The arrival of a new baby is something special that needs careful planning. It’s not just about getting the necessities such as clothes, furniture, and toys prepared in advance. There are also home adjustments to think about that make it comfortable for the new family member.
If you plan a move before the baby arrives, it’s best to do it during the first or early second semester when you still have energy and enough time to make adjustments in the new home. Here are other things to think about.
Preparing a Baby Room
The baby will probably be spending most of the time in your bedroom; therefore, you might want to make adjustments to your bedroom, such as making space for the baby crib.
Other than this, it would help if you started looking for furniture for nursery and make preparations with the future in mind. The baby will grow fast, and you don’t want to keep adjusting the baby room to fit their needs.
Have a five-year plan and if you don’t know the baby’s gender, keep to gender-neutral colors and items.
Prepare Yourself
Having a new baby will interfere with your life. For the first few weeks, you might not be able to do much as you take care of the baby and, at the same time, recover from childbirth. Plan your schedule so that you will not have so much to do and, if possible, get someone to help around the house.
A week before the baby’s arrival, prepare enough food to last for a week or two, and shop for everything you’ll need for at least a month. Include baby diapers, enough formula if you’re not breastfeeding, healthy foods, and everything else you think you might need.
Try to think of how it would feel with a new baby around, and if it’s your first time to have a baby, let a friend or an older relative assist you in making plans. It’s also essential for your spouse to take a few weeks off work to help you around the house when the baby arrives.
Prepare a Downstairs Room
New babies can quickly get through 12 or more nappies in a day. If you don’t live in a bungalow or a one-story flat, it means you’ll be going up and down stairs every time you want to change the baby. Most of these times, the baby will be in your arms. If you trip on the stairs, you and the baby can get injured.
Also, it is tiring, especially now that you’re weak and still recovering from childbirth. Having everything you need downstairs means you can relax and take care of the baby without the many trips up the stairs.
If you don’t have a spare room, get a big basket and put everything you need there, such as nappies, wipes, cotton wool, extra baby clothes, muslin cloths, spare tops for yourself, baby oil, and a changing mat.
Thorough Clean Your House
Dirt, dust, and bacteria can easily affect your child leading to many illnesses and to avoid this, thoroughly clean your house days before the baby arrives. Understandably you might not be able to carry out the task effectively; therefore, get a cleaning service provider to carry out the job. It is also the ideal time to declutter your house and think of ways to make it baby-friendly.
Change the Lighting
As you make these adjustments, it’s also essential to look at their house lighting. It will come in handy when you want to put your baby to sleep, and the house or the baby room is too bright. Invest in dimmer switches, night lights, or soft ambient lights in your bedroom and the baby’s room.
Remember that you might have to wake up several times to feed the baby, and when you’re at it, you don’t want the room to be too bright so that you wake everyone up, including the baby. At the same time, the rooms need enough lighting so that you don’t trip on an object injuring yourself.
Prepare Your Pets
If you have pets, it might take a while before they get used to the newest member of your family. Think of how you’ll keep them away from the child. You might want to restrict entry to the baby room or your bedroom.
Alternatively, dress up a doll, use the baby scents you’ll be using and let the pets get used to seeing it around. It will be much easier for them to adjust and bond with the baby when it arrives.
It’s also not too late to start making your house baby-safe, like installing baby fences, locks and investing in safer furniture.