Getting Ready For Baby? Don’t Forget to Paint!

Preparing for a new addition to the family can be a daunting task with so many details to worry about.

Getting the nursery room ready doesn’t have to be a stressful endeavor if you have a plan in place. Some parents-to-be go all-out by turning the nursery into an indoor wonderland for their precious offspring. Others take a more practical approach and decorate in ways that will grow with their child. Either way, paint will be involved in the process, and there are many ways to use it that will ensure the room will be a comforting, nurturing place for your child.

Which Color to Choose?

When your baby comes home, the first colors he or she sees are black, white and grey. The next color babies recognize is red, which is not a paint color you want to use in a nursery room. Childcare experts suggest avoiding this color because it has the potential to confuse babies and affect their sleep patterns. Instead, you want to put your child at ease with colors that are soft, because an infant’s eyes perceive softer colors before bolder, brighter ones.

Neutral or Gender Specific?

The majority of parents today choose to find out the sex of their unborn children. This makes decorating easier. Others, however, choose more gender-neutral colors even if they know what they’re having. Today’s nursery doesn’t have to be pastel pink or blue. There are so many more options, like sage green, yellow, robin’s egg blue, pale greys, oranges, violets, and soft whites. A neutral paint gives more decorating options, and gives parents the option to choose from a great many styles of furniture. Moreover, a neutral paint will allow the nursery to grow with your child; as he or she grows, the room can be modified to suit their needs at every stage.

Which Paints are Safest?

An infant’s internal organs are still developing after they’re born, and their respiratory systems are particularly sensitive. That’s why you need to pay attention to the type of paint you choose to decorate the nursery.

Years ago, paints contained much higher levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are microscopic particles of dry solid fragments combined with droplets of liquid. When VOCs are inhaled, they can cause a variety of health problems, including adversely affecting lung function. Babies, elderly people, and those with compromised immune systems are particularly vulnerable to VOCs.

Today’s paints are subject to more stringent VOC regulation, but it is still important to choose a paint that has a 0 (low) VOC rating for the nursery. Those paints contain naturally-derived pigments and other ingredients that do not form VOCs. Regardless of which paint you choose, it is best to paint at least two-to-three weeks prior to when you will start using the nursery room, and ensure that the room is well-ventilated during and after painting.

A Professional Painter Can Help You Before Baby Arrives

Parents-to-be accept help from friends and family members to keep from becoming overwhelmed. Professional painters are another asset to have during this time because they can make preparing the nursery so much easier.

A professional painter will help you choose the paint that will work best with your decorative concept, as well as keep your child safe. Plus, a professional will do the painting for you, allowing you to turn your attention to other important tasks that must be accomplished before you welcome your child into the world.