Why You Don't Need a Nursery

The modern nursery is an architectural intervention for a biological expectation of proximity. History and neuroscience suggest a different approach.

Walk into any baby store, and you will find entire sections dedicated to "nursery decor." Cribs, changing tables, gliders, mobiles, and wallpaper designed to create a separate space for your infant. This separation is a modern invention—specifically, a Victorian-era innovation designed for class distinction, not biological necessity.

Human infants are what anthropologists call "carry mammals"—species whose young are designed to be in constant physical contact with their caregivers. Unlike "caching mammals" (like rabbits), who leave their young in nests while foraging, human babies expect proximity. Their physiology depends on it: heart rate regulation, temperature control, and breathing patterns all stabilize when in contact with a parent's body ^[bergman].

Dr. Darcia Narvaez's concept of the "Evolved Nest" ^[narvaez] describes the conditions our species evolved to expect: constant physical contact, responsive feeding, and immediate comfort. The nursery, with its separate room and crib, creates distance that our biology did not anticipate.

Consider the practical reality: a parent who must walk down a hallway multiple times per night to tend to a crying infant experiences cumulative exhaustion. A side-car sleeper or floor bed in the parent's room allows for immediate response without full wakefulness. The proximity enables easier breastfeeding ^[newman], faster settling, and more rest for everyone.

The financial investment in nursery furniture—often thousands of dollars—could instead fund a quality mattress, safe sleep surface, and babywearing equipment that supports biological needs. The exhaustion saved by proximity is immeasurable.

Save the money on the decor. Invest in your own rest.