Welcoming a new addition to your family can be a very strenuous and anxious time. Thinking about all the things you need, such as a car seat, baby tub, baby swing, and baby food; it’s a lot to think about. It is easy to worry in the weeks leading up to the baby’s birth, and many prospective parents go into absolute overdrive mode and start completely baby-proofing their home, stopping just short of barring up the windows and installing metal doors.
You do not need to go to such drastic lengths when preparing for a new baby, but there are some things that you must do. This page will seek to tell you exactly how you should prepare, and what you should prepare when you are expecting a baby.
Here is everything you need to prep before your new baby arrives home!
Be Sure to Have a Pram and a Car Seat
Taking your baby home for the first time can become suddenly angst-filled when you realize you have neither a pram nor a car seat. Your baby absolutely must travel in a car seat, lest you risk causing an accident and your baby not being properly fastened and safe. The professionals of https://www.babyandco.com/ are one such company that provides prams and car seats for your child, and you must make sure you are prepared by having them. A pram, similar to a car seat, will ensure your child’s protection and comfort.
Walking around and having to carry your child everywhere is a recipe for disaster. If you do carry your child around with you without being fastened to your chest, you risk falling over and dropping your baby. A pram is a convenient safeguarding measure that can ensure your baby travels comfortably and safely, and when you are leaving the hospital for the first time, you must make sure you have one available.
Stock Up on Meals
It is very important that in the weeks leading up to your baby’s birth, you stock up on non-perishable foods. Tins, vegetables, and frozen meals are all recommended and can be a great way to ensure that you are prepared for when your baby arrives. It can be very difficult to cook fresh food for yourself when you are looking after your baby, and by preparing with tinned food and frozen meals, you will save yourself unnecessary trouble, anxiety, and lost time when it comes down to it. Be sure to have enough to last you for at least a few weeks.
Be sure to be efficient in your meal planning and ascertain the meals you are preparing will fill you up and give you your daily intake of nutrients. You will be tired enough without having to then deal with the consequences of a poor diet on top of that.
Plan Your Route to the Hospital
In the period leading up to your baby’s birth, you must plan your route to the hospital effectively. If you are not going to stay in and wait for an ambulance, and you are planning on getting to the hospital by car, plan your route efficiently. You must take into consideration traffic and the weather, as well as other factors that may play a role in preventing your arrival at the hospital. Many prospective parents do trial runs of their routes beforehand so that they know for certain they will get there on time.
Plan for Childcare
Childcare is very important. If you have other children, you must make sure that you plan for childcare during the birth of your baby. It is very unlikely your children will be allowed to come into the birthing room with you and leaving them unattended in a hospital lobby is not safe. The best option would be to have another family member bring them to the hospital and sit outside with them while you go into labor so that when you have the baby, they can come in and meet their new sibling, and share the magical experience with you and your partner.
Pack Your Bags
You must make sure that you pack your bags in the period leading up to your child’s birth, as you may be in the hospital for a few days. Packing your bags saves time later down the line, and ensures you are prepared when the day finally arrives.
Make sure you have enough clothes to last you for at least a week, as if complications were to occur, you would be required to stay there for as long as it took to resolve them.
Arrange Care for Your Pets
If you have pets you must arrange for somebody to come in and look after them. You may, as mentioned in the last paragraph, be in the hospital for a few days, and during that period you must have responsible care for your pets so they can stay well-fed and watered.
Now you know a few ways that you can prepare for a new addition to your family. Having a baby can be a wonderful, magical, life-changing experience, but it can also be very tiresome, and angst-ridden. Effective planning will make the whole experience a lot smoother.
