Do I Really Need A Nursery?

So you got those two pink lines, the shock has worn off, and you are in full planning mode! While there are so many decisions to be made, so many fun things to think through, my personal favorite is the nursery. So spoil alert, yes, I will tell you that you do indeed need a nursery!

Is a nursery really necessary?

My answer, as I already spoiled for you, is yes! Some will say it's frivolous and unnecessary to have a room dedicated to a tiny person who may not even use it for the first months of their life. But there are more reasons to create that nursery of your dreams, so read on, friend.

What is a nursery?

Let's get in the weeds for a moment. Simply put, a nursery is a child or infant's room. However, the Merriam-Webster dictionary also defines a nursery as "something that fosters, develops, or promotes." By that definition, a nursery is more than a room, it is a place of growth, development and love. I like to define a nursery this way: "A nursery is the backdrop of your little one's childhood." Woah. That makes this more than a room, it is the context of the story that your family is writing. And you know, if you are reading a story, context is everything!

Pros of the Nursery

You Need Something To Do

Let's face it, pregnancy is hard. Oh, it's amazing and so sweet. But some days are long and some are difficult. As Abbie Halberstadt has titled her powerful mothering book, "Hard Is Not The Same Thing As Bad." With pregnancy comes aches, weird symptoms, and fears of the unknown. Planning something like a nursery gives you a project to re-center your mind on something good. Mindset is everything here. Planning builds anticipation. Remember warming up for that championship game? Practicing for that solo in the school play? Running through rehearsal for your wedding day? Planning a nursery builds that same excitement! The nursery builds anticipation for the little life who will learn, grow, play and be loved in that space.

It's Just As Much For You

Let's face it. When you bring your sweet baby home, they are not going to applaud you on a beautiful job well done. Frankly, they can't even see a foot past their face, let alone that gingham accent wall you painstakingly hand-painted. Right now, this is for you. Think of it as self-care even! You are going to spend hours rocking, singing, nursing and cuddling. Some days, you will be so tired from a long night, a stressful day. But you walk into that nursery and you are instantly calmed. This, this is your special place. 

When I had my first baby, Lucy, we created a nursery that became my favorite room to be. I sat in that nursery and read and rocked, even just while waiting for her to arrive! Many a night was spent rocking her in that soft cream chair, the fluffy blanket I had been gifted keeping us warm. Warm light glowed from the lamp we had chosen to match her furniture. I could see the handmade elements we had added, fabrics, textures, colors, all working together to not just create a beautiful space, but to create a beautiful atmosphere that made it easier on a long night. 

Designated Space

This one is controversial, but our babies started out in their nursery. We tried the bassinet, but it became quickly apparent that no one was going to ever be sleeping that way! Our babies wanted their own space, and that worked for us in improving everyone's sleep. Your home's layout may not work for that, or you may not be ready to move them out of your room yet, and that's ok. This point still stands. Even if sweet baby does not actually sleep in that room, it is still a great idea to have a designated space where all the baby things land. And there are so, so many baby things! A house can easily get overrun by this new person, so let your nursery be the place where the play mats, buckets of toys, laundry gets landed at the end of the day. 

What If?

So you agree, you need a nursery, but you do not have the space or budget. No worries, you are in the right place. Small budgets and small homes mean you have to get creative to fulfill some dreams!

In the end, a nursery is more a vibe than it really is a room. So if you only have a closet, a corner of the room, baby is room-sharing with a sibling, you can still create a nursery!

I would love to hear in the comments the dreams you have for your little one's space!