Whether you’re becoming a new parent or expecting your third child, preparing for a baby is
an exciting time in life.
However, expecting comes with a long list of things to do before the baby arrives. Having a newborn can bring so much joy to you and your partner, but it can also be tiring and overwhelming.
To help you prepare for your newest family member, there’s much you can do before your baby arrives.
Below is a list of things that will help you prepare for the big day.
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Preparations to Make Before Your Baby Arrives
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Have Supplies Ready
Before bringing your baby home, you want to ensure you have supplies purchased, assembled,
and ready to go. To avoid stressful last-minute shopping, start buying your supplies early.
Newborn baby checklists are available and can provide you peace of mind when it comes to planning out everything you need.
Before your baby arrives, it’s helpful to have these items on hand:
● Bibs, burp cloths, and blankets
● Onesies and hats
● Bottles and formula (as a backup)
● Diapers and wipes
After purchasing the supplies, ensure everything is ready to go. This includes assembling the crib or bassinet and properly installing the car seat.
Be sure to wash items like clothes and blankets in gentle detergent meant for a newborn’s sensitive skin, as well as rinse all bottles and pacifiers.
Having supplies organized and ready to go will allow for easy use. The better you prepare for your baby beforehand, the easier the transition will be.
Here’s a complete baby registry checklist as well.
Prepare the Nursery
Having your baby’s room completed before they arrive is an important step in the preparation process. It’s best to start on your nursery early on – that way you have plenty of time to make
decisions.
There are different directions in which you can go when it comes to decorating, like waiting until you know the gender of the baby or going with a gender-neutral room.
Start by clearing out the room you’re dedicating to as the nursery. This way you can thoroughly deep clean before putting any of the baby’s furniture into the room.
Using a neutral color palette in the space can create a calm environment for both mom and baby. If your room has a bright overhead light, consider installing a dimmer switch.
This way you have control over the brightness of the room.
Learn About Childbirth
If this is your first pregnancy, the process of giving birth may be intimidating and can easily get pushed to the back of your mind.
It’s important to prepare and learn about what to expect during labor beforehand so you aren’t left with any surprises when the time comes.
Consider taking childbirth classes with your partner to better understand birth and how your partner can support you during labor.
There you’ll be able to discuss pain coping mechanisms and practice methods such as breathing techniques and visualizations that help during contractions.
Childbirth classes can also teach you about the different ways to give birth. These ways include:
● Natural birth
● C-section (cesarean section) birth
● Waterbirth
● Birth with an epidural
***Have you taken a Prenatal Course Yet? Well, you can take one online that will teach you everything you need to know in about 3 hours. Here’s the best one online with the best reviews.
Manage Your Finances
Having a baby is expensive and you want to make sure you do everything you can to be financially ready.
Start by looking into your health insurance plan and see if there are going to be any surprise expenses when it comes to giving birth.
Make yourself aware of the cost of birth and how much you should expect to pay upfront.
Be sure to set up a budget that allocates for the new family member and set up an emergency
fund that’ll help you in the case of any unexpected expenses.
Take into consideration all the items you need to purchase for your baby. Car seats, nursery furniture, clothes, and bottles can all seem to add up quickly. Adding items to a registry is a great way to get started on your baby shopping.
What you don’t get on the registry, try redeeming any credit card points you might have to help cover costs. If you’re a homeowner, consider a home equity line of credit for additional funding for baby-related costs.
A HELOC is a flexible option, allowing homeowners to borrow money against the equality they have in their homes.
This way you can borrow only what you need and put down money toward larger purchases.
Start Baby Proofing
You may think that babyproofing doesn’t need to happen until after the baby arrives and is beginning to crawl, but the best time to start baby-proofing is way before birth.
Once your baby is mobile, they’ll quickly try to get into anything and everything.
The best time to start checking the house for safety concerns is around 3 months before your due date, giving you plenty of time to plan.
Once your baby grows older and starts to crawl, do another sweep around the house. It’ll be several months until your baby begins to scoot on their own, but you’re not just checking for things that’ll hurt them.
You also should take into consideration the things that could harm you while you’re carrying your baby, such as slippery floors.
Following a babyproofing checklist can help you ensure your home is ready for your little one.
Make Decisions About Work
Making a decision about what you’re doing about work is a short step, but can help you immensely in the long run.
Choosing what adjustments you’ll make to your work life is essential to do before the baby comes.
Do you plan on taking maternity leave and for how long? What kind of childcare plans do you have in mind?
Is your family close by and able to help with the baby once you go back to work? The more time you spend weighing your options, the more prepared you’ll feel when the baby arrives.
Get Your Pets Accustomed
Another thing that many parents don’t think about is preparing their pet for the new family member.
If your dog hasn’t been around children, been to basic obedience training, or doesn’t know the common commands, now is the time to enroll them in class.
Jumping when you come home may seem minor right now, but can easily become a problem when you’re further into your pregnancy or when you have a little one in the house.
Children can be unpredictable with their fast movements and tendency to get into animal’s
faces.
When you first find out you’re pregnant, start off by taking your dog out for a walk in a park and see how they respond to children.
Getting exposure can help your dog get acclimated to children. Further on in your pregnancy, you can begin to set up your bassinet and even start carrying a baby carrier around the house.
Let your pet sniff around and investigate. The slower you ease any of your pets into this new lifestyle, the better they’ll transition.
Choose a Pediatrician
You may want to begin looking for a pediatrician midway through your pregnancy; this way you have plenty of time to search for a doctor and find the one that’s right for your family.
You’ll also need to take into consideration whether the provider is accepting new patients and if they
accept your health insurance.
One of the easiest ways to find a pediatrician is through word of mouth. Check with friends and family to see if they have any input on who their child sees.
Discuss with your health insurance provider how to add a baby to your policy and what local pediatricians cover your policy.
Online reviews are a great way to get a perspective of people’s experiences with providers. Be sure to
understand how your health insurance works and what it covers.
Take Time for Yourself
Preparing for a baby can be a lot to handle. Taking care of yourself is just as important as getting things on your list completed, if not more.
Getting ready to have a baby is an exciting time. However, major life changes can quickly become overwhelming.
Studies show that about 50 – 85% of women experience postpartum blues during their first few weeks after birth.
Taking care of your mental health before and after birth is just as important as your physical health.
Taking time to yourself or with your partner is a great way to prepare for the arrival of your baby.
While you’re going to love bonding with your newborn, you may still miss your alone time with
yourself or your partner.
Some couples decide to go on a nice vacation, while some opt for a
nice weekend getaway or simply stay home.
No matter what you decide to do, enjoy the time you have to be one with yourself. Other ways you can stay in tune with yourself is by practicing mindfulness through yoga, meditation, taking a walk, or reading a book.
All are ways for you to ease stress and reduce anxiety and depression in pregnancy.
Growing your family is an exciting time in life. With change happening quickly, it’s essential to
start planning early and take care of yourself along the way.
We wish you luck on your parenting journey!
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