Are you in your second trimester of pregnancy and starting to think about what to include in your baby boy nursery? Keep reading mama because we’re going to talk about it all!
I find that moms either have a crystal clear vision of how they want the nursery to look OR they are stuck scrolling Pinterest looking for baby boy nursery ideas that they fall in love with.
Although this post won’t specifically talk about baby boy nursery themes, it will break down everything you could possibly need in a nursery by area and you will walk away with a different kind of confidence about baby nursery inspiration. After reading this post, you will know exactly what you need to either buy yourself or add to your baby registry!
This post is all about what you need in a baby boy nursery.
As a mom, it’s always our goal to find ways to make things more organized and simple so it’s only fitting to design a nursery where everything has a purpose and grows with your baby.
But before we get started, let’s take a look at the seven main areas of focus:
- Sleeping Space
- Changing Area
- Clothing Storage
- Nursery Closet
- Feeding Area
- Play Area
- Decor
Baby Boy Nursery – What Do You Need In A Nursery?
1. Safe Sleeping Space
The first thing you will need to think about is a safe sleep space for your baby.
Initially, your newborn will sleep in a bassinet in your room. The AAP recommends babies room share until they are 6 months, but ideally until they are a year old, because it can reduce the risk of SIDS by up to 50%.
Despite the recommendations, many babies transition from a bassinet in their parent’s room to a crib in their own room between 3 to 6 months old, although there really is no right or wrong. If your baby is sleeping peacefully in a bassinet there’s really no reason to rush the transition but sometimes the longer you wait the more difficult it can be.
If you need help with baby sleep, I recommend checking out Taking Cara Babies sleep programs.
Babies stay in their cribs until at least 2 or 3 years old, at which time they transition to a toddler bed. I highly recommend looking into a convertible crib option so that the crib grows with your child.
There are so many options out there that convert from a crib to a toddler bed with rails, to a twin or full sized bed. Just think of all the savings there!
You can also look into a matching nursery furniture set where everything coordinates, including a changing table that doubles as a dresser.
Other Sleep Items You Will Need:
Firm Mattress and Fitted Crib Sheets
A crib with a firm mattress, fitted crib sheets and nothing else in it (no blankets, stuffed animals, bumpers, etc) is the safest place for your baby to sleep once he is moved to his baby boy nursery.
Swaddles and Sleep Sacks
A baby should always be placed on his back to sleep.
It is considered safe to swaddle your baby until they can roll over, at which time you can transition them to a sleep sack. Swaddles (link?) are amazing and can really help promote longer chunks of sleep.
Once your baby can roll, it is safe to let him sleep on his belly. Sleep sacks are a great option to use at this stage because loose blankets are not considered safe. A sleep sack acts as a fitted, wearable blanket that keeps your baby warm at night and during naps.
2. Changing Table
Another very important area of a baby boy nursery is the changing table and you have a few different options to choose from.
Questions to think about include:
- How long will it get used?
- Will it offer enough storage?
- Will it grow with my baby?
- Will I have another baby who can use it?
- What is my budget?
- How will it fit in the room?
You can opt for a dedicated changing table or go with a convertible dresser that allows for a changing pad on top and doubles as a dresser.
Things you want to think about with either option is make sure there is enough storage for diapers, wipes, cream and easy access to clothes.
Standalone Changing Table
With a standalone changing table, there are typically drawers or shelves you can fill and even once your child outgrows it or is done with diapers, you can turn it into usable space for your toddler or move it out of the bedroom if you prefer.
Convertible Dresser
On the other hand, a convertible dresser allows you to lay a changing pad down on the top of the dresser and have access to everything you need. Once your child is no longer in diapers, it’s simple to remove the changing pad and the dresser still functions really well.
Personally, I opted for the convertible dresser to get more bang for my buck and I haven’t been disappointed yet. I also bought it in a set with the crib and my son is set until he goes to college!
I have a cloth bin on top of our dresser filled with daytime diapers, nighttime diapers, wipes, diaper cream and a box of tissues. It’s perfect and everything is easily accessible!
Other Things to Think About
In addition to the changing table you decide to go with, you will need a fitted changing pad cover and reusable liners. These are my favorite liners and are so easy to wash when they get peed on.
If you go with the convertible dresser option, you will also need to purchase a changing pad.
You can also consider hanging a shelf above the changing table option you choose to store additional items. Basically the options are endless!
3. Clothing Storage
Moving onto storage! You will start off with a lot of sleepers, onesies, socks, hats and all that comes with a newborn baby! The clothes might seem really tiny but your baby will go through a lot of them and before you know it will be moving up in size.
What Size Clothing Should I Stock The Dresser With?
I always recommend having not only the size clothes that your baby currently fits into but also a few basic pieces in the next size up. Inevitably your baby will wake up one day and not fit into the clothes he was wearing the day before. It’s wild!
Baby Clothes Organization
The exact layout will depend on which kind of dresser or changing table you choose but next we will be talking about some baby clothes organization hacks to keep everything neat and easy to find. For this example, I will use a dresser as the reference.
In addition to your baby’s clothes, I always keep swaddles/sleep sacks, 2 extra packs of wipes, extra cloth diapers (I always use these to cover the front of my son during diaper changes), extra reusable changing pad liners. In the top drawer I also keep a small bin with nail clippers, nail file, baby thermometer, NoseFrida and any other items I may need while my baby is on the changing table.
To keep things organized, you can purchase cheap dividers to separate clothing and/or various sizes of plastic bins depending on what you plan to use them for.
I loved having a big bin for all of my son’s socks, a smaller bin for the odds and ends like nail clippers described above and each drawer below was dedicated to a specific type of clothing.
The Complete Dresser Drawer List:
- Diapers (unless you store on top of dresser)
- Extra wipes
- Burp clothes
- Swaddles/Sleep Sacks
- Reusable changing pad liners
- Clothing – onesies, pjs, pants/shorts, socks, etc
- Miscellaneous extras – nail clippers, nail file, baby thermometer, NoseFrida, etc
4. Nursery Closet
Another great option for storage is in the closet and it can be set up in so many ways depending on the size of the closet.
To start, I recommend installing wire shelving like this. It’s pretty inexpensive and SO useful. You could also go a more expensive route and install built in shelving but I’m all about keeping costs down, especially since you will be buying all the crib furniture.
Once your shelves are in place, you can hang any clothes you don’t want to store in the dresser. You can also add a hanging closet organizer like this but in my opinion they are not the most sturdy and I prefer to keep my son’s folded clothes in the dresser.
If you are looking for more space to store fitted crib sheets, receiving blankets, clothes in the next size up or something else, I have had so much luck with cube storage in my son’s closet. I added the fabric storage bins that go with it and it’s perfect!
Ok back to the wire shelving…
On top is where you can store all of the extra diapers, wipes, diaper pail refills and anything else that you want up and off the ground. You can also put clear stackable storage bins up there or stack them on the floor if there’s room.
The possibilities are endless but utilizing the closet to its fullest is key to an organized baby boy nursery!
What to have in your nursery closet:
- Crib sheets & mattress protectors
- Receiving blankets
- Extra diapers / wipes / diaper pail refills
- Clothing in the next size up
- Miscellaneous items
5. Feeding/Relaxing Area
The feeding area is my favorite spot in a baby boy nursery. Regardless of how you choose to feed your baby, this will become a special place where you will rock your baby, soothe him, read to him and really bond him.
The key items you will need to create a relaxing space are:
- Glider (or any type of comfy chair)
- Small table
- Lamp
Glider
I have this glider in my son’s room and really love it! He is two years old and we still use it every night as part of his bedtime routine plus the ottomon opens up so we can store all of his blankets in it. I highly recommend it!
Side Table
Next, you will need to position a small side table within arms reach of your chair. You can usually purchase this as part of the matching furniture set if you go with that option, otherwise any small table will work!
The table is perfect for a sound machine, small lamp, a basket of books and a burp cloth and anything you might need.
Check out the red light trick that I recommend that all moms use. It’s a game changer!
Related: How To Simplify Bottle Feedings At Night
6. Play area
A small play area is another great way to use the baby boy nursery! You don’t need to go crazy decking it out but a small bin with stuffed animals and/or other developmentally appropriate toys is perfect. I would also keep a few blankets nearby so you can practice tummy time whenever you have a few minutes during the day.
If you have hardwoods in the baby boy nursery then I recommend getting an area rug to create an additional cushion for your baby. This will come in handy when you get on the floor to play.
Related: The Most Effective Tummy Time Tips To Try Right Now
7. Decor
Last but not least, you will want to choose a theme or color scheme for the baby boy nursery!
There are tons of options out there but my tip to you is to start looking at bedding and sheets. You can find sooo much inspiration by starting there! It may even lead you to a certain theme (trucks, trains, animals, jungle, Pooh, Mickey, etc) you hadn’t thought about before or to a color scheme you really like.
Target has some of the cutest and most affordable baby bedding sets in my opinion!
Now keep in mind that you will only need fitted crib sheets to start. Safe sleep guidelines recommend no loose bedding in the crib. This is why a swaddle or sleep sack (depending on your baby’s age) is always recommended. Buuut once your child becomes a toddler, you will eventually use a blanket so getting a bedding set can be well worth it in my opinion!
Once you decide on a theme, you can start thinking about pictures/canvas prints to hang on the wall, shelving to create more space (some parents love hanging shelves for book storage) and anything else you want in the room.
Other Baby Boy Nursery Hacks
In addition to the seven areas we already talked about, it is important to consider purchasing these items for the baby boy nursery too:
- Sound machine
- Blackout curtains
- Hamper
- Diaper pail to put on the side of the changing table
- Nursery furniture sets to save money
This post was all about what you need in a baby boy nursery.