Are you making preparations for your impending arrival? We’ve compiled a list of helpful hints to assist you in preparing your home for the big day.
Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Food
Clear your freezer and stock it with ready-to-eat meals. A solid stock of pre-portioned meals that you can put in the microwave or oven and eat one-handed will be a lifesaver, whether it’s ready meals, homemade recipes, or cooked deliveries. Don’t forget about the sides, either! Purchase enough store-bought pouches or prepare and freeze portions of rice and pasta.
Look At Your Laundry Basket
Make sure the arrangement you’ve put up will work for you once your kid arrives because your laundry basket is about to get a lot of use. You could wish to replace your existing basket with one that has multiple compartments; either for separating whites and colours to make washing easier or for segregating your things from your baby’s – those tiny socks have a way of disappearing!
Tidy Away Clutter
Newborns amass a lot of stuff for such small beings! Use the weeks leading up to their arrival as a reason to tidy your home thoroughly. Your home may appear to be rather organised, but when you factor in the pram, car seat, changing mats, play gym, bath seat, bottles, steriliser, and toys, all that space you thought you had may evaporate!
Invest In Some Useful Gadgets
We’re not advocating you go out and buy every device available (there seems to be something for everyone these days), but consider what will make your life easier or provide you with peace of mind. If you want to keep an eye on your baby’s health and well-being, invest in a good baby monitor, which will offer you real-time notifications on his or her breathing, temperature, movements, and more.
Assemble And Practice How To Use Any Equipment
You’ve probably already set up the pram, car seat, and bedside crib, but don’t forget about the little pieces of equipment before your kid arrives. Try to consider going beyond the first few days after your baby is born, as the need for something can develop at any time. It’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with any essentials, whether it’s a formula maker, an ear thermometer, or a baby carrier, and make sure everything is in working order. The last thing you’ll want to be doing at 3 a.m. is looking for directions. If you haven’t already bought your car seat check out – The complete infant car seat buying guide for new parents.
Set Up Diaper Change Stations
You’ll be changing your baby’s nappies 8-10 times each day, so don’t make the trip upstairs to the nursery every time. Rather, get a pair of caddies (or simply use a couple of plastic boxes) and fill each one with nappies, wipes, nappy cream, and any other nappy-changing necessities. Place one in each of the rooms where you’ll be spending the most time at home (e.g. your bedroom and living room). Include a muslin cloth as well, which can be used as a makeshift changing mat.
Stock Your Bedside Table
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to avoid the early days of fragmented sleep, but there are certain things you can do to make it a bit easier and almost enjoyable. Keep your creature comforts close at hand, whether it’s a good snack to tide you over till breakfast or headphones to listen to your favourite podcast. Right now, chocolate at 4 a.m. is perfectly acceptable!
Don’t Prewash All Baby Clothes
Washing a batch of vests and sleepsuits ahead of your baby’s arrival is a good idea, but resist the urge to wash everything in your baby’s wardrobe. If you’ve spent a lot of money on cute little garments, you may find that many of them will go unworn due to the rapid rate at which newborns develop! When it comes to non-essential products, keep the tags on and only pre-wash what you need – you can exchange them later for bigger sizes or even reuse them as gifts for friends and family.
Be Ready For Stains
The poo explosions are unavoidable in the early days, so don’t let them destroy those little, carefully selected clothes. To help you combat the stains, stock up on stain removers that are harsh on stains or natural alternatives like white vinegar and baking soda.
This guide should get you prepared to bring your little one home from the hospital. Are you expecting? What else have you prepared? Please share some ideas in the comments below.
