Having a baby entails many changes. Your time won’t really be yours anymore and you can expect to have many sleepless nights in the next few months. Your home is going to be a mess and that’s understandable considering you have a new little one whose needs you always have to tend to. However, it doesn’t have to be that way all the time. There are little things you can do to mitigate the chaos. Here are ways you can get your home ready for the new baby.
Get Duplicates for All the Baby Essentials
We’re talking diapers, wet wipes, changing pads, and baby bottles. It’s best to have at least one of these in parts of your house where you are likely to spend time with the baby. For instance, you’ll want one of each essential in the bedroom and the living room. It’s good to have a set of these basic items in each area. That way, if the baby has a soiled diaper or needs to be fed, you don’t have to go running that far to get what you need.
You’ll also want to invest in quality seating because you’ll be spending a lot of time sitting down feeding your baby. A sectional is great for families because it can be your feeding station and later on, become your family sofa.
Stock up on Your Own Essentials
When you’re sleepless and recovering from giving birth, you won’t have time to go out to replenish your essentials. Before your due date, make sure you already have all your basic home needs stocked up. This includes toilet paper, trash bags, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc.
Have a Delivery Service Ready
If it’s almost your due date and you still haven’t stockpiled on the basic necessities, you can take advantage of delivery services. You simply give them a list of what you need and they will pick it up for you. You want to have the contact number for these service in case you want something bought from the grocery store.
Prepare Meals Ahead of Time
Before the baby arrives, it’s best to already have two weeks worth of meals prepared and stored in your freezer. You’re going to be overwhelmed by tasks needed to care for a baby in those first two weeks and the last thing you need is to brainstorm what’s for lunch.
Identify Danger Zones
Do an evaluation of your home and see which areas might be dangerous for the baby. This is very important because babies develop very quickly. In the beginning, they can’t even control their neck and the next thing you know they’re crawling everywhere in your home. It’s best to have these danger zones taken care of ahead of time.
Prepare Your Bathroom Sanctuary
After giving birth, your trips to the bathroom may be longer. The after pains will definitely slow you down and you’ll need to perform some bathroom rituals that will help you recover faster. This includes changing into adult diapers, putting on padsicles, sitting on a sitz bath, etc. Have the items for these ready in your bathroom so you don’t have to do unnecessary back and forth around the house.
Have baby’s needs in your bedroom
We all get excited about building our little one’s nursery, but realistically, your baby won’t need it until a few months later. The baby will have to be in your room during the first few months so you can easily attend to their needs. Newborn babies like to sleep a lot but they also wake up often needing to be changed, fed, burped, or simply held. Make sure to have products that won’t be sensitive for the baby.
To make your life easier, all essentials should be in your room in the beginning such as a bassinet, a swaddle, diapers, wipes, changing mat, bottles, burp cloths, etc.
In Conclusion
Once you have these areas of your home prepared, you’ll feel more confident leaving the hospital with your little one. Life with a newborn will inevitably be chaotic but having control on other aspects will definitely help your sanity.
In what ways are you preparing your home for a new baby? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
