With more millennials becoming parents, I see many of them posting on sites like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook (like millennials do!) their lavish nurseries for their newborns. 2018 Nursery Trends are very neutral. According to The Bump, a site for new and expecting mothers, "gray is the 'it' neutral right now." But is a gray nursery enough to nurture a growing baby's developing brain?
A newborn's retina cannot distinguish differences in neutral hues like an adult. The infant visual system can detect large contrast differences like black/white. A baby's retina does not fully develop until after birth, so even the nursery colors can impact a child's development. Though popular, shades of gray will not be enough visual stimulation to help a growing baby's brain develop.
According to Dr. Sears, a trusted resource for parents, black and white contrasts register powerfully on a baby's retina and send the strongest signals to the baby's brain to form complex neural connections. If you desire to decorate your baby's room in neutral colors, consider adding stripes, polka dots and patterns in black and white. Since a baby can only see clearly 8-12 inches from their face early on, add these contrasting patterns as sheets, pillows or crib padding.
An infant spends the majority of their first weeks eating and sleeping! Take advantage of the alert moments and engage your baby with colors, patterns and face to face interaction.