5 Things You Should Do Before the Baby Arrives

By Diana Smith,

Once you’ve entered the second half of your third trimester you’ll probably start to think more about what you need to do prior to the delivery. Organization, cleaning and preparation ‒ three words that perfectly describe what you need to do before you bring your newborn home from the hospital. Organizing the space, cleaning the entire house and preparing the baby supplies are essential things that will make the arrival of your bundle of joy easy and carefree.
Prepare the Essentials
Babies are very demanding, since they’ve just begun their development. Diapers and creams are always going to be on top of your shopping list, so make sure you stock up on those. However, don’t buy too many diapers before you put the one type on your baby, and see if it fits properly. BPA-free bottles, cotton pads, baby soap, nail clippers, a nasal syringe, a rectal digital thermometer, rubbing alcohol, and nipples are just some of the essentials you should stock on as well, before your newborn comes home.
Receiving blankets, sweaters, onesies, T-shirts, and booties should also be on your list of essentials. Make sure you pre wash everything in time, so there’s a vast choice of clothes for the baby to wear. Most of the moms will get plenty of baby clothes on the baby shower, but for those who haven’t had one, online shopping is a bliss. Pick out anything you like and have it delivered to your home.
Load up on Food Supplies
Stocking up a pantry on food is the vital thing to do before you go to the hospital. You won’t get too much time to do the grocery shopping for the first couple of weeks, so make sure you are fully loaded with food essentials. Trail mix, quinoa and broths is all you need for a delicious soup. Additionally, healthy sauces, brown rice, canned beans and crackers are the great food choices for the new mom to be.
Furthermore, don’t forget to clean out the refrigerator with all the outdated food. Stock up on nutritious groceries that will be highly beneficial for the breastfeeding period. Salad greens, hummus, vegetables, fruits, and filtered water is all you need to stay healthy and energized. You could order fresh groceries online every day, so don’t worry if you suddenly run out of fruits or veggies.
Do Laundry
It’s important to wash all the pillow shams, duvet cover, towels, throw rugs and guest sheets before the baby arrives. It would be best to use detergent that are dye and fragrance free, and eco-friendly. These are completely safe for your family, and since you don’t know how the newborn may react to heavy detergent formulas, stick to those that are fragrance free. Furthermore, stock up on detergents, because babies need a lot of clothes changed during the day.
Clean the House
Prepare for the ultimate house cleaning and start taking out the trash and everything you don’t need anymore. Wash the windows, vacuum the entire house and wash all the curtains. Additionally, hiring a rubbish collection company would be perfect, because they’ll take away all the trash and help you get rid of the clutter you’ve piled up in your backyard or your garage. Make sure you wash all the floors with chemical-free cleaning solvents, so that you don’t jeopardize yours and the health of a baby.
Arrange Childcare
Some parents have full time jobs and don’t get enough time off to take care of their children. Therefore, hiring a person to take care of your baby while you’re working is the best solution. Search the internet, or ask some of your friends for recommendations and find the person you could trust with your newborn.
Preparing for the arrival of a newborn is both thrilling and demanding. However, it’s important to keep all the previously mentioned things in mind and welcome your bundle of joy properly into a clean and organized home.