Awaiting the arrival of your special little someone is a special time for any would-be mother. Learn how to prepare for the new member effectively.
Giving birth is undoubtedly a whirlwind of emotions, regardless of how many times you have done it before. Having a new baby can be exhausting and overwhelming, making many mothers forget that it is a magical blissful moment. Once the newborn arrives, you will see that the tasks you once performed with ease daily would now be challenging due to a lack of energy or time. Hence, we have put together a list of ten things to do before giving birth, which will help you after your baby arrives.
Give Yourself Some Time
You should use the time before your baby’s birth for more than checking things off a list. You must take time out for yourself, either with your partner or alone. After your baby arrives, taking time out for yourself or enjoying a special moment with your partner will be difficult. So you need to take the opportunity.
You can go on a vacation if you have the means, the energy, and the time for it. This will probably be the last time you can go on a child-free vacation for a while. You should attempt it during a time of your pregnancy when it would be safe to travel.
If you cannot go on a full-fledged vacation, you can go on weekend staycations in or near your town. Or you may just plan a downtime at home to think of baby names for your boy or girl. If you are into ancient names such as Roman gladiators, check out a few online sites for suggestions.
Gather All The Baby Gear
Before the baby arrives, you need to know that you are prepared for it by learning to use certain things. For that, you need to purchase and assemble them first. Items such as a car seat, bassinet, or crib so your baby can sleep comfortably make the list. Things such as changing tables or a swing must also be assembled beforehand. There will be items that you won’t use until your baby gets bigger, but you can assemble them beforehand if you have storage space.
This does not need to be a big chore; most people find setting up and decorating the nursery enjoyable and relaxing. Most mothers get peace of mind by completing the nursery set up, gathering plenty of clothes according to the seasons, and having the wipes and diapers in place.
Collect the Required Household Essentials
You don’t want to run out of toilet paper when caring for your baby, especially when you have much less sleep than usual. You must stockpile essential household items such as paper towels, safe cleaning products, toilet paper, soap, and shampoo before the baby comes.
You can use modern technology such as Amazon’s Subscribe and Save option if you are not into buying in bulk. Setting up regularly scheduled deliveries will allow you to save up. You can schedule them monthly to every six months, canceling or modifying your delivery schedule according to your needs.
Make Provisions For Your Pets
If you have a pet at home, you must ensure that things are in order, so your pet is correctly cared for once your baby arrives. To ensure that your pet is properly looked after, you must stock up on essentials such as treats, food, toys, and medications. You will also need to arrange for someone to take care of them while you are away in an emergency at the hospital.
You may be worried that they won’t receive the proper attention, so you can arrange for your family or friends to come over and play with them or just stay with them to give them some time and affection.
Your pet might have behavioral issues due to having problems adjusting to the new dynamic after your baby arrives. You can deal with this by talking to a pet care professional or a trainer to devise a plan where everyone can safely co-exist.
Keep Prescriptions Refilled
Is there someone in your family who takes regular medication? Are you on any regularly prescribed medicine? Is there any medication that you know you will regularly need in the future? If there is, make sure the prescriptions are shortly filled before your baby arrives so you have ample time on your hand. Check your medicine cabinet and stock up on the over-the-counter medicines you regularly require and the first-aid products your family needs regularly.
Baby Proof Your Place
Baby proofing is mainly required as the baby gets older, but gathering the things you will need doesn’t hurt. If you can manage it, starting babyproofing early is a good idea. Your baby will begin to move about before you know it and will try to get into everything in the blink of an eye. So take recommendations from experts about essential safety measures to protect your child and start implementing them by baby-proofing your home. This way, you will not forget to get anything done once the baby begins to move about.
Prepare Meals
Some of your friends and family may bring food when they drop by to visit the baby, but that shouldn’t be something you should depend on. You should think about pre-making and freezing meals during the weeks leading up to your due date. This way, you won’t be scrambling for food or have to rely on packaged and take-out food that is generally not so healthy.
There are a lot of recipes that can be prepared quickly. You can freeze and reheat them easily. You can double the recipe for something you are preparing for dinner. You can freeze the leftover to have later.
Summing Up
Being prepared for the time your baby arrives in your life is both a necessity and a blessing. It’s all about making smart decisions and timing it right. Hopefully, the points we mentioned above have helped you to prepare for the time after childbirth. Hope you have an easy time with your newborn, filled with lovely memories to last a lifetime.