News of a new baby is one of the most exciting events in any family’s life; it is only natural that there is a desire to create a truly special space within the home for the new arrival. This is a great way to welcome a new addition.

The first step in creating such a space for the new baby is to take a look at the entire house. Items that can potentially harm an exploring infant need to be placed out of reach or removed. Parents should consider carrying out a complete sweep of the house before the baby is born. Once a baby enters the home, time and energy become difficult to come by, so consider every aspect of the new arrival’s requirements well in advance. For example, window-blind cords must be placed far out of reach of exploring hands and leather sofas should be considered, as they are far easier to clean than traditional fabric.

Creating a special room for the new arrival does not need to be difficult or expensive. In fact, considering that an infant is small for a relatively short period of time, it is best to concentrate spending on items that will serve well into the toddler years, rather than purchasing furniture and toys that will be useful for only a few short months. Multi-functional furniture is one consideration, a crib that converts into a toddler bed, and later into a day bed, is a great investment that will serve for years to come.

Second-hand furniture

While second-hand furniture is appealingly affordable, new parents should check items over carefully for safety. For example, no opening should be greater than four inches or a child might get their head through and become trapped. Cot mattresses should fit snugly, with no gaps around the outside. Furniture should be sturdy and painted items need to be tested for lead or stripped and re-painted with a child-safe paint.

Colour scheme

Parents should also consider the colour scheme when decorating the nursery. Neutral colours, such as pale blues and green, yellow or beige will serve well as the child grows. Decals that cling to the wall, rather than being painted on, along with wallpapered nursery themes, are other items to consider. Decals can be removed without re-painting or re-papering an entire room when the nursery needs updating. For a splash of colour, consider throw rugs or choose bright curtains, which are easily replaced.

Storage

Small, sturdy, bookshelves can be a great storage solution in the nursery. Adding baskets gives parents storage space for nappies and other small items. As time goes by, the shelves will be handy for storing books and toys. Shelves that stand on the floor should be fastened to the wall to avoid the possibility of them tipping over onto an exploring toddler.

Finally, new parents should consider putting any money saved on decorating the nursery into a separate bank account. It makes more sense to save as much as possible for the time when university fees or a first car are required, rather than spending excessively on gadgets and furniture that will be discarded after a few months as the baby grows into a toddler. By practicing frugality from the start, new parents can ensure their baby’s future security, while still creating a special place in their homes for their new arrival.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post but we think its full of great information and sensible advice!

I blogged yesterday about the excitement at returning to the pool today, so we had our morning checklist:

1. Towels

2. Baby dressing gown

3. Swim nappies

4. Happy nappy

5. Drinks and after lesson snacks

6. Baby girl ... and Nanny too!

The little lady was too tired to enjoy the first lesson, so mum spent a little bit of time driving around aimlessly this morning to get her off to sleep before the class. I think she had more of a power nap than a powerful sleep but she was more refreshed going into the pool.

She is the oldest in the class (the little one, not my mum as she may actually throttle me for writing that), so she is much more aware of what is happening than the tiny babies.  The Water Babies website explains that when they are newborn, babies have a genuine affinity with the water, having spent months in the womb suspended in fluid. So floating in a bath-tub temperature pool will, at the beginning, actually feel much more familiar than being on dry land. However, this innate confidence can diminish as babies get older, possibly leading to fear, which given the fact that my baby girl wraps herself tightly round Nanny may have something to do with it.

The teacher gently eased her away from my mum and instantly commented that she was cold, so went and wrapped her up in a wet suit. I can only imagine how cute she looked in a litle wet suit and she was much happier bobbing around in the water. So what have I been doing this evening? Siting looking at little wet suits for my gorgeous little Water Baby, combining my passion for shopping and my children. I love that they call it a "hug of an outfit". So once again, despite not being able to attend the lessons, who says I am not getting any personal benefit from these classes :-)

You may recall that my Mom took my little one to her first Water Babies class a few weeks ago. Unfortunately for us (but not for Mum), my Dad then decided to book a last minute holiday for them and off they jetted to Egypt for two weeks! Bless her, she was genuinely upset that she was going to miss the classes for a few weeks but we have had great fun in the bath each evening getting her (again, the little one not Nanny, because that would be weird) happy covering her face with water.

Water Babies teach unique methods that enable the little ones to feel at ease swimming both above and below the water and (hopefully) love the sensation of floating in such a warm, calm atmosphere. I have to be honest, our bath time preparations have not been quite as calming, I would probably go as far as raucous with significant splashing, lots of laughing and a very very wet bathroom (and mommy).

Nanny was exhausted after the last lesson but I think that was more to do with her being anxious before the class, when she realised how friendly and relaxing the whole experience would be, she couldn’t wait for the next class.

With my eldest daughter making great strokes (see what I did there) into her swimming now, I can’t wait for the little one to be joining her without water wings too. It still amazes me that for someone who loves water so much that my eldest hasn’t had the confidence for swimming lessons until she reached 7 years old. Water Babies is helping to make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself and with them teaching more than 28,000 (!!) children each week, I am confident in having two competent, contented little Water Babies.

I had a lovely tweet from Water Babies today asking Nanny and the little one would be back tomorrow, so as they approach the water, I am sure they can look forward to a warm welcome back to the classes …. just maybe not as warm as Egypt!

What happens when you have to remember the nappies, the wipes, the change of clothes, not forgetting the children .... but you forget your bank card, when you need to buy said replacement nappies or wipes!

Most of us run our lives from our phones these days but now you can withdraw money by using your phone too! Genuis for mums like me!