Want to freak out your girlfriends, irritate the grandparents, and have total strangers question why you ever decided to be a mother? That’s easy. Tell them you’re not going to do a baby’s room.
My husband and I had an agreement. We were not going to do a nursery before our daughter was born. We didn’t see the point in spending the time, money, and energy when she would likely start out in our room.
As the months rolled on, the “how could you not do a nursery” chatter got louder. I’m not sure who broke down first—my husband or me. I’ll just say we stumbled into one of the big baby stores by accident.
We debated ladybugs versus butterflies. Both creatures ended up in our daughter’s room, along with some pretty swank furniture. Just as we suspected, the baby’s room collected dust for months after she was born.
Baby number two is on the horizon. Again, my husband and I have a pact. No pre-baby nursery. When I tell people this, their reactions are usually:
- That’s cool.
- Oh, okay (accompanied by an odd stare).
- You don’t want to at least pick a theme?
- What about giraffes? Do you like giraffes?
- But you did a nursery for the first baby.
After much prayer and meditation, I’ve realized that people who go nutty over nurseries are not evil. They’re not crazy either, or at least that’s not the reason they are crazy.
Practically speaking, the baby’s room can be thought of as a parent’s workshop. It houses the supplies, equipment, and space needed to care for a newborn.
There is also something sweet about creating a beautiful space to welcome the latest addition to the family.
Interestingly, some of the people who “encouraged” our first child’s nursery admitted that their kids didn’t use their own bedrooms for months, sometimes years. Apparently it’s just one of the many rites of passage of parenthood.
We will get the new baby’s room together in due time. I’ve heard some rumors about a Star Wars theme, but that’s a whole other story.
To the readers: What’s your baby nursery story? What is the one baby item that you had to have? What’s the best and worst parenting advice you’ve ever heard?
About the author: Nicole Robinson is a freelance writer, parenting blogger and non-fiction book lover. Visit Nicole at her blog, BookWormMama.com, for a discussion of great parenting books and topics that interest moms.
*image source: Kenziepoo, on Flickr
I did a theme for our first…but not with our second as we knew we would try to sell our house soon. Finally, with my third we are about to finish remodeling our new house and will move in where she will have a nursery and I’m so excited!
I love all the pictures that I see of beautifully decorated nurseries but truth be told babies don’t care.
I didn’t do much in the way of decorating the rooms that my kids would inhabit… I didn’t see the need until they were older and could decide what they wanted. Then I spent the money!
I have a “nursery” theme planned out but, in reality, our little boy probably won’t ever be in there till he’s old enough for it to be the playroom. (http://www.honeyandcheese.com/2011/11/29/sari-elephant-inspired-nursery/)
Partially because we want him with us right now (seriously, who actually WANTS to walk into a separate room for 2am feedings?!) and also because he HAS to be in our room right now since we’re currently living in my parents’ basement.
I agree there is no rush for a nursery, it is all for looks for a while anyways. I must say invest in a high quality rocker glider though. It will become moms best-friend while feeding, rocking, singing and gazing at new baby!
I had to move back in with my parents when I was pregnant, which meant sharing a room with my sister – so there was no option for having a nursery. I would have loved to, though, after she stopped nursing. I just don’t see how people spend SO MUCH MONEY on nurseries when the baby’s aren’t even old enough to appreciate it.
I didn’t have any fun baby nursery, they shared a room with me while super young and breastfeeding then moved into their own room or a shared room with their sibling(s). Now as my sister is due in January she is setting up a nursery area in her one bedroom apartment and it’s so cute!
I never had a nursery that was pimped out for any of my children. My firstborn slept in a wicker bassinet in our bedroom until he was too big for it. In the car he slept in a cardboard box on the back seat (this was in 1970). By the time the third one arrived, we just put another crib in the kids bedroom, making two cribs and a folding bed.
I’ve never had a baby but love looking at all the pictures of nurseries and seeing how my friends decorate. My fears are it’s so expensive to decorate a room they’ll outgrow in a couple of years then have to be redecorated in Pretty Pony or Spiderman and a few years after that they’ll want a grown up room. That said if it were me I’d probably cave and give in to all the possibilities out there.
I had classic poo as our theme! I LOVED IT. I never thought about not doing a nursery but it makes sense since our son slept in out room for the first 4 months. What a cute theme you had for your daughter! SOOO cute!
My first baby had a full blown Winnie the Pooh theme and like yours it collected dust for at least 6 months if not longer. None of my other kids had a nursery and I don’t regret it one bit.
I had to have a comfortable rocking chair and a Boppy pillow for the breastfeeding in the rocking chair. :)
I’m going through figuring out what we need for the nursery for my daughter who is expecting in October. It’s so true that all the things you think you need you end up not really using. I have 5 children so I am able to guide her with her decisions on what to buy. But baby stuff is so cute and hard to resist!
Is just about $6000 aud enough for just two 2 week trip in japan? exclude air travel,accommadation & railpass?
That is clearly a large amount of money! It could be enough actually which includes accomodations and teach tickets.
You can spend $100 each on a meal at an excellent sushi place, or spend $6 on a sushi plate from a
grocery store or $15 on a bowl of noodles with pork at a noodle place.
It’s actually your decision. That is clearly a large amount of money!
It would be enough even including accomodations and teach tickets.
You can spend $100 each on a meal at a good
sushi place, or spend $6 on a sushi plate from a supermarket or $15
on a bowl of noodles with pork at a noodle place. It’s really your decision.