[Acolo]

We aren't even into our homestudy yet, but I am so anxious to start the nursery. I know it's early.. when did you start yours? I know it probably won't make a difference in the homestudy if it's done or just planned, but did any of you get it ready before the homestudy? Or started? Just curious. THanks!!

[amskillin]

I just started the nursery. We have been choosen and are waiting for baby to be born in late March. My suggestion to you would be to have some thoughts on your nursery and perhaps start collecting some of the special things you want for it. But I would wait to start painting, decorating and making large purchases until after your homestudy. The reason??? The time you will wait between homestudy and match and the wait time between match and baby can feel long and frustrating. You will need things to do to help keep your mind occupied.

I hope this helps. Also I suggest getting some good books and reading up on topics that you think might be helpful to you ie adoption, parenting, whatever floats your boat. Lastly, I recommend you keep a journal on your adoption. I have done that and it has been really great to read back to the beginning. You'd be amazed on the things that you think you would never forget, but you do. Also, this could be a special gift to your child someday.

Blessings to you and I hope this helped even just a little bit.

[wanttobeparents]

We didn't start the nusery for Matthew until he was 6 months old. He stayed in our room in a cradle until then. Even after the room was ready, I had problems sleeping in a different room from him.

For our homestudy, we showed the social worker the "junk" room and told her that was the future nursery. It was not a problem. We had nothing when Matthew arrived except a car seat and my brother brought over the cradle the day before he came home. Everything else arrived as word got out that a baby had come home.

For our homestudy for our second adoption, the social worker cracked up. The glass and brass end table with an elegant brass lamp attached was gone. In its place was a cheap pressed wood end table with padded, round corners and a lamp duct taped to it. (Hey, I'm from the south, we use duct tape for everything!) The trash cans were all on the counters out of reach, there were toys everywhere, our coffee table was a Thomas the Tank Engine table, and the desk drawers had yardsticks through the handles and locked on with baby locks. It's not pretty, but it works.

You will be fine for the homestudy.

Peggy

[joskimo]

I couldn't start the nursery until we were matched which was months after our homestudy. I did show the SW the catch-all room that we were going to fix up and that was sufficient.

[LisaCA]

hi,

we didn't do a nursery, mostly because I'm superstitious, and I didn't want it associated with one child (just in case). we had a room which was storage. the cats played there and we kept spare furniture etc in there (stuff that would be in the nursery, but since it wasn't arranged or decorated it wasn't the nursery ). we bought kids clothes at resale stores and garage sales put it in the bags and threw it in the room. when dd was born (we had less than 2 days of a match) we went into frenzy mode: I flew out to chicago while dh put stuff together. we didn't repaint, but I plan to paint it this summer.

btw, we didn't tell folks we were adopting right away (most knew it was "down the road", except for my inlaws who didn't even know we were thinking kids-didn't want them in my business) so a fixed nursery would have been "suspicious".

my feeling is to do what you feel is best. If you are comforted by doing the nursery, then go ahead. if it freaks you out for whatever reasons, then hold back. newborns do not need a fancy nursery, just a crib, food diapers and a few clothes. For those who want the perfect nursery, the earlier you get started the better.]

I agree amskillin, you can go crazy in this time. we did all the research on the best gear (took forever-I recommend "baby bargains"), priced everything, read a ton on parenting and adoption. we also checked out garage sales and resale shops for stuff. One thing i didn't do and i wish I had: buy clothes that are puke resistant. Most of my stuff was wool, silk, other things that don't do baby vomit well. So I'm now stuck in jeans, and sweats: don't let this happen to you! a few knit skirts, pants, jackets, nice stuff from J.jill or eddie bauer, old navy, etc. will go a long way. I have no time to shop or try stuff on now, so I'll be this way for a while. anyway, who knew that baby puke can take the color out of fabrics? well, no one warned me:-).

LisaCA

[lmrod55]

We painted the nursery when we started the homestudy and ordered the co-sleeper (which we used for the first 2 months). Once we were matched we went and ordered the furniture, only b/c we knew once the baby arrived we were not going to have time to go out and shop for it. The furniture was set up in the nursery a week before dd came home (we lucked out that they had it in stock, or less the wait time was 6 to 8 weeks).

Like you, and others, stated we didn't need anything but a room to show our sw for the homestudy.

If you feel up to starting it, I'd say start a little at a time. Enjoy!!

[traceyk]

I am in the middle of our homestudy and our nursery is DONE! I felt that after 2 years of infertility and having a long time to know what I wanted, I couldn't resist. Besides, family members have bought ALL the furniture so I figured I better have a place to put them in. I know DH mother would have been offended if she bought it and it just sat in the boxes KWIM? Whatever you want to do I think is fine.

[Mommy2amiracle]

Hi!

We didn't start the nursery until our son was placed with us. He spent 5 weeks in the NICU so we had plenty of time to work on it. We are currently finishing our homestudy for baby #2 and will not do anything until placement as well. We don't want ds #1 to think a baby is coming soon and then if there is a fall through on placement or it takes a long time to be matched!

Good Luck!

[Smonique]

I think that you should start the nursery when ever you feel its right for you. That doesnt necessarily mean that you will finish it, but I do think starting it would be fine.

[Overwhelmed!]

We waited to decorate the nursery until AFTER we had been matched, Jacob had been placed with us, and the termination paperwork had been signed 5 days later. Then we started putting the nursery together. Jacob is 5 weeks (almost 6 weeks) old and the nursery is finally almost finished. He's been sleeping in a bassinet in our room this whole time but we're slowly introducing him to his crib in the nursery and he seems to like the Sea Life design that we chose!

[.xXTammyXx.]

Hi there!

We actually have just started our nursery and we just received a copy of our approved home study. I didn't want to do it to soon as a constant reminder of what I am dreaming and waiting of.. but now I'm excited to see it all put together!

I also figured that now is a good time because it will help keep our minds off of all the "WAITING"!

-Tammy

[bobbalove]

My wife and I decided to wait until after we were matched with a birthmother. We thought we would have all sorts of time to get it after we matched. Our daughter was born six days after we matched. Needless to say we did not get it done before we got home. We did have a month to shop while we were waiting for the legal stuff to go through. Now that we are at home I am just getting started. What fun!

[BuckarooBanzai]

We never started it. For both of our adoptions, we were open to an infant or toddler. So we did not want to have an infant's room ready if we were matched with a toddler.

When we got matched for our first son, we had a 5 week notice that really was 3 weeks. We were caught off guard that we had to buy diapers on the way back from the hospital when he was released to us.

I know for us, we did not want to be staring at an empty nursery. It would have been too hard emotionally for us.

[Missourimomtobe]

We recently bought a crib for our grandson to sleep in (hubby's daughter is 24 with new baby) so I'm very slowly starting to decorate. I'm trying not to do too much but have picked out a theme (Mickey and Minnie Mouse!) and am planning to sort of "pick up" things as I see them ... nothing too elaborate BUT it keeps me happy and motivated to handle this lengthy process. I just don't want to do too much because I don't want to jinx anything! However, there are definitely days when I just close the door to that room ... no sense in staring at it all the time.

Namaste,

[lovebeingmom2006]

Although I have chosen a theme and have started buying items for my nursery, I haven't started decorating it yet. I will put everything together when we are officially matched. Everything is being stored in my attic. I don't want to hear, negative things from family and friends right now. I am excited and I don't want anyone raining on my parade.