After nine months, you’re now ready to go to the hospital and have your baby. Do you have a bringing baby home checklist? Have you been preparing for your baby’s homecoming?
The first weeks can be challenging if you don’t know what you’re doing. Laying the groundwork for your newborn’s arrival will save you from depression. Here are a few tips:
- Plan your meals for the first month before heading to the hospital. Make sure you stock up on dry foodstuffs. Boil the cereals and pack them in the freezer. If you have other children at home and are their only caregiver, ensure that you plan their meals.
- Buy enough house supplies like toilet paper and soap. Make sure you have paid for water and electricity, too, especially if you are the sore breadwinner. The period after giving birth can drain you emotionally when you are forced to take care of bills.
- Apart from choosing names, you and your partner should discuss other essential issues like whether you intend to breastfeed the baby and how long.
- Know where your baby will sleep. For instance, will you use a cot or crib? Buy the right mattress and baby blankets. Also, check the lighting, airflow and clean the room thoroughly. You can buy your cot sheets here.
- You have already bought and cleaned all baby’s clothes, feeding bottles (if you won’t breastfeed) and swaddling. Now it’s time to know where everything is so that when you come home, you don’t start looking for stuff.
- Get a housekeeper or nanny and orient her on her responsibilities. If you have employed one already, make sure you discuss her new duties and salary expectations. You can read more about that here.
- Take your pets to the vet for vaccination if they live with you in the house. Newborn babies have a delicate immune system.
- It’s good for you to know who will take you to the hospital and receive you back home. Also, discuss with your caregiver the kind of food he/she will bring you in the hospital.
- Buy enough nursing bras, diapers and wipes.
Clothes and equipment for the baby
Since babies grow quickly, it’s advisable to pick the 3-6 month size instead of a perfect fit. When you’re a first-time mom, you may be wondering what to buy now that it’s your first time. So, when you go shopping, you need the following:
- About six cotton bodysuits/onesies
- A minimum of two dozen disposable diapers or nappies. Remember to pick the newborn size
- Six to eight pajamas
- Enough pairs of socks
- Rompers
- Bloomers. Also known as diaper covers.
- Beanie hats.
- Baby blankets and ‘lesos’
- Feeding bottles
- Basin and bucket
- Petroleum jelly, baby soap and towel.
- A bassinet
- Baby Banda’s Nursing pillow.
See our budget friendly baby shopping list here.
Conclusion
When you come home from maternity, you’ll have to juggle taking care of your newborn and healing. That’s not easy, and without pre-birth preparations, you might lose your mind. Luckily, you have nine months to prepare for the first three months after delivery. Finally, accept all the help you can get – you will need it.
