Preparing Your Home for a New Baby

Being pregnant may mean that you get a few months off work, but there are certainly many things that need to be considered and a lot of preparation that needs to be done. One thing you need to take care of is preparing your house for your new arrival. This can be a little bit overwhelming and it can be difficult to know where to start. But there is no need to fret. Read on to discover how to prepare your house for your new arrival.

Preparing your bedroom – Yes, you have got a new arrival. Yes, your baby will be entering your bedroom from time-to-time. But this does not mean that your bedroom should look like a nursery. It is so important to have some quality time with your partner once your baby arrives, despite the fact that this is going to be incredibly difficult. This is why you need to ensure that your bedroom is still a romantic sanctuary for you and your partner, even if the romance is sparse.

Baby proof your house – This is one of the most important points of them all. You need to start thinking about how you can baby proof your house. This seems like a mammoth task, which needs continual attention. This is why it is advisable to start as early as possible. If you leave it until the last minute, it can make you feel very overwhelmed. If you start now, you will have time to reevaluate all of your decisions, meaning that you have everything in order. You’ll need to plan ahead, buy items like this magnetic drawer lock, and double-check you’ve secured everything you need to which takes time. This isn’t a job you want to rush.

Get all of the essentials you need – There are a few big purchases you are going to need to make. This includes the likes of a highchair and a cot. When it comes to looking after a baby, there will be a lot of things that parents will need to buy. With this being said, for anyone who is unsure of what to buy, advice/tips from sites like Mommyhood101, for example, could help make the decision process of buying essentials a lot easier.

You should purchase these items as soon as you can. However, make sure you conduct enough research so you can be certain that you are investing in quality. Take the time to read reviews and see what past clients have had to say. This Peg Perego Siesta high chair review is a good place to start. This review covers the features of what to consider when selecting the right high chair, as well as providing information on the specific high chair itself. You will find plenty of similar reviews for other high chairs and cots, which can provide you with all of the information you need. I also think word of mouth and recommendations are great too. I remember asking one of my friends where the best place was to buy a baby wrap was. She told me about a website called Amawrap that sells the best baby wraps. If I hadn’t of spoken to her I wouldn’t have known where to buy one so speaking to fellow moms can be really helpful.

Important phone numbers – The next thing you need to do is compile a list of all of the important phone numbers you could need. This could be the phone number of the breastfeeding support group you use or your doctor, for instance. Make sure these phone numbers are kept right next to your phone so that you can easily contact anyone should you need to.

Prepare freezer meals – Once you get back from the hospital, it is going to be a very busy time for you and your partner. There are going to be days when neither of you feel like cooking because you are so exhausted. Of course, you could get a takeaway. However, this will quickly get expensive and, therefore, is not an option for everyone. This is why it is a good idea to make some easy meals that can be frozen in advance, for example, stew, spaghetti sauce, and casseroles. This will make life much easier, as all you will need to do is defrost the meals and heat them up.

Breast and bottle feeding essentials – Your baby is going to want to have their meals on time. This is why you need to get feeding equipment and formula before your baby arrives if you are planning on feeding your baby by the bottle. If you are going to be breastfeeding, make sure you have bottles available at all times and a breastfeeding pump on hand. It is also a good idea to buy some nipple cream in advance too so that you have some readily available for when you are feeling sore.

Buy a good baby care book – Buying a baby care book can give you some much needed peace of mind. It can be easy to get worried when you have a newborn. Every rash and sniffle can make you feel petrified. This is why a baby care book is useful. It enables you to find out information about some of the most common problems babies experience so your mind can be put at ease.

Purchase a baby monitor – The next step is to make sure you purchase a baby monitor that is reliable and of a high quality. Similar to the cot and the high chair, it is a good idea to read reviews that have been left by previous parents. The last thing you want is a baby monitor that breaks easily or doesn’t work very well. After all, this could be dangerous if you cannot hear your baby. A good quality baby monitor is a must. You can’t be in all places at one time! This piece of technology is going to give you great comfort.

Screen door – Last but not least, it is a good idea to think about replacing the nursery door with a screen door that is made from wood. This enables you to keep the door closed so that guests and/or pets do not go in. Nonetheless, you will still be able to hear and see the baby. You can easily paint the screen door or stain it so that it matches the room. This can make it a decorative element as well as a practical one.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding regarding the key steps that you need to take when preparing your home for the arrival of a new baby. If you follow the advice that has been mentioned above, you can ensure that the transition from hospital to home is an easy one.