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Baby Room Essentials: The Australian Checklist & Tips
Setting up a baby’s room, can sometimes be a little overwhelming. So we have come up with the perfect checklist for you. How to plan pre babies arrival.
Collecting everything for a new baby’s nursery is an exciting and heartwarming experience for expectant parents. It's the place where your little one will spend a significant portion of their early life, so creating a safe, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing environment is essential.
The nursery is not just a room; it's a haven where you'll bond with your baby, change countless diapers, and create beautiful memories.
Baby Room Setup Tips
Tip 1 - Make a plan
Keep the room simple. Decide which room you would like to use (if you have a couple of options, closer to the master bedroom would be most convenient for later nights). What items or furniture do you want? What is the colour scheme? What is the layout going to be?
Tip 2 - Think about safety
Make sure all big furniture items are secured to the wall to prevent them from being knocked over, use cordless window coverings, and cover electrical outlets. Avoid placing heavy items within the baby's reach.
Tip 3 - Consider Storage
Having storage options to keep everything organised and accessible is key.
Tip 4 - Think Long-term
Choose furniture and decor that can grow with your child. Convertible cribs and timeless design choices can save you money in the long run.
Tip 5 - Personal Touches
'Koala Love' print, Art By Sarah
Decorate with playful, personal touches like framed photos, artwork, and keepsakes to make the nursery feel like a loving, welcoming space.
We are loving Sarah Migliaccio's Australian artworks and prints. Unique and prefect to grow with your child's room.
The Big Items you will need for a Baby’s Room
Cot
It is recommended for baby’s to sleep in the parent/s room for the first 6-12 months of life as it reduces the likelihood of SIDS.
All cots in Australia need to follow safety standards so are all considered safe. Make sure that the mattress used is firm and the right size for the cot with a well-fitted sheet. No blankets, pillows, toys or mobiles hanging over the cot.
Ikea have a great range of cots. Lots with storage below, and some that turn into toddler bed.
Note: Second hand cots. We are all for second hand cots, but make sure they haven't been re-painted. Paint can cause a hazard, depending on type of paint. It is also good not to get a cot that is older than 5 years, as then you know it is up to date with the Aussie safety standards. But also check with your local Maternal Child Health Nurse, they are a great source of knowledge.
Bassinet
Only if no space for cot in the parent/s room and the baby is <3 months old and can’t roll over. Bassinets don’t have mandatory safety standards like cots do in Australia so they aren’t recommended.
However, if you are going to use one, make sure it has a firm mattress, the baby is placed with feet right down to the bottom and no toys or untucked blankets.
Change table
Make sure it has a removable changing mat, this makes life easier as when you are going out for the day you can pack it in the car or use it on the floor when your baby starts rolling to prevent them falling off the table.
Preferably one with storage underneath for nappies, wipes, change of clothes, burp cloths all of which will then be easy to find in the night as they will be close by.
Playmat
Playmats are a great item for tummy time and play for older babies. But they are also perfect for placing babies to know they are safe and out of harm's way. There is nowhere for them to fall, you never know when a baby will start moving and rolling. So it's idea to have a soft, safe material on the floor.
Remember never leave a baby lying on a change table or bed.
Think about the size and placement in the room.
Nursing/Reading Chair
A nice comfy chair to breast/bottle feed baby in before naps or during the night. As they get older you can continue to use it as a reading chair and they can sit on your lap and listen to their favourite books.
Chest of drawers
Something with shallower draws suits you better so that you don’t need to dig through and mess up neat piles in the draws.
Tip: organise your drawers into sizes and rearrange them when your baby has moved up a size. This way the most needed clothes are always in the top drawer and easy to access.
Small bookshelf
Decorate it with age appropriate books that are fun colourful, interactive and sturdy. Even really young babies enjoy looking at the pages and when they begin to crawl, they can pull the books off the shelf themselves. You can also put a couple of toys or puzzles on there if you want to.
Consumable Items for Your Baby Room
Nappies
Contrary to popular belief, don’t buy heaps of one type or size. Try out a couple of different brands, you will find one that works best for you and your baby, as the baby might be sensitive to some brands or some may leak.
They grow so fast and you don’t want them to grow out of one size when you still have an almost full packet left.
Wipes
A couple of packets of gentle wipes are great to have handy, keep one in a nappy bag, a couple on the changing table and another in the car just in case.
Changing Pads
Disposable or washable changing pads are great to lay baby on when you are doing potentially messy nappy changes. Some people have a changing station on their couch with a waterproof changing pad, others put it on the changing table.
If you are going with the disposable kind, the puppy pads are cheaper and exactly the same. They can be result bought at Kmart or Bunnings.
Boobs or Bottle? Optional items you may or may not need
If planning on bottle feeding then bottles and dummies are essential. If you are planning on breastfeeding then you may not need to invest in these things unless you want to express and store milk to give in a bottle.
Make the decision you feel is right for you.
We have some helpful tips when it comes to buying bottles and dummies:
Bottles
Don’t buy heaps of one type. Try out a few different brands to see what works for you, some babies are fussy so finding the right fit can be challenging.
If you are breastfeeding then try and buy nipple types that mimic a breast (for example where there is a gradual transition from the base of the teat to the nipple not the bottles with an obvious nipple).
Note: Second-hand bottle bases are fine. But replace the teats, as the plastic can get old, and they are meant to be replaced after 6 months (but check with the manufacturer).
Dummies
Don’t buy heaps of one type. Try out a few different brands to see what works for you. They are all different in shapes and sizes, and some babies just don’t like them.
So don't go out and buy heaps of one brand. If you are planning on using a dummy, but a few different types, shapes and sizes. Buy the smaller size for newborns.
Note: Don’t use second-hand dummies, as they only last a few months, and can be dangerous if the plastic is split.
Breast pump
Spectra S1+ Hospital Grade Double Electric Breast Pump with inbuilt rechargeable battery
If you are planning on breastfeeding and want to express to store breast milk then investing in a pump is a great way to go.
It can be second-hand as many people don’t use them for long and they can be quite expensive.
Just make sure the attachment is the right fit for your body and you sterilise it well before use.
Steriliser
This is essential for the first 6 months. All dummies, teats and bottles need to be sterilised to kill bacteria until your baby starts crawling.
There are many different ways to do this. The old fashioned way is boiling it on the stove though this creates dishes and takes time. There are UV sterilisers that work great or microwave sterilisers you can use.
Do some research and decide which one feels most convenient for you.
Things you didn’t think of
Mattress protector
Babies can have nappy leakages through the night or vomit in the cot so getting 2 mattress protectors you can swap out is a game changer.
Night light
Keeping a dim night light in the room near the feeding chair is great so that you can see in the night without turning on a big light.
Room thermometer
Can be useful to help decide what clothing to keep your baby in for nap time.
Baby monitor
Not essential but is good for those who don’t wake easily or if the baby's room is in a part of the house that is far from common areas.
Clothing
You will most likely get hand me downs or gifts at the baby shower for newborn clothes which they don't fit into long so when you are buying clothing, make sure to only buy a couple of Newborn (0000) sizes and focus more on 0-3 months (000), 3-6 months (00) and 6-12 months (0).
Being mindful to stick with the basics like jumpsuits, singlets ect and buying seasonal outfits closer to that time of year as some babies grow quickly and the size you think they may be in winter could be different.
Burp cloths
You will need at least 4-5.
You could use some old (washed) hand towels or tea towels if you like.
Decorations
Paintings, mobile (not above cot), toys, books or a rug.
Fold out bed
for you if the child is sick and wants to sleep in your room.
White noise machine
Helps to block outside noise at naptime.
Discover the ultimate solution to restless nights and early awakenings with the Glow Dreaming Sleep Easy – a sleep tool that's redefining the way you and your loved ones experience restful slumber.
Blackout blinds
Blackout blinds are useful to make a comfortable sleeping environment during the day and encourage longer naps. Blacking out all of the light in your child’s bedroom helps them produce melatonin and simply makes sleeping easier. It also helps to prevent children waking up early when the sun rises.
Room spray
Babies poo a lot (or sometimes a little). But that poo can smell bad. I found a calming room spray really useful to quickly freshen up the room.
Room spray is especially handy when you have guests over to visit. Lavender is a great scent, as it is calming, sleeping, and nice smelling.
What some baby room inspiration? Check out 40 of The Cutest Aussie Playrooms: Ideas & Examples.
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