Decorating and furnishing the nursery is probably one of the most enjoyable parts of preparing for your baby's arrival. And because your baby will be spending lots of time there, you'll want to make it comforting and cozy for sleep and stimulating for when she is awake. The following list is a general guide to items you'll want:

- Crib. Make sure it meets safety standards by checking for approval by the American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM).

- Crib mattress. To ensure the proper fit, purchase the mattress with the crib: You should only be able to slide one finger between the mattress and the rails.

- Waterproof mattress pad.

- 5 fitted sheets.

- Crib skirt.

- Crib bumper. This should be removed when your baby is able to get into a crawling position since she could use it as a step.

- 1 or 2 cotton receiving blankets.

- Cotton quilt or full-size blanket.

- Musical mobile.

- Changing table with protective pad, and shelves for storing baby items. Or, a changing dresser with changing pad on top and drawer for storing baby items.

- Diaper pail with deodorizer or the Diaper Genie Twistaway Disposal System & refills.

- Rocking chair or glider with a footrest.

- Nursing pillow.

- CD or tape player.

- Infant monitor.

- Toy chest or basket.

- Wall shelves or hooks for decorative items and stuffed animals.

- Window treatments. (Once baby is mobile you'll want to make sure any drapery or blind cords are out of their reach because the string poses a strangulation hazard.)

- Small clothes hamper.

- 5 to 10 small clothes hangers.

- Wastebasket.

- Small picture frames and photo albums ©Studio One Networks

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