When it came to doing a Nursery up for my baby I had gone through a terrible and traumatic time. My Father died of cancer when I was in my fifth month. I had moved years earlier and lived on the other side of the country where I met and
married my husband, bought my first house and was expecting my first child. When dad first got sick, I went back and forth a few times without my Hubby to give Mum and dad support and for myself as not being up to date was more stressful than being there myself. When he finally got the bad news that time was running out for him, I went back again. My husband could only come for short spurts because someone had to keep working. I had been running and working in my own Nanny business, and this I had to give up as I could not do both and be 1000's of killometers away.
After my Dad passed awaay I stayed with my Mum for support of her and my sister who had seen a great deal of loss in the 2 years prior and was not coping very well. I was away from home for about 2 months. I taught my Mum how to tow their caravan (they had retired and were just beginning their tour around Australia when Dad got diagnosed). Mum and I drove across Australia from country Victoria to Kalgoorlie in the West Australian Gold Fieds where I now live. I was being Mum's rock, I couldn't drink or take any anti-anxiety medication because I was pregnant. When we got to my home after a week of driving across Australia I decided I had to do something with my Mum that would re-focus our lives in a positive way and something we could share that would cheer us up. We decorated the Nursery.
The choice to decorate the Nursery was for me, for my Mum, for my husband who had missed so much of my pregnancy that it wasn't all that real to him and for the baby that was at that time the only bright light we could see.
As I had not been working and had done a great deal of travelling which is expensive, money was tight and the Nursery had to be done on a very tight budget. I was blessed however with generous Grand Parents and my sister who bought from her other half sister a barely used car seat which was in perfect condition and had never been in an accident etc. I think buying a second hand carseat from someone you know and trust is fine and even a good thing. The money my Grandmother had given me to purchase a brand new car seat went towards the room decoration, we had $275.00.
I had decided to convert my study into the Nusery because it was closest to our bedroom, it was pale green and covered in marks etc from having great shelf untis in there which had housed the toys and activities I took on my Nanny jobs (I was unusual in that I supplied everything needed to entertain and educate children of all ages.).
Mum and I cleared everything out, washed down the walls with suger soap and went shopping. We went to a discount store and bought a cute teddy Bear Border and paste, went to K-Mart and bought removable Pooh stickers and went op-shopping where I found a wooden Change table for $10.00. From one of my clients (I became great friends with all of them) I bought a second Hand Cot with mattress and she threw in some linen and a quilt too. I also got a highchair and some other little things for my baby (whom I found out for my Dad was going to be girl) to grow into.
We put up the border we put the removable stickers over the worst of the marks on the wall. I painted an old wooden book shelf and sanded and painted the change table to match each other. I even managed to buy a sliding rocker chair from an Op-Shop for $25.00. Mum and I put up a shelf, My Hubby put together a toy box we had bought when we first got pregnant and we put the cot in there all done up with a mobile I got from an Op-Shop for $2.00 (it's a play gro one). The room looked great, doing it on the budget was also great as it made it more of a challenge which was in itself a great distraction that forced our creative juices to flow. I washed some of my old toys from my business and set them up in wait for my daughter. It is a beautiful room. It is warm and relaxing. I was blessed on Christmas Day with a beautiful and healthy baby girl who never slept in a basinet but went straight to the cot in HER beautiful room. Doing up the room relaxed me, made me happy and better able to cope in a sad and stressful time. If you are or are not enjoying your pregnancy and you feel the desire to make something beautiful then do it. It needn't cost a fortune to have the best and something lovely, it takes a little patience, work, perserverance, good friends and family and a little luck.
Let us not forget that a happy Mum makes for a happy child and husband/partner. So be a little self indulgent. Have some fun during your pregnancy. Share the experience with those you love and create a tangible beautiful space you can all enjoy and pass down to your child. A border can be soaked off and removed withing hours if you need to sell your home or change the space. Removable stickers are just that. What is the big deal. My daughters room is the most beautiful and soothing rooms in my home. She sleeps 11 hours a night without waking up at all and has done for several months. Her first night in there at one day old she slept well. Would she have if I had done nothing but put a cot in there, perhaps, would I have felt as happy and relaxed on entering it? No, does that effect my baby? I'm sure it does.
Doing things that make you feel a sense of accomplishment, happy and relaxed is not only not completely selfish and a waste of money but it is reccomended. So you do what FEELS right for you and if you are happy your entire family will be happy. I think there is a big difference between being selfish or self centred and being self indulgent. Letting yourself lapse so you can only do for your family is the ultimate in selfishness because love is selfsih. We love so we can be loved, we love because to love makes us feel good, so indulge in it, don't obsess on it, and love yourself a little every now and then too, everyone else will appreciate the happier more fulfilled you.
Be a Happy Mummy, you deserve it.
(August 2006) (
