With a baby on the way, one of the most exciting things you can do is prepare for their arrival. From purchasing the things you’ll need to arranging a space for them to sleep, there’s a lot you can plan to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible. 

To help you along and give you some ideas of things to check off in advance, detailed below are a few ways you can begin getting organized.

Sleeping Arrangements

When the baby arrives, they’ll most likely stay in your bedroom for the first six months. Keeping them close enables you to tend to them with ease if they want comfort or food. Moreover, it’s comforting for your baby to have you nearby.

You may be thinking about whether to buy a bassinet or crib for an adequate and safe sleeping space. As you’re the mother to be, only you can decide what will work well in your home. And which one will be practical and best for your baby. 

Simply defining where the baby shall sleep, even if it’s subject to change when they arrive. Will enable you to begin buying things you’ll need for their sleeping spot in advance. Such as a safe and secure bed, with a firm mattress and a light blanket to keep them warm.

Baby Storage  

For the first year or so, babies require a lot of things to fulfill their needs. From clothing to bottles, nappies to bedsheets, a changing bag to a changing mat, there are a lot of things you’ll need to store away.

Organizing a set of drawers or a cabinet can help keep their things together and easy for you to find. Alternatively, suppose you would like to prepare a nursery for them in advance of their arrival, to be ready for when they arrive. In that case, you can add everything baby-related to this room. 

Hospital Bag

It’s never too early to begin piecing together a bag to take with you to the maternity ward. While you’ll add a few things for the baby, there will also be things that you need too. Here’s a brief checklist of the essentials you may want to think about packing.

For Baby:

• A few nappies and baby wipes
• Bodysuits and vests
• Small towels and flannels
• Baby bottles and formula (unless you’re breastfeeding)
• Warm blanket

For you:

• Birth plan, hospital documents, and insurance information
• Mobile and charger
• Loose, comfy, loungewear to wear in the hospital
• Nursing bras, with pads to absorb leaks
• Large sanitary towels
• Large towel and flannel
• Toiletries and hairbrush/ties
• Change of clothes
• Snacks and fluid

Travel and Trial Runs

To save panicking the moment you feel the need to make a trip to the hospital, it helps some mothers-to-be to do a trial run beforehand. In doing so, you can familiarize yourself with the steps to take when the occasion strikes. It will also help your partner or family member to get things organized. 

The trial run will involve you or whoever is accompanying you getting your hospital bag. In the weeks leading up to the due date, it helps to have the bag somewhere close to the front door, ready to grab when needed.

And then, there’s transport; a vehicle is necessary when traveling to the hospital. And so, whether you plan on calling a taxi to pick you up or using your car – it helps if someone else is the designated driver. Preplanning travel arrangements and a plan B, in case the first plan falls through, will ensure you get to the hospital in good time. 

Nesting

Ahead of your due date, it’s likely you’ve been experiencing the need to nest and spruce up your home before the baby’s arrival. This can also help you out when the baby arrives. As it’s likely any spare moments you have while the baby is here and sleeping, you will be sleeping also to restore your energy. 

While you make your home the best it can be, washing the babies’ clothes and bed linen in the wash with non-bi detergent is advised. To remove any nasties from the materials, and prevent it from touching your babies’ delicate skin.

When your nesting instincts start to take over, let them! It’ll give you the motivation and desire to prepare your home for your baby’s arrival.

Choose a Name

One of the most pleasant parts of preparing for your baby has to be searching for and deciding the name. The internet has a wealth of inspiration to help you collect a few names you love. And if you won’t know the sex until they’re born, choose names for both genders or some unisex names. 

More often than not, mothers like to have a few names in mind, and then when they see their baby for the first time, the right name comes to them!

Expect the Unexpected

Part of preparing for your baby should be the mental preparation of the process, the birth, and the aftercare. While preplanning can undoubtedly help, newborns tend to throw a lot of curveballs our way. 

Moreover, while some women may have the waterbirth, they always dreamed of. Others may not get to experience the homebirth they desired, as the nurse has requested that they go to the hospital instead. 

There can be various parts along the way that may not go to plan. But the most crucial part is for you to try as much as possible to go with the flow and keep your thoughts on the most important thing in your world – your baby!

Don’t Stress About Breastfeeding

You’ve likely decided that you want to breastfeed your newborn child. You’ve even spoken to other moms about breastfeeding and have even picked up a few breastfeeding tips along the way.

But, there might be times when breastfeeding might not always be a possibility, such as if you develop a medical condition where you may not produce enough milk.

Try not to overthink about whether you can breastfeed or not. After all: the last thing you need is extra stress when you’re about to have a baby.

Take Time For You

If you have free time before the baby arrives, grasp it with both hands and do everything you adore. Making you time is so essential to help you prepare for the birth and the baby. From a hot bath to watching your favorite movie, there’s plenty you can do to relax.

With the checklist above, hopefully, it’s given you some ideas of what you can begin planning before the little one arrives!