It doesn’t matter whether you are adding to your family or you are bringing in your first baby. Getting ready for this new arrival is a big deal. You’re probably already counting the days until the little one is in your arms and you are preparing to welcome the new baby into your family by preparing the nursery and getting the house ready for a new addition.It’s exciting, but it can also feel very overwhelming.
There is a lot that you have to do before the baby comes, and that means everything from choosing maternity clothes to where as your bump grows to getting the pram set up and ready to go. You’ve also got to stock up on diapers, choose a doctor and make all the financial preparations necessary so that you will move into maternity leave. Here are some of the essential tips that you need to get ready for a new baby in the house.
Look at your finances
Look at your finances first. One of the most important things that you need to do, if you haven’t already, is make some financial sacrifices and preparations. When you step back onto maternity leave, you’re going to need to cover your usual outgoings, so hopefully you’ll have had savings ready by then. You have to consider the fact that babies do cost a lot of money, so you should in advance have had health insurance sorted out and your home sorted out and ready so that you can ensure that this is going to be something seamless for your whole family.
Prenatal care
Speak to your doctor. If you have a preferred Dr. for your birth plan, then get to know them and plan for your prenatal care with them. You need to make sure that you have somebody seeing you throughout the duration of your pregnancy to ensure that the baby is growing all on track. And you also need to make sure that you are taking any vitamins and pregnancy vitamins that will keep you and your baby comfortable and safe throughout the pregnancy.
Get the nursery ready
Your baby won’t be using their nursery until they’re six months old, because babies should be sleeping and napping in the same room as you until that time. This is to help them to regulate their breathing and lower the risk of SIDS. A nursery is still needed, so you still need to set one up. Getting it done while you are pregnant is a great way to spend your time. You would also still need the nursery when you’re doing night feeds if you want to leave the bedroom and sit somewhere else, or if you’re doing diaper changes during the day. If their nursery comes with a baby bath that you’ve bought, then let’s also somewhere that you may want to have some quiet time with the baby to relax and get them used to the space.
Prepare the house
While you’re preparing the nursery, think about putting a comfortable chair for your back and for you to hold your baby downstairs as well. This could be a rocking chair or a glider with padded sides and a back so that you can sit and rock the baby during those night feeds.
