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Nesting: Getting Baby’s Room Ready Safely
Babies and small children come many messes over the years: Every parent knows what it’s like to vacuum ground-up particles of Cheerios from the carpet, to scrub spilled milk out of the car’s upholstery, to put back hundreds of Legos again and again, and to deal with a backpack stuffed chock-full of crumpled field trip permission forms and other necessary (and unnecessary) papers.
Even before your first baby is born, though, nature prepares you for the next 18 or so years of clean-up duty by giving you the urge to clean and organize. Called “nesting,” the phenomenon is not limited only to human mothers-to-be: It’s named after what birds do in preparation for their families, after all! Once your morning sickness wears off (usually by the end of the first trimester), your energy will pick up… and this is the perfect time to tackle some of those organizational and cleaning snafus that we all run into from time to time.
One of the things that you’ll want to do is to get baby’s room ready. You’ll spend hours pouring over layettes in catalogs; be sure that whatever you pick out is up-to-date, safety-wise. This means no fluffy comforters or quilts in bed with your little one and no pillows or stuffed animals in the crib when your baby is sleeping in there. You’ll want to choose colors and decor, and you’ll be washing and folding tiny clothing over and over again in anticipation of the big day!
When you put clothing away, you’ll probably notice what is efficient and inefficient in your baby’s closet. This is the time to do some reorganization; before the shelves and racks are filled with clothes and before your days are filled with caring for your new bundle of joy, you’ll have the time to devote to the task. Remember that while at first, you’ll be putting away your baby’s items, over time, he’ll take on the responsibility. Adjustable shelving, racks, rods and accessories will grow along with your baby as he goes through the various phases of childhood into adolescence.
Here are a few tips for you, the mama-to-be, while you go through your nesting phase:
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Get help. Your newly expanded shape is not conducive to things like climbing on ladders or moving heavy furniture. While a fall is usually only a bruise to your ego, you now have someone else who might get hurt if you lose your balance. Whether you’re hanging shelving or trying to reach the top shelf of your baby’s closet, let someone else handle the up-high work.
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While you’re at it, find someone else to handle painting for you. You can be the one to spend time debating over the different shades of pastel blue or pink, but find a friend to do the actual brush work. Moms-to-be need to be especially wary of old paint, which might contain lead or mercury. Even new paints can fill the room with fumes that you shouldn’t be inhaling during pregnancy.
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Watch the cleaning products that you’re using. Try to buy “green” or natural cleansers if necessary. If you want to use bleach- or ammonia-based cleaners, wear gloves and make sure the room is well-ventilated… and whatever you do, don’t mix them! Doing so can cause harmful fumes that can cause lung damage and burns.
Nesting and the focused cleaning and organizing that go along with it are just a rite of passage as you await the birth of your child. Taking a few safety precautions will help keep you healthy and safe while you prepare your “nest” for your new baby.
George obtained a Master of Science Engineering Degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology. After graduation, he worked at AT&T Bell Labs and Lucent Technologies after the company split. With an extensive background in construction management and ergonomic space design, spanning residential and commercial, designing and installing closets in New Jersey is second nature for him.