Being Ready Before Baby Arrives

Throughout your pregnancy you’ll often think about what life will be like once your baby is born. Here are 9 things you can do to be ready before your baby arrives.

Birth Plan

Having a birth plan is a must if you want your birthing crew to know what your wishes are for a good birth experience. We all know that it’s not always realistic to want to follow a birth plan to the tee, but it’s good to have a guideline. Check out this helpful article about Making a Flexible Birth Plan.

Car Seat

The only way to drive your baby home when you are discharged from the hospital, is in an infant car seat. So be sure to have it ready to go and properly installed in the car that you will be going home in. Not sure how to install it? Don’t worry, the friendly hospital staff is trained to help you install your car seat and get you and your adorable newborn on your way.

Hospital Bag for You and Baby

When you head to the hospital to give birth, you will need to be equipped with some essentials such as toiletries, nursing gown, clothes, a recovery garment, slippers or stretchy slip on shoes, lots of underwear, nursing bra, nursing pads (yes, you might start leaking colostrum or breast milk early on), clothes for your baby and a nice outfit to go home in. Have your bags ready to go ahead of time so when the time comes, you simply need to grab the bag and head out.

Crib or Bassinet

Sleeping arrangements are an important decision, and if your family is opting out of co-sleeping, then decide whether you will be using a bassinet or starting right off the bat with a crib. Bassinets are a small portable bed and usually have a rocking option. They are great for having your baby in your room, but are only a temporary arrangement and babies usually outgrow them within the first month or two. Cribs are a more permanent bedding. The mattress height is often adjustable AND most cribs nowadays can be easily converted from crib, to toddler bed, to twin be overtime.

Breast Pump

There are many benefits to breastfeeding, and for many moms, having the option of going back to work or even running errands while knowing that their baby can still be fed breast milk during moms absence is a huge plus. Breast pumps are a great tool that help enable this by allowing moms to express & store their milk for their baby to consume at a later time. There are many different types of pumps both manual & electric. Do some research to see which pump is right for you.

Prepared Meals

Having prepared meals ready-to-go in your fridge/freezer will be a huge lifesaver. When you get home with your newborn, life as you know it will be completely different and time will be a precious gem that you wont have much of. So take the time to prepare your favorite meals and label & store them properly. When life with baby begins, you will simply have to pull them out, heat them up and enjoy!

Schedule Help

Most of us like to think that we can handle everything on our own, but give your loved ones a chance to lend you a hand with your baby. Perhaps you are exhausted and your sister can watch the baby for an hour while you take a nap. Or it might have been days since you had a proper shower, ask your friend to come by and stay for a bit so you can freshen up. Whatever it may be, consider that a little bit of help for a new mom, goes a long way.

Recovery Garments

Who wears a Girdle after Pregnancy? Women recovering from a C-section or Natural Childbirth need to feel supported while caring for their baby. Be prepared with a good supply of maxi pads, nursing pads, nursing bra, nursing gowns and a postpartum recovery compression garment to help you heal more efficiently.

Plenty of Diapers & Wipes

Diapers and wipes will soon take over your life! These items may just be what you use most and go through the fastest. Get your coupons ready and purchase a nice supply of either disposable diapers or reusable diapers and baby wipes.

Lots of Laundry Detergent

Between your garments, spills, leaks, spit-ups and doodie, you will be doing a whole lot of laundry. So stock up on your favorite laundry detergent and get ready to wash, wash, wash! While it’s true that having a newborn baby is a lot of work, getting organized and being prepared in advance can be a big blessing. So get ready, you will be glad you did!