You are having a baby! How exciting! And I know you are nervous, understandably so. I have been there. And one of the things that you may be wondering about (among so many other things because parenting will be creating a brand new journey for you to embark on) is what items to have in your baby's nursery. 

You may be thinking that you must fill up the baby's nursery with items that chances are you will not need in the end. This only makes the whole planning process overwhelming. Let's simplify this because all you need are 7 essential items set in place in the nursery before you bring your baby home. Let's go over those now.

1. A Crib

You probably knew this from the start, but now that you are seeing it on this list, a crib is a must-have. Be sure to only get a brand new crib that meets the current safety standards. Babies sleep for the majority of the day, even though they will be up in between those times quite often. Therefore, they need good quality and a comfortable crib.

We found this great Dream On Me Chelsea 7-in-1 Convertible Crib on Amazon. It's both super cute and also really functional with a great life span.

2. A Mattress

Getting the best crib mattress for your baby to sleep on is the next thing on the must-have items for your baby's nursery. Be sure it meets the current safety standards as well, and learn about the different types of cribs. This way, you will know which type is the most comfortable. Organic foam is a popular type, but again, after learning about the different types of mattresses, you can choose the one that you feel is the best. Make sure that the mattress fits perfectly in the crib without any gaps.

A really popular one that ticks all the boxes and has great reviews on Amazon is this Graco Premium Foam Crib and Toddler Mattress in a Box. 

3. Mattress Cover That Is Waterproof

Your baby will have plenty of accidents and leaks due to leaky diapers or from spitting up. Therefore, you will want to make sure that the mattress is protected. You need a waterproof mattress cover. This will save you so much work because you will not need to keep cleaning the mattress itself if you have the right protection on it. Thankfully the mattress above comes with a waterproof cover straight out of the box.

4. Crib Sheets

You will need plenty of crib sheets. In fact, you will want to get at least 7 to start with. As you already know, the mattress needs a cover for protection. This means that leaks will constantly stain the sheets. You need to have extras on hand in order to change them. You also don't want to do laundry all the time which is why it is important to have several.

You know we love neutral colors so we've found a lovely pack of 3 by The American Baby Company

5. A Rocking Chair And A Pillow

Whether you are nursing or formula-feeding your baby, you need a rocking chair as well as a pillow. It is best to have it placed right next to the crib. This way, you can feed your baby in the nursery while rocking the chair a little as it is soothing. The pillow will keep you and your baby comfortable during the feeding.

We've always been massive fans of the Windsor Glider and Ottoman. It comes in a great range of colors and also has handy pockets for storing the essentials. It doesn't hurt that it look so stylish either.

6. Dresser With Drawers

You need a dresser and make sure it has plenty of drawers. You don't need a changing table. Instead, you will want to get a portable changing pad that comes in the diaper bag and use that on top of the dresser for changing the baby. A changing table will only take up extra space and it is not necessary with this hack in place. The drawers are important as you will have many items for the baby that will need to be stored.

Sticking with the grey theme hahaha, here's the Delta Children Sutton 3 Drawer Dresser with Changing Top. It does have the option of buying with a changing pad, just in case you really want one :)

7. Clothing, Sleepers, Wipes, Blankets, And Diapers

This falls into the obvious category as this is likely the first thing you were thinking about when it comes to preparing for your baby's arrival. Be sure to have plenty of clothing as well as sleepers. Get plenty of swaddling blankets, and be sure to be packed up with plenty of newborn diapers. Get a box, and place it in the nursery.

You also need a diaper bag, binkies, bottles, a pump if you are nursing. and creams and ointments. However, focus on these essentials for the baby's nursery, and in time, you can always grab more items once your baby grows and adapts.

Of course, everyone is different, and there's no set rules on what you should buy, but this should at least get you started

Best of luck!!   You got this mama