A safe, calm nursery: the essentials, wherever you live

Start with the sleep space

Safe-sleep advice from organisations such as Red Nose (Australia), the Lullaby Trust and the NHS (UK) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (US) lines up on the basics, and they shape everything else in the room:

• Always on the back, on a flat, firm surface.
• Nothing else in the cot: no pillows, cushions, quilts or loose blankets, no cot bumpers, and no soft toys.
• A safe baby sleeping bag in the right size, or a firmly tucked-in light blanket if you don't use one.
• A comfortably cool room that is never smoked in. UK guidance, for example, suggests 16–20 °C (about 61–68 °F).
• Room-sharing, not bed-sharing, for at least the first six months: the cot goes in the parents' room.

That last point surprises many parents: the "nursery" is often a room your baby grows into rather than sleeps in from day one. Plan it as a calm changing, feeding and play space first.

Choosing the cot and mattress

Most countries have a mandatory or recognised safety standard for cots: EN 716 in Europe, AS/NZS 2172 in Australia and New Zealand, and the federal crib standard enforced by the CPSC in the US. When buying, check the product states that it meets your country's standard. A few practical points apply everywhere:

• Bar gaps small enough that a baby's head and limbs can't get stuck. Your local standard sets the exact limits.
• A firm mattress that fits exactly, with no gap around the edges where a hand or head could slip.
• Be careful with second-hand cots: check for missing screws, loose bars, drop sides and peeling paint, and buy a new mattress.
• A convertible cot (cot → toddler bed) gets more years of use from one purchase.

Placing furniture

• Place the cot away from windows (draughts, sun, blind cords) and away from heaters.
• Nothing within reach of the cot that a baby could pull in: no shelves, frames, garlands or cords.
• Anchor tall furniture to the wall: wardrobes, bookcases, chests of drawers. Tip-overs are a real risk once children start to climb.
• Choose cordless blinds, or secure cords high and out of reach.
• Keep a clear path between the door, the cot and the changing area for night feeds.
• Never leave a baby alone on a change table, even with raised edges.

Paint, wallpaper and indoor air

New paint, flooring and furniture release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for a while. For a nursery:

• Choose low- or zero-VOC, water-based paint. Recognised labels include GREENGUARD Gold (US), Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA), the EU Ecolabel and France's A+ indoor-air label.
• Decorate early, ideally by mid-pregnancy, and air the room well for a few weeks before the baby moves in.
• Let someone else do the sanding and painting if you're pregnant.
• Unpack new furniture and mattresses early and let them air out too.
• For textiles (sheets, sleeping bags, curtains), look for OEKO-TEX or GOTS certification, or organic cotton and linen.

Light and sound

Good sleep is helped by darkness at night and daylight during the day. Combine light curtains with a blackout blind for naps, and use a warm, dim night light for feeds rather than the ceiling light. Wooden furniture, rugs and curtains also soften sound.

Hanging art safely

Art is where a nursery gets its personality, but a few rules apply:

• Nothing above the cot or change table: no frames, shelves or heavy mobiles.
• Prefer acrylic (perspex) over glass in frames, and lightweight frames.
• Fix frames with two points or strong adhesive strips so they can't swing or fall.

Vivi's tip: hang a couple of posters at baby's eye level near the change table or play mat. Detailed illustrations give babies something to look at and become a "spot the…" game later on.

Nursery checklist