If you’re about to have your first child, nothing can prepare you — or your home — for what lies ahead. Bringing a newborn child into the World is a voyage of discovery, and a lot of the satisfaction comes from learning with your family and your baby. However, to give yourself more time and less stress, preparing your home for the new arrival is always a good idea.
These seven tips should help you to prepare your home for this life-changing event.
1. Think carefully about the nursery
There are several things to consider when choosing which of your rooms will become the nursery. Ideally, it should be in the quietest area of your home, but somewhere you’ll be able to hear your baby crying from your own room. Also, a south-facing bedroom is probably not the best idea, as sunlight during the summer months could disrupt your baby’s sleeping patterns.
2. Safety first
Once you’ve decided which room is going to be the nursery, it’s important not to overdo things with the decoration. To keep yourself and your baby safe, don’t overcrowd the room with furniture and furnishings. Start with a wardrobe, some drawers and a crib — then take things from there.
3. Baby-proof your home in advance
Your baby could be crawling by the time he or she is five months old, so it’s best to be prepared in advance. Fix baby gates, door stops, toilet locks and other baby-proofing equipment before the big day, then you can relax and enjoy those all-important first weeks of your child’s life.
4. Stock up on feeding equipment
If you’re bottle feeding your baby, stock up on milk, bottles, spares, cleaning equipment and anything else you need to feed your baby effectively and safely. Also, take the opportunity to think about the practicalities of making up bottles, and store your equipment and supplies in the appropriate place.
If you’re planning to breastfeed, stock up on nipple pads and creams. To make things easier, you may also want to invest in a breast pump, which allows you to express your milk in advance.
5. Prepare your own bedroom
In all likelihood, your newborn baby will spend a huge amount of time in your bedroom. However, it’s also important to have your own space — that is conducive to rest and relaxation. Create a small area for baby supplies, and stick to it. Be proactive in your approach to keeping clutter to a minimum, and invest in some storage for spare nappies, bottles and other essentials.
6. Install baby monitoring equipment
Your peace of mind is crucial if you want to get enough rest and relaxation during those challenging first few weeks with a newborn. Rather than fret and stress out about your baby’s welfare, set up some audio-visual baby monitoring equipment in advance. The latest systems have HD cameras you can control remotely from a mobile phone app. However, installing these systems with your baby in the house can be disruptive and hazardous. Get everything in place now, and that’s another thing you won’t have to worry about.
7. Prepare some meals
If this is your first child, nothing or no one can prepare you for what lies ahead. Of course, this is going to be a magical time for you, but it’s going to consume every minute of your days. A week or so before your due date, spend some time preparing healthy and nutritious meals. Making batches of stew, curry and foods you can easily reheat will save you an awful amount of hard work and stress when your baby is home. Simply portion your meals up, put them in plastic containers and freeze them.
Anything you can do to make your life easier when your newborn baby arrives will enhance your experience of parenthood. Get ready in advance, and look forward to a magical time in your life with complete confidence.