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The moment a baby enters your world is one of the most special moments in your life. A newborn baby is so natural, innocent and pure. It is these attributes which I wanted to reflect in Baby’s surroundings in her first nursery space.

The Natures Purest Moses Basket, Moses Basket Stand and Bamboo Knitted Blanket, not only look incredibly natural – they are made from beautifully natural materials.

The Natures Purest Moses Basket is made from woven maize and lined with 100% natural cotton. Inside the basket is a mattress pad, with a natural cotton fitted sheet and carry handles. The neutral coloured cotton products in the Natures Purest range are described as ‘naturally coloured cotton’. Interestingly, this refers to the cotton pigmented fibre that grows in shades of green and brown. The neutral colour is from the cotton plants inherent genetic properties. It is 100% free from fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals.

To compliment the beautiful Moses Basket, Baby has a Natures Purest Bamboo Knitted Blanket which is wonderfully sized for the Moses Basket and her pram. The blanket is made from 100% reconstituted bamboo fibre. I’ve machined washed it and it washes like cotton. The bamboo is so silky soft against Baby’s precious skin. With a baby ‘expected’ to spend 16 hours per day sleeping in their first year, it’s important to surround them with healthy natural products in their sleep environment, such as the Moses Basket and Bamboo Blanket.

The Natures Purest Moses Basket can be used in ‘stand alone mode’. I’ve found the Moses Basket quite portable and at times have securely rested the Moses Basket on furniture in the lounge room. The best option is placing the Moses Basket in the Natures Purest Moses Basket Stand. The stand is fully compatible with the Moses Basket and is available in White or Walnut. I opted for White to match the neutral tones in Baby’s Nursery and around my home.

The Natures Purest Moses Basket and Stand is designed to hold babies up to 8.1kg. I must say my newborn baby looks so pure and innocent when sleeping in her Moses Basket. I love that is sturdy and strong giving me confidence that Baby is safe while she is resting.

The Moses Basket is easy to keep clean. The basket itself can be wiped down with a damp cloth and mild soap. While the removable liner, fitted sheet and carry handle covers are all machine washable.

To find out more on the Natures Purest Moses Basket, Stand, Bamboo Blankets and Nursery collection visit the www.naturespurest.com.au

This little haven for baby could have previously been a study or office, or it’s a specific bedroom you have in mind, or you’re working with a temporary and space constrained arrangement. I’m in the latter situation, so every inch and potential source of storage counts.

There are essentials to a nursery that have to be your first priority when you’re not working with palatial luxuries. These are some of them:

• Somewhere for baby to sleep: from newborn to about four months, then four months to toilet training age, then onwards…
• Somewhere for baby to be fed
• Somewhere for baby to have a bath
• Somewhere for baby to be changed
• Somewhere for storage

Then there’s making it all look nice, and decorating is definitely the fun bit.

I got my baby kit induction at Baby Kingdom, where they have prototype nurseries set up so you can see how all this stuff fits together. So this blog is a focus on somewhere for baby to sleep.

Sleepy time

I’m slightly amused by the need for a cot, given that all you hear is that babies never sleep. But you do need one sooner or later. Baby’s sleeping arrangement is an important investment. You might want to think beyond ‘just a cot’, especially given that you can plan for up to about three years ahead – and convert the furniture for other uses beyond that – and save yourself a bundle.

You can go for high quality wood and an obvious top-of-the-range quality or for a more budget conscious solution. They really do all look great.

Many cots upscale to become toddler beds. There are chests of draws that can accommodate a change table top, then later a hutch with bookshelves – great for adaptable storage so you can just top it up as you go and as your needs and space constraints change.

For my money, I love the Tasman Eco and King Parrot products – but then I’m working with a nursery space that needs to accommodate well proportioned options. Also, if being environmentally conscious is high on your priority list, I have to say the Tasman Eco range is great.

Tasman Eco has not only thought about adaptability in your home, but that grandparents will also be a big part of Baby’s life too. So their cots are designed to transform from chaise lounge to cot and back again. I’m leaning towards the Siena in white. Which would look lovely at my Mum’s place. For my place – when we finally get one – I quite like the Tuscany.

In the King Parrot range I like the Yarra and the Daintree cots. It’s great that this stuff is made using Queensland timber, too, so less on the old carbon footprint, a homegrown choice and it’s a good middle of the range solution that is still of a really gorgeous quality.

Both Tasman Eco and King Parrot have excellent warranties too and you can have a cot-and-mattress bundle deal on some of them at Baby Kingdom.

Mattresses

You can go for inner spring, foam or latex mattresses. I like the Tasman Eco latex boori mattress, which is very reasonably priced.

In the beginning

As a starter for the first four months, I love the Tasman Eco Amore bassinette and King Parrot Cub bassinette. I am also thinking about a Moses basket from Mothercare.

Having a bassinet or Moses basket is a very personal choice. It’s absolutely fine to put your baby straight in a cot, in fact I’ve heard many people recommend that it’s easier in the long run because there are no transitional issues later. I’m just one of those people that would quite like Junior to feel snuggly for the first few months and to be able to move them around the house with me throughout the day. But it is not essential that you have a specific newborn sleeping option – a cot is fine.