Planning and designing your Baby girl’s nursery is an exciting project! A nursery needs to be practical with all of the useful items, but it still can look adorable! Style and practicality go together well for nurseries, and you’re probably wondering what are the baby girl nursery essentials.
For each of my kids, I’ve loved creating a special space for them, even if it’s a shared space with their siblings. You want a special spot just for your baby to welcome them, and it also helps with the building anticipation as you near your due date!
So, let’s take a look at what I consider to be the top baby girl nursery essentials. Of course, there are tons of other items that you may want to purchase, like decorations for a specific theme. These are essentials that you definitely want to have!
A Crib or Bassinet
The most obvious nursery essential that you want to purchase is a Crib or a bassinet. Some purchase both, like me, because they both serve separate purposes.
A bassinet is smaller and can be wheeled from place to place. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents room share for the first six months to one year, so it makes it easier to do so with a bassinet.
The downsides to bassinets are that they only last for a few months. Some are small and your baby will quickly outgrow them. All bassinets need to stop being used once your child is able to sit up independently, around six months. Other brands recommend that you stop using the bassinet once your baby is able to roll over, which can happen as early as eight weeks.
Cribs are long-term investments that will last for years to come. You can use a crib until your child is around three years old unless he learns how to climb out of it sooner. Convertible cribs transition to toddler beds and, some, full-sized beds.
Purchasing a crib is a big investment, and you can wait until after your child is born to buy one if you use a bassinet first. They’re larger, so most parents aren’t able to keep a crib in their room if you do want to room share.
If you have some money to spend, I think the Evolur Madison Crib is the perfect choice for a baby girl nursery. The antique finish is adorable and adds a unique touch to your nursery. It’s a 5-in-1
If you’re on a budget, the Delta Children Emery 4-in-1 Crib is a highly-rated choice. It has curves and nice touches that make it a favorite among parents.
A Crib Mattress
If you decide to go with a crib, then you do need to get a crib mattress. Bassinets come with their mattress, so no need to worry!
Don’t just go and purchase the first crib mattress that you find. Cheap mattresses may not be as firm as doctors recommend. Pediatricians recommend that infants sleep on firm mattresses. The firmer, the better!
Also, some parents are concerned with the toxic chemicals that may be inside the mattress. If that’s you, look for organic crib mattresses or Oeko-Tex certified ones. Some mattresses are free of chemicals that might be dangerous for your infant.
Even though the Moonlight Slumber Dream Dual Crib is a bit pricier than other picks, we love that it is dual sided. One side of the mattress is firm for your infant and the other side is softer for toddlers. It uses waterproof, durable fabric, so it’s a great choice if you want to use it for multiple kids!
If purchasing an organic crib mattress is important for you, the Colgate Eco Classica is our pick for the best organic crib mattress. It’s GreenGuard certified and features dual firmness that offers the firmness infants need with the comfort toddlers crave.
Crib Sheets
You need at least one extra set of crib sheets, but I prefer to have three sets altogether. That means I have one to keep on the mattress, one for the laundry, and one to keep on standby!
I love cozy crib sheets for my babies! You can find ones that match your theme for your nursery and in every color possible.
Make sure that you keep everything else out of your child’s crib. You should only have the crib, mattress pad, and sheets. The safest crib is an empty crib.
I used the American Baby Company Crib Sheets for my daughter, and they’re so incredibly soft. They’re 100% cotton, jersey knit. Your little girl will snuggle right into them!
Waterproof Mattress Pads
I highly recommend mattress pads for all mattresses, not just babies! I keep a waterproof mattress pad on all of my kids’ beds, including my older kids. They’re super handy and useful.
Babies are messy. They puke, spit-up, and have diaper explosions on a regular basis. A waterproof mattress pad prevents all of those nasties from soaking into your brand new crib mattress! It helps to preserve the life of your mattress, so you’ll hopefully be able to use it for multiple kids.
All you need is something that’s basically like the American Baby Company Waterproof Fitted Crib Mattress Pad. It’s inexpensive, comfortable, and serves the purpose that you want! Can’t get better than that.
Baby Monitors
It’s hard to be away from your baby, whether it’s when your baby is asleep or when you go to work. Baby monitors let you have constant visual and visual contact with your baby at all times.
Some parents just want simple audio-only baby monitors. Those work great if you live in a small house and just want something that lets you know when your baby wakes up from his nap.
If you have a larger home or want to be able to see your baby, a video and audio monitor is pricier but worth the money. Some hook up to the wireless network in your home, so you can check on your baby even if you aren’t home. That works great for a nanny cam as well!
It’s hard to pick the absolute best baby monitor because everyone has different needs and desires. I do recommend the Infant Optics DXR-8. It’s an audio and video monitor with over 12 hours of battery life and the ability to expand to up to four cameras.
If you’re just looking for a simple baby monitor, the VTech DM221 is a good choice. It’s budget-friendly, has a 1,000-foot range, a talk-back intercom, and a night light!
A Spot to Change Your Baby
Babies dirty thousands of diapers during their two to three years of life before they potty train. You become a master at changing diapers on the fly wherever your child may be. It is nice to have a changing table or a changing pad in their nursery.
A changing table gives you a place to store all of those little odds and ends that collect. You can store diapers and wipes there as well. Plus, a changing area gives you a spot to change your baby in the middle of the night and a comfortable place for your baby to get ready each day.
My favorite changing table is the Delta Children Eclipse Changing Table. The curved back matches the design for their crib, so you can get the entire set. The table meets all ASM safety standards, and it has two shelves for storage. Add a few baskets there for odds and ends or diaper storage!
If you don’t want to dedicate a huge piece of furniture to this, try a changing pad on top of a dresser. You’ll need a dresser anyway, and if you get a wide, low dresser, you’ll have plenty of space for a contoured changing pad.
Summer Infant Contoured Changing Pad is the top-rated choice by parents. It’s budget-friendly, contoured for comfort, and it has a safety strap. You don’t have to worry about your baby accidentally falling off the changing area.
A Dresser
Babies end up with tons of clothes. Baby clothes are seriously the cutest thing ever! Plus, you’ll have a stockpile of bibs, burp cloths, and blankets. You need a place to store those as well!
Find something that matches your dresser if you want an organized look for your nursery. A tall, thinner dresser would work if you don’t want a changing pad and want to take up less space. I’ve even used tall dressers with fabric storage bins for a dresser when I was short on space! If that sounds appealing to you, I used the mDesign Vertical Dresser Storage Tower. It’s awesome!
If you go for the Delta Children crib, you should get their Delta Children Universal Dresser. It comes in different colors, and it’s very well-made. There are six drawers, and the top is wide enough for a changing pad if you decide to go that route.
A Diaper Pail
Some parents love diaper pails and others don’t. It is a handy tool where you can place all of those nasty dirty diapers and help mask the smell a bit. No diaper pail will ever mask the entire stink of dirty diapers. It’s poop and pee after all!
Parents have several options for diaper pails that help to mask the odor and keep your baby girl’s nursery tidy and sanitary. Plus, you don’t have to bring the diaper to the trash every time your baby has a dirty diaper, which is all the time.
You can find several choices for the best diaper pail, but I love the Ubbi Diaper Pail. It doesn’t require any special bag. I personally prefer any product that I don’t have to purchase refills for on a regular basis. It’s made of steel which locks in the smell plus it has rubber seals around the rim for an airtight lock. Cloth diapering parents love it!
A Clothes Hamper
You need a place to put all of those dirty baby clothes! A hamper is a cheap item that you can keep beside your changing table.
Many parents like to separate their baby’s dirty clothes from their adult clothes. Baby clothes are tiny and easily lost especially socks. Plus, you might want to wash your baby’s clothes in a different laundry detergent. Babies often have sensitive skin and using a detergent meant for babies can help to reduce the risk of skin irritation.
You’ll love the Munchkin Laundry Hamper. It comes with a lid, and it’s a neutral grey color. That means it’ll match any theme that you have. The hamper is lightweight with a large capacity. The handles are soft and padded for easy lifting and moving. Then, it folds flat for storage.
A Nightlight
I definitely put a nightlight as a must-have nursery essential. You’ll be stumbling in and out of the nursery throughout the night for years to come. Do you want to break your toe on the corner of the crib? Don’t ask me how I know that can happen.
You can get a simple night light that plugs into your outlet that just emits enough light to see where you’re going. Too much light can disturb your baby’s sleep, and that’s the last thing you want! Some fancier night lights have timers and ceiling displays to entertain your baby.
Even though it’s more expensive than the average night light, I have to recommend the Hatch Baby Rest Night Light. Hatch Baby is a night light, a sound machine, and a time-to-rise alarm. You can control the entire thing from your phone, making it convenient. It grows with your child since the time-to-rise timer won’t be needed until he is older.
A Rocking Chair or Glider
Some people don’t think these are essentials but I sure do. I’ve always rocked my babies to sleep; I think it’s the easiest way! You want someplace you can sit comfortably for those middle of the night feedings.
I’ve kept the glider in my nursery, but I’ve also kept it in my living room and my bedroom. So, it might not be a “nursery” essential, but many parents do keep a rocking chair or someplace comfortable to sit with their baby in the nursery.
I recommend not using a classic wooden rocking chair. Those are adorable and timeless, but they aren’t comfortable enough for hours and hours of feeding. I love the chairs that have a footrest as well. Even if you aren’t nursing to sleep, the glider can be a place where you rock your baby to sleep each day before laying him in his crib for nap and bedtime.
Try the Delta Children Lancaster Rocking Chair. Even though it is a bit expensive, Delta Children used LiveSmart fabric to keep the chair looking brand new for years to come. It’s easy to clean and the chair has a gentle, smooth rocking motion that your baby will love.
If you want an ottoman for your feet, try the Storkcraft Hoop Glider and Ottoman. It features side pockets and soft upholstery that families love. The fabric is easy to keep clean, and the padded arm cushions keep you comfortable.
Shelves for Storage
Babies collect all kinds of items, like toys and books. You need storage for those items. Some parents love cubicle shelves with fabric storage bins. Others prefer actual bookshelves. Ideally, the storage system will be something that your child can access himself as he gets older. You don’t want to put his toys up so high he can’t reach them!
Try something like the Munchkin Nursery Essentials Organizer, or find a cubicle system to place in the nursery. Cubicle systems are nice too because you can pick fabric storage bin colors that match your nursery theme.
White Noise Machine
The last nursery essential that I suggest you get is a white noise machine. Sound machines help your baby get a restful sleep by providing consistent background noise. These sounds mimic the sounds he might have heard in the womb. Most babies sleep better with some type of noise.
I recommended the Hatch Baby Rest Night Light above, but if you want something that’s just a sound machine, give the Big Red Rooster Baby White Noise Machine a try! It has six sleep sounds, and it’s portable! Plus, it’s affordable, so you don’t need to break the bank.
Final Words
Designing your baby girl’s nursery should be fun. Look up themes and search Pinterest for new designs. It’s a great way to spend the weeks and months before your baby girl makes her appearance.
You want the nursery to be perfect. It should have all of the features your baby needs, plus things that keep you and your baby comfortable. Only you can decide what you do and do not need. If it saves time or makes life just a bit easier, I say go for it!
Do you have any baby girl nursery essentials I didn’t include in this list? Let us know in the comments!
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