On your mark, get set, … well, just get ready to go. If you have never had a baby, you are quickly learning that a lot of planning goes into welcoming a little bundle of joy into the home and into your life. Here are five things for new moms to take care of ahead of time, so when the baby comes, you’re ready.
Arrange for Help
Having a relative come and stay for the first weeks after birth provides a great deal of reassurance. If it’s the grandmother-to-be, for example, she needs to be on alert, and all her travel plans need to be made. Friends are invaluable at this time. Make a list of everyone who has offered to help, and stay in touch with them.
Get the Car Ready
When the time comes, you don’t want to be thinking of anything but getting there. Take your car in now for a checkup. Keep the gas tank full. Have a backup plan, such as a taxi service or a friend’s car, in case anything goes wrong. Is your car in good working order? Is it safe for a baby? If you’ve been driving around in an older car, or your current car is a convertible—now is a good time to trade it in, or sell it for a new one. Make sure it’s in perfect condition and you know how to use it. A car seat is absolutely essential for your child’s safety from the moment you leave the hospital.
Stock Up
Make a list of things you need to have on hand for your newborn. Include drugstore and first-aid supplies, diapers, laundry detergent, and any baby items you haven’t yet purchased. Acquire everything on the list. Fill the kitchen with easy-to-prepare food and drinks. Make sure the mother-to-be has everything she needs.
Pack your Bag
Pack the hospital bag with clothes, toiletries, and reading materials. Make sure both of you know where the bag is being kept so that when the time comes, you don’t have to search for it. You may have an idea of how long you will be at the hospital, but the labor could take longer than you think, or unfortunately complications happen, and some babies and mothers have to stay at the hospital longer than anticipated. For this case, have extra clothes and supplies in place at home, which someone can bring to the hospital if needed.
Run Through the Hospital Routine
Make sure you know how to get to the hospital and where to park. Check with your doctor, your insurance agent, and hospital personnel about paperwork and preregistration. Have a list of emergency numbers in clear sight at home, and give a copy to a close friend. Many people don’t realize that when the baby comes, you will be rushed, and the only thing you will be thinking about is getting to the hospital as fast and safely as possible. If you have these things planned out, you will only have to focus on just that—getting to the hospital. Everything else will have already been taken care of.
Getting ready to have your first baby can be overwhelming, but if you ask for advice from other mothers and do the research about the necessary steps to take to be ready for a baby, it is a task that can be tackled! Take it one step at a time, and before you know it, you will be a pro at being a mom or dad.
About Our Guest Blogger
This article was written by Dixie, a blogger who writes for business, finance, women’s interests and the home niches. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three daughters. Dixie received her advice about safe family cars from the experts of Kia Optima in Utah. These Utah Kia dealers often help their customers trade their cars in for safe, reliable cars with plenty of room for baby baggage. They suggest that safety features should be of the highest importance to new parents who are shopping for a new car.
preparing for your bundle of joy
