In accordance with the latest published data from medical aid schemes in South Africa, the average cost of a natural birth in a private hospital is around R25,000, including two to three days spent in hospital. If your baby is delivered by Caesarean section, the cost jumps significantly.  On average, South African parents lay out somewhere in the region of R90 000 per year to raise their children.

The good news is that you don’t need to compromise on costs to deck out your baby room.  Baby and I have a wonderful selection of furniture and décor to choose from, that will grow with your baby, lasting from birth to early childhood.

The question then is, how do you choose what will work best for you, your taste in décor and obviously what works best for your budget?

Practical Decor

The main thing you’re wanting to do is create a space that is warm, inviting, comfy and cosy and the easiest way to achieve this is through layering up and textures.  In any nursery there are three main zones, sleeping, changing and feeding.  So layer the nursery furniture to bring in more colour, texture, materials and patterns.  For example, place a side table next to the nursery chair and an ottoman in front of the nursery chair. 

Something to consider is that you don’t have to choose colours that are traditionally associated with children.  Earth inspired neutral coloured nurseries are trending right now and create the opportunity for you to throw in wonderful pops of colour with items such as pieces of art for the wall, cushions and curtains, that can easily be changed out over the years, but at minimal expense.  Here again, curtains and cushion covers can add another layer through using texture.

A great way to bring all three areas of the nursery together is through the use of a rug.  Again, choose a colour that is practical but aesthetically pleasing and blends well with the rest of the neutral colours in the room.  Rugs also add texture and can be used to add colour to compliment the neutral colours, but there is a possibility that they may need to be changed out a little sooner as baby grows, depending on your choice of colour.

Make baby’s room feel lived in.  An example is to keep the blanket that was just used, thrown over your rocking chair.  A cute little outfit hanging on the doorknob of the cupboard rather than neatly packed away, says, this room is baby’s and it’s being used to the full!

To create a baby’s room with longevity in mind, you will need to give some thoughts to whether or not to use baby-type themed sets for your décor.  Whilst these are colourful and create a warm and fuzzy feeling, they tend to become outdated within the first two or three years.  Baby and I have beautiful, wall compacta and shelves that add an aesthetically pleasing touch whilst being practical as well. These are all classical designs and can easily last through baby years and into early childhood. 

As example, our House Shelf, is such an elegant wall piece, it will make any little human happy. Our Hexagon Shelves are the best at transforming a boring wall and the beauty of these shelves is that they can be used in baby’s room as well as any other part of the house.

Timeline for Preparation of Nursery

• Choose a theme and your budget by 18-20 weeks.
• Order your furniture by 21-23 weeks.
• Paint or wallpaper by 23-25 weeks.
• Choose storage solutions and get those installed by 25-27 weeks.
• Add all the extras to make it beautiful by 27-30 weeks.
• By 36 weeks have it all complete.

Furniture

Essential pieces of furniture for your nursery include a crib/cot, dresser and chair.  Consider function when choosing a dresser – optimal storage is what you’re looking for.  For extra storage, choose a simple design toy box, painted in a neutral colour, that can initially be used to store all baby’s necessities such as nappies, bum creams and the like and as baby gets bigger, it can be used for what it is originally intended.

One of the biggest outlays for baby’s room will be baby’s cot.  Choose a cot that can morph into a bed. Our Baby and I Deluxe House set is so versatile, consisting of a compactum, toy storage unit and a stylish cot that turns into a toddler bed. The Baby and I Flipper Cot will carry your little one from birth to seven years!  Now that’s great value for money.

When selecting a chair, at Baby and I, our Rocking Chairs, have a high-grade density foam seat and super soft A-grade foam for the backrest that makes these chairs so comfortable for the hours you will spend in it feeding and nurturing the baby. The wooden sleigh rocker provides gentle and relaxing rocking for mom and baby. The deep seat cushion provides comfort and support. The ottoman is traditionally rounded-shaped and great to rest your legs on.  

At Baby and I, we love our quality locally made furniture and are so proud to be of service to you! Extreme care has been taken in the manufacture of all our furniture. We strive to bring you quality, functionality, durability, and prettiness. Best of all is that all our furniture is proudly and locally manufactured in South Africa. 

Our locally manufactured furniture is produced with quality paints and hardwearing materials. As far as possible we have made use of rounded edges.

Baby & I Melrose offers a unique experience as a Baby Boutique in South Africa. We hold a niche in the baby and children’s industry by providing the world’s premier shopping experience for expectant and new parents. From cots to travel systems to educational toys to nursery décor, we have an exclusive range to help you welcome your bundle into your life.

As a Premier Baby Boutique in South Africa, we focus on offering exceptional essential baby products and brands with attention to detail and providing quality items all delivered to your door. 

We offer premium brands and products available at your fingertips 24 hours a day.