Putting a nursery together for your new baby is exciting but can be a little daunting, especially if it’s your first time. We asked VICKI CHUARD from Petit Tippi, a one-stop shop for natural, eco-friendly and organic baby products, for her expert advice on decking out a nursery.
What are the essential items for a nursery?
Despite what we’re often led to believe, newborn babies actually need very little. All you really need is a crib or bassinet, some newborn nappies, a few changes of onesies and clothing to cover them from head to toe, a good swaddle, a tub to bathe them in and a car seat to bring them home. If you’ve got those, you’re ready!
What’s your advice for small spaces?
Remember, you don’t know exactly what your baby will want or need. So, buy the essentials and purchase additional items later. Secondly, invest in quality products that are versatile and grow with your baby.
What’s on trend, bright colours or neutrals?
Definitely neutrals and earthy tones. Some like to have a pop of colour, but I get a lot of requests for gender-neutral colours, especially from first-time mums who are expecting to expand their family in the future. Blush, grey, mustard and classic white or off-white are extremely popular at the moment.
Is it possible to be “zero waste” when you have a baby?
Yes, absolutely, and one of our goals is to make that as easy as possible for you! When you’re bleary-eyed from sleep deprivation, it can seem like the least important thing in the world, but some very easy switches can go a very long way. You can unconsciously create a lot of chemical and plastic waste, which is harmful to the environment as well as your baby, but we can help if that’s something that you care about.
Zero-Waste Nursery Switches
- Nappies: Swap disposable nappies for reusable ones. This applies especially for swim nappies, as the resusable varieties are much more effective – not to mention cuter!
- Wipes: Swap disposable wipes for cloth, washable wipes and refillable wipe pouches.
- Milk storage bags: When you’re pumping, try swapping single-use milk storage bags for freezable glass or silicone containers or an ice tray.
- Plastic zip lock bags: Instead of single-use plastic zip-lock bags, try the super cute reusable bags you can find in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They work well for snacks, pacifiers, toys, sunscreen – you name it.
Petit Tippi was founded with the purpose of offering less mainstream parenting products, specialising in natural, eco-friendly and organic baby products. The store offers solutions to cloth diapering, breastfeeding products and aids, zero waste, baby wearing, baby-led weaning and more.
See more in our Mums & Babies section:
3 tips for new mothers in Hong Kong
How yoga helped this mum of four
Expat guide to international schools in Hong Kong
This article first appeared in the August/September 2019 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
