It is an exciting time when you are preparing for the birth of your new baby. There are so many changes that you have already gone through and so many more that are about to come. Your life will change a lot and in different ways. Not only do you need to prepare yourself but you also need to prepare your partner and family and also your home ready for the new arrival. We hope our list of tips and ideas will help you in your own preparations at home.
Stocking Up
It is a good idea to stock up on the necessities before the birth of your little one. Buying a few weeks supply of nappies and wipes will help to reduce the need to go shopping with a newborn and reduces the risk of running out at a very inconvenient time (which of course will always be in the middle of the night with a huge poo explosion).
Also having a large supply of singlets, long onesies and short onesies means that you can reduce the number of loads of washing you need to do during those first few weeks.
Meals
If you are feeling up to it in the weeks leading up to the birth of your little one it is a good idea to spend a day making and freezing meals. This will help during those first few weeks when you are exhausted and not feeling like cooking. Ensuring that you are eating properly is important to make sure that you have energy and are able to continue functioning with your newborn. If you are breastfeeding you also need to ensure that you are getting a good amount of nutrients. There are many meals that can be prepared and frozen for eating later on.
Setting up the home
The last thing you want to be doing the day you bring your baby home is setting up the cot or bassinet. It is a good idea to set up as much of the nursery as possible before coming home from the hospital. This way there is not that stress on you or your partner when you should be spending the time cuddling and relaxing with your new baby. Having the car seat / capsule properly installed before the birth is also important. At Rock-A-Bye Baby all our staff are Accredited Restraint Fitters and you can hire a capsule or carseat from us or we can install your own restraint for you.
Labour
The labour is one of the hardest things to prepare for as each and every labour is going to be different. If you have friends with children they have most likely told you their labour stories in a hope to help prepare you for yours. The first step of preparing for your labour is to have a plan in place. Decide the type of labour you would like to have and whether you would like to use any pain relief. Our labour TENS for hire are a good item to add to your labour toolkit if you’re hoping to have a drug free birth. When making your plan you need to be aware and okay with the fact that it may not go to plan. There are times when things change through out labour and different measures need to be taken and it may change the plan that you originally had. Remember throughout that the doctors and midwives are their for the safety of you and your baby and that if they recommend a different way of doing things it is because they feel it is going to benefit you both the best.
Visitation
Before the birth of your baby, sit down with your partner and decide on how you would like the visitation to go after the birth of your baby. Whether you would like any one visiting on the day of birth and if so who. If you would prefer to wait until you get home for visitors then decide on times that suit you and your partner. These should be communicated to those around you and let them know that it is essential to call or message you beforehand to make sure that it is okay for them to be visiting.
Remember throughout all of your preparations and decisions to stop and enjoy the moments. There are some big changes coming and it is such an exciting and happy time for you and your family. Cherish each and every month and try not to stress too much. Accept help when it is offered and sleep when you can!