A baby’s birth and arrival to a family is a miracle; a miracle that requires a lot of work. Here are 6 things you can do before the baby arrives, so that you can fully enjoy those first few weeks of parenthood without stressing yourself out.
Take A Prenatal Class
No matter how many helping hands you expect to be around you when the baby arrives, the truth of the matter is that this is your baby; and you need to know how to care for it. Apart from giving you the knowledge of what to do and expect when the baby arrives, these classes also help you battle your fears in regards to having a baby and taking care of it; making you feel more confident about the whole experience.
Make A Postpartum Care Kit for Yourself
Once the baby arrives, it’s vital that you remember to take care of yourself as well; after all, you did just have a baby! Preparing a postpartum care kit for yourself will make things easier on you in these trying times, and reduce your stress significantly. This kit can include anything from pads to heating pads. Remember to also include something indulgent into the kit…like chocolate!
Ensure the Baby’s Room Is Ready
A baby room is more than a cutely decorated room. It’s the place your baby will not only sleep, but also be fed and cleaned. Allocate a specific corner of the room for a cleaning station. Diaper changes, a swap of outfits…be prepared for everything. Make sure that all things are at hand’s reach, as the baby can try to roll over or pee once more in the split second that you take to look for a clean diaper. In quite the same way, it’s also vital that you choose a comfortable spot in the room for feeding. Remember, babies can feed for quite a long time, so ensure your back and neck is supported, and that you have entertainment and refreshments at hand’s reach…
Buy Clothes That Allows Easy Feeding and Little Effort Outfit Options
Maternity dresses tend to have a rather bad reputation of looking and feeling “frumpy”, but it’s not actually so bad if you get a little creative. Any outfit that allows you to quickly and easily feed your baby is good maternity clothing. Additionally, it’s also vital that these outfits need very little effort to put together, as time is what you will lack after the baby arrives.
Make Arrangements for Someone to Do Your Cooking and Household Chores for The First 2 Weeks
In truth, if your partner is getting time off from work because of the baby’s arrival, then you need not really worry overly so about the cooking or the household chores. But if you’re facing this experience by yourself, or if your partner is not so great at cooking or cleaning up, it may be a great idea to hire someone to do these chores. Remember that no matter how experienced a cook you are, you simply will nothave time to do the cooking yourself.
Or Cook A Few Freezer Friendly Meals
If you’re unwilling to or unable to hire or make other arrangements for someone else to handle your cooking for those trying first weeks, we suggest you learn a few freezer friendly meals, and cook them around a week before the baby is due. Remember that most frozen food only tastes good for around a month. It’s also best to catch up with your laundry before the baby arrives, as things are sure to get hectic after that…
