New and Expecting Moms Reveal Top Nursery Priorities, Concerns and Connections

SHELTON, Conn., March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For most moms, the nursery is considered a special space to interact, bond and love every moment with their baby. Often times creating and maintaining a nursery can be a daunting task, as moms strive to ensure this special room provides essential functionality, while also conveying a certain style.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100712/NY33801LOGO)

To help understand moms' views of the nursery environment and provide them with tools needed to create a stylish and functional nursery, Playtex recently commissioned a survey(i) on these topics.

According to the survey, an overwhelming majority of moms (87%) agree that it's important to put time into making the nursery a great area for their baby, and 82% of moms enjoy (or expect to enjoy) spending time in the nursery, with or without their little one.  Also, on a typical day, more than two thirds of moms (67%) spend (or expect to spend) three or more hours in the nursery – emphasizing the importance of making it a comfortable and beautiful space for little ones and the entire family.

To address the survey findings and help lead moms down the right path when it comes to designing their ideal nursery, Playtex partnered with Mary Bauer, celebrity nursery designer and founder/owner of Bratt Decor. Mary Bauer's designer work can be found in the nurseries of an impressive list of A-list clientele including Halle Berry, Heidi Klum and Mario Lopez.

"Moms are spending so much time in the nursery each day, so they really want to create a room that is fun and stylish, but also one that's functional for their little ones – and you can have both," says Mary Bauer. "By following a few simple tips when creating a nursery, moms can ensure that their journey is easy and enjoyable, and that they end up with the ideal nursery space for herself and her baby."

To help moms achieve both a stylish and functional nursery space in response to key insights revealed by moms, Mary provides a sampling of her expert tips and solutions below:

Ease up on Themes and Colors: Bright colors and busy patterns are loads of fun, but use these elements sparingly. Too much can overload the senses and make the room feel crowded. And don't go overboard on the themes – look for less obvious elements that speak to your theme, and keep them to a minimum.  

Make the Most of Your Room Size: If you have a small space, avoid using small scale furniture; instead, use a few normal-sized pieces, and choose furniture that can do double duty – like a changer that's a dresser, or an ottoman with a storage compartment. Also, use soft cool tones to make your room feel larger. Make a large room feel intimate by using low light when appropriate and taking advantage of fabulous floor coverings to minimize sound. And dark walls feel cozier – think navy, ochre and browns.

Create a Convenient Changing Space: The Playtex survey revealed that the changing table was the most essential nursery item for 57% of moms, and you want to ensure that this is well-stocked with baby wipes, diapers and an extra set of clothes right at your finger tips, so you never have a reason to leave your baby unattended. Position your diaper pail right next to the changing table and choose a pail that makes the whole process as easy as possible. The Diaper Genie II Elite® Pail offers a convenient foot pedal, allowing you to hold your child and dispose of a diaper at the same time.

Secure your Sleep Haven: Whatever your budget is, don't scrimp on the crib – it's the place where your baby spends the most time without you and should be a safe and comfortable space. And most moms agree – nearly three quarters (74%) of surveyed moms note that providing a safe sleeping environment for their little one in the nursery is their biggest worry. Make sure to check out new crib regulations released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission before making your purchase.

Make It Personal: Adding personality to your decor doesn't have to be super expensive – create your own personal touches in your nursery to make it meaningful to you. Include vintage photographs, your baby's silver cup, framed family heirloom christening gowns, or anything else that means a lot to you. This gives heritage to a brand new space, and makes it all your own.

"Planning a nursery that is stylish yet functional for a baby can be overwhelming for some moms," said Carolyn Turoczi, Brand Manager, Playtex Infant Care. "There's a lot to take on, and as a leader in infant care, we want to help moms feel comfortable with this process from start to finish. We are delighted to partner with Mary Bauer to help bring simple yet effective tips to moms who are creating their special nursery."

To help moms achieve their perfect nursery, Playtex is sponsoring the Dream Nursery Sweepstakes. Participants can register at PlaytexBaby.com to win $5,000 toward the nursery of their dreams. Two winners each week will also be chosen to receive a special Playtex infant care prize pack.  

For more tips and information, visit www.playtexbaby.com.

About the Diaper Genie II Elite® Pail

The Diaper Genie II Elite® Pail is the ultimate in baby diaper disposal systems. With Antimicrobial Protection built into the plastic to inhibit odor-causing bacteria, DOUBLE-LOCK design, five-layer refill system with unique odor-barrier technology and a design so that diapers touch only the refill film and not the pail, this diaper pail ensures a hygienic and mess-free disposal—your hands never touch the pail.  The Diaper Genie II Elite® Pail also has a convenient foot pedal for hands-free disposal, and an ergonomic, taller design so moms don't need to bend down to insert diapers, making it simple to hold baby and dispose of diaper at the same time.

About Playtex® Products for Infant Care

Playtex Infant Care, a division of Energizer Personal Care, is a leading manufacturer and distributor of infant products including the Playtex® Drop-Ins® Bottle System, Playtex® VentAire® bottles, a variety of Spill-Proof Guaranteed cups including The First Sipster®, Sipster® and the Insulator® and Coolster® Cups, Ortho-Pro® and Binky® Pacifiers and the Diaper Genie® Disposal Systems.

** Playtex and all other trademarks are licensed or owned by Playtex Products, LLC.

(i) The Nursery Survey was conducted online by Richard Day Research on behalf of Playtex between January 12 and January 16, 2011 among 1,004 mothers ages 18 and older selected from a national panel of moms maintained by Survey Sampling International. The survey included 504 expectant mothers and 500 mothers of infants ages 0-12 months old. With a pure probability sample of this size, one could say with 95 percent probability that the results based on the total sample of mothers have a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points. Results based only on the sample of expectant mothers or mothers of infants would have a sampling error of +/- 4 percentage points.

SOURCE Energizer Personal Care