This is a collaborative post: It can be argued that it’s impossible for any new parents to completely prepare themselves for a baby. Whether you already have children or not, the new arrival will almost certainly turn your life upside down.
However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother to prepare yourself at all. The more you do before your newborn arrives, the easier it will be to cope and adjust to your life. It also takes some of the stress out of the equation, allowing you a chance to appreciate the wonder of your new child.
Besides, it’s exciting to make all of these preparations. If this is a planned baby, then you might have started even before pregnancy. But even if it’s a bit more of a surprise, you still have plenty of time to get things ready to welcome the baby into the world and your family. Also, if you’re adopting a baby or toddler, some of these preparations will help you to adjust.
Take Care of Yourself Now
Pregnancy takes a huge toll on the body, and the healthier the mother, the healthier the child will be. It’ll also be easier for you to take care of your baby, as newborns are physically and emotionally exhausting for both parents.
The good news is that many pregnant mothers can still get on with their lives as normal, at least for the majority of their pregnancies. It’s important to keep yourself fit and healthy during pregnancy and it isn’t always easy, but doing so will make the pregnancy and the birth easier to deal with.
You should also get plenty of sleep. Sleep is a necessary part of keeping healthy and, once the baby arrives, you will have precious few opportunities to get a good night’s sleep in. It can be difficult to sleep well when you have the excitement and stress of a baby weighing down on you, as well as the physical symptoms of pregnancy. Create a relaxing routine to help you to wind down before you go to sleep.
Many mothers, unfortunately, have to deal with other symptoms of pregnancy, including fatigue, morning sickness, and back pain. You may need to rest more often. Some mothers go through other symptoms or have a risky pregnancy, which means that they have to take extra care to keep healthy.
Regardless of your situation, you must keep in touch with your doctor and arrange regular checkups to make sure you and the baby are both healthy. Your doctor will be able to give you specific advice and spot any potential issues early on.
Stock Up On Supplies
As you’d expect, a new baby will require a huge amount of supplies. For something so small, a newborn baby takes up an inordinate amount of space. First, you need to get the necessary furniture ready.
Many parents design a nursery for their child, although your newborn may sleep in your room with you for the first few months of their life. The nursery will include storage, to hold all the clothes and toys that your baby will need. It will also include a crib for your baby to sleep in.
When investing in furniture, try to find something that will last. For example, while a bascinet is adorable, a crib that can transform into a todder bed will be useful for far longer, which helps you to save on much-needed money. As your child grows, you will need to continue to think about things like the features of a good toddler mattress that will keep them safe and comfortable.
You will also need other equipment, like car seats for transporting your child safely and a pushchair or pram. Again, try to find things that can grow and change along with your baby, so you’re having to buy less and can simply adjust as needed.
Finally, you will need to stock up on things like nappies, baby wipes, muslin cloths, and other handy supplies. You don’t want to have to make emergency shopping trips soon after the birth, so a good supply will make things easier. Ask your parents or other friends and family who have children for advice on what to buy as well.
Baby-Proof Your Home
Part of furnishing your home and preparing it for your newborn is to baby-proof everything in your house. A newborn baby doesn’t move much, true, but you’d be surprised at how quickly they develop and start trying to roll and crawl around. Those little hands can get into all kinds of nooks and crannies.
Baby-proofing will ensure that your child is safe and secure in your home. Make sure that your home is a basically safe environment first, then move onto specifics. Child locks, plug socket covers, and soft coverings to go on hard furniture corners or mantlepieces will give you more peace of mind and prevent injuries.
You’ll also need to get into the habit of keeping things out of their reach. This doesn’t just keep your baby safe, but it also protects your valuables. Children are expensive enough without the added cost of having to replace your phone.
Create a Birth Plan
As you approach your due date, you should come up with a plan for the birthing day. If you’ve been regularly seeing a doctor, as you should, then they can help you with this by giving you different options. Most mothers opt for a hospital birth, which is safer as emergency medical care is right there. If you have a risky pregnancy, then this may be the best choice. Other mothers choose the intimacy of a home birth, and there are even more options out there.
No matter what you choose, it pays to be prepared. Pack a bag with clothing, medication, and other essentials that you might need in the hospital. Even if you plan on a home birth, keep it handy just in case. Not every birth goes perfectly to plan, so this extra step will help whatever happens to go more smoothly.
Communicate your expectations with your doctor. Do you want pain relief? Who do you want to be with you during the birth? What questions or concerns do you have? Think about all of this before labour starts, so that you’re better prepared for the day itself.
Consider a “Baby-moon”
As parents, you likely recognise that a newborn baby represents a huge life-change. The relative freedom that you may have enjoyed as a couple is a thing of the past. True, it’s more than worth it, but sometimes it’s still worth giving your previous lifestyle a healthy send-off.
With this in mind, some parents go on a “baby-moon”, or one last holiday as a couple. This could be a weekend away or a trip abroad, depending on your preferences and how far along the pregnancy you are. Here, you can enjoy some time together as a couple and keep your relationship strong. You will need to work as a team as parents, and this may be your last chance for a while to focus completely on each other.
As well as a trip away, it’s important for parents to focus on strengthening their relationship before the baby comes in their day-to-day life. Get used to working as a team and spend time relaxing and treating yourselves and each other.
Deal With Other Children or Pets
If you already have children, then you do have a head start in some matters. However, you still need to be prepared to deal with them during the birth. Both parents will be occupied, which means that you should arrange childcare for your older kids.
Family members and friends can take care of children so that you can concentrate on the birth and recovery. This also takes some stress off your shoulders. The same applies to any pets. Even if you don’t intend to stay in hospital overnight, having someone take care of your pet on the day of your birth and perhaps the next day makes things that much easier for you.
If you can, ask for help after the birth as well. Caring for a newborn is a full-time job and, while you still need to give your other children the attention that they deserve, a babysitter can give you a much-needed break now and then.
Household Essentials
As well as stocking up on supplies for the baby, new parents should consider other household essentials as well. Nobody wants to do chores or grocery runs just after bringing a newborn home, so a little extra preparation beforehand goes a long way.
Stock up on extra essentials, like toiletries and non-perishable foods. If you can, whip up some freezer meals in the weeks leading up to the birth. This means that all you need to do is defrost a meal and you’re fed for a day, no cooking and minimal cleaning required. You can instead focus on looking after your child and yourself, getting as much rest as you can.
This is by no means an exhaustive guide, but following this advice will help you feel more prepared.