Are You Really Ready For The New Arrival?
You might already be taking your vitamins, you might have your birth plan ready, and you might be attending all your maternity classes. You feel ready (or as ready as anyone can be) to be a mom. But once that baby arrives, all those plans are going to become a lot more troublesome when they meet the needs of reality. Here are a few last tips you should keep in mind to make sure you’re not left in the lurch.
Ask for help up front
You might not quite be as used to asking for help if you’re a particularly independent adult. However, if you want to enjoy motherhood, you’re going to have to give the reins over and recharge from time to time. Whether it’s in keeping the home safe for the child, looking after them while you enjoy the (now rare) nights out or even just a nap. Ask your family upfront if they don’t mind helping you with the baby from time to time. Some people will be uncomfortable with the responsibility and that’s fine, you don’t have to push them. Others, however, will see it as the opportunity to spoil and bond with them, so you’re likely to find some eager takers. It might be difficult at first for a new mother to let go of the reins entirely, but when the time comes, you’re going to be thankful that you asked in advance.
Coordinate the gift-giving
Some women make the mistake of not setting up a list of gifts, thinking it might be presumptuous. Those women soon find themselves on the receiving end of a hundred blankets. There are tons of baby essentials guides you can check out. They’ll tell you not only what kind of clothes you should look for, but the different age ranges they should cover. Babies grow up quick, after all. As cute as you might think all those newborn clothes will be, they’ll soon become entirely useless. You can’t forget any of the other supplies that you’re going to need plenty of, either. Nappies, baby wipes, cups, spoons, so on and so forth. If you don’t want to be constantly racing to replace what you’ve just burned through, then asking for some of the less glamorous baby gifts can help you get ahead of all-consuming curve. You can get a head start on all of these needs by just setting up a gift list. If someone is struggling to think of what to get you, then just ask them to get you a voucher for any of the many good baby supply stores out there. You might not know what you need right now, but you’re going to know when you need it and having that help on hand can make it much more manageable.
Get the room ready
You might think that you’re fine with not having the nursery ready because the baby will be sleeping with you for some time. However, that’s a mistake that’s going to make itself clear when you realize you suddenly have no time to get the nursery finished. From the décor to fitting in all the nursery essentials such as a changing station and a crib. A bassinet is a common choice early in the parenting, since you want the baby to be able to sleep no matter what environment you’re keeping them in. You need to make sure that you’ve created a wholly safe environment for baby, as well. Make sure you’ve checked the room for any drafts or air leaks that you had better seal. If it has ventilation inside, then you are going to want to keep it as clean as possible. To keep baby safe during their sleep, make sure you’re only getting the safe possible bedding. For instance, instead of blankets that can ride up and provide a serious suffocation risk, you should look at zipper sleepers as well.
Don’t forget the car
This is a mistake you really don’t want to make. Looking after your baby and living your life is going to become immediately harder if you haven’t already picked out a car seat. You might think you won’t be doing much traveling, but life goes on and you’ll soon find yourself going stir crazy. Make sure you’ve taken the time to pick out an appropriate car seat well before the new arrival makes their way in the world.
Of course, as much as you can prepare for the baby, it’s going to be both a thrilling and a scary period of adjustment. Making sure you have what you need, when you need it, is going to be a help in coping with it, however.
