convert into twin beds because then the only thing you ever need to buy are two twin mattresses and you have a nice toddler / kid room with matching furniture without spending a lot more. If you have room I would recommend a comfortable chair or glider because you will use it.
