Buying Nursery Furniture - a Guide for New Parents

Having your first baby is a wonderful and at times, frightening experience as you grasp how much there is to do. You want your newborn's nursery and the nursery furniture to be better than a fairy tale dream, but it is essential to think about you and your little one’s safety and security above all else. So when dreaming up that new nursery take care to consider the following guidance.

The first thing to fit to a child's room is a smoke alarm, for just a couple of pounds (or free from your local fire prevention officer) these life saving devises must be your paramount purchase. When your child begins to wander it's important that any spare electrical outlet is sealed with a simple plastic socket protector to stop your inquisitive baby from sticking his fingers. It's also a good idea to locate bedroom furniture in the way to prevent your baby from finding outlets.

The next most important thing is your child's cot since this is where they will initially spend most of their time in those first few months. When picking a cot it's important to ensure they comply with the government safety regulations (EN 716 within Europe. The cot must be deep enough so your baby cannot climb out. Ensure that the spacing between the rails is not capable of allowing the child to trap their head. Make sure that if the cot has drop down sides that they have robust locks to prevent them from being accidently operated by your baby. It's important that second hand cots are inspected thoroughly for damage to fixtures and fastenings and that you buy a brand new mattress for your baby. It's also vital to ensure the mattress is a snug fit and leaves not more than a 4cm gap around the outside to prevent your child from becoming trapped.

Remember to place your baby down to sleep on her back to reduce the risks of SIDS and stop using pillows or very fluffy bed clothes in the cot. If you have a nightlight in your nursery, place it away from the cot so the bed clothes doesn’t catch fire and avoid locating the light near drapes, plastic, or other objects that may ignite from the heat.

When designing your nursery plan ensure no furniture is located near windows, when your child learns to stand they may try to climb up and have a look out. Also avoid placing anything that may permit your toddler to stand on to peer out of a window. Keep the windows in the nursery properly locked. When opening a window for airing ensure it is firmly fixed and ideally never open more than 5cm.

Another item of nursery furniture to blame for numerous infant injuries is the changing station. Using a wedge shaped changing mat can assist enormously in making sure your child can't roll away and some changing stations even have straps to strap your child. Keep your changing supplies out of baby’s reach. Babies and toddlers are instinctively inquisitive and nappy sacks or rash creams can be potentially harmful.

Rather worryingly one of the most common causes of harm in a child's room are window dressings and blinds. It's important that short window dressings are used that small children can't become trapped in and that the cords on Venetian blinds are kept short. When using blinds ensure the cords are tied up to keep them short and are never within a baby’s reach.

It's essential to have storage for the masses of playthings baby will no doubt collect but choose cautiously. Look for toy chests that have no lid or have very lightweight or child friendly hinged lids. As your baby gets older, he may climb inside the toy chesttoy box and a heavy lid may trap her so it’s important they be fitted with safety hinges or lightweight lids. You should also try to select nursery furniture with lids and drawers that are not as likely to trap your youngster’s tiny digits. Wardrobe and cupboard doors are also a possible danger to your child and you must consider fitting child safe mechanisms to prevent your baby from injuring themselves

By following sound guidance and following common sense, new parents can ensure they select the right choices when buying nursery furniture and create the perfect room for their youngster.