Preparing For The Birth Of Your First Child
Preparing for the birth of your first child is an exciting time. While you await the arrival of your new baby, it can be easy to get swept up in the preparations, and that isn’t a bad thing. You can never really prepare for how your life will change once you become parents, and on many levels, this is totally true.
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Each family dynamic is different, and all parents live their lives differently, and as such, becoming first-time parents will have a different effect on your life than others. Add to this that all babies are different, and you complete the perfect recipe for why planning for the birth of your first child can be pretty difficult to get right.
However, despite the uncertainty of what will happen once your baby is born, there are many practical tips on how you can prepare for bringing your baby home and those whirlwind few weeks as new parents.
Stock Up
Not just on baby items. Think toiletries for yourself and your partner, household products etc. You need to remember that you too will still need items after giving birth, and in those heady few days of baby bliss and very little sleep, you may not be able to get to the shops to refill on any essentials you may need.
Make all of your ‘must-have items’ and have enough in to last you at least a couple of weeks after birth. Use this list as inspiration.
- Dry shampoo
- Shower Gel
- Skincare
- Deodorant
- Washing detergent
- Bin bags
- Comfy outfits/pyjamas
- Tissues
- Anti bac wipes
- Hand sanitiser
- Hand wash
Baby items you can stock up are vital as you will always need more than you think. Plus, having extra items means you don’t have to worry about constantly having the washing machine on or having to nip to the shops when you have only had 2 hours of sleep in three days.
Another thoughtful way of having baby items is putting them on your wish list which is also known as a baby registry, as all of your friends and relatives would love to give something practical and meaningful as a gift. There are a lot of things you will be in need of during the first months, such as blankets, diapers, clothes, and baby gear. When putting the list together do not forget about baby tableware as well: baby bottles, for the first months, training sippy cups for the transition stage, silicone baby feeding plates for the led-weaning stage. All of these items will be a lot of help during your baby’s growth.
Meal Prep
The last thing you will want to be doing as a new parent is rustling up meals, especially in the first few days of getting used to life with a newborn. It may be worth making up some easy meals that you can portion up and freeze. This way, all you need to do is pop them in the microwave for an easy meal option if you don’t feel like cooking.
Alternatively, ask friends or family to assist with meals if they offer to help or check out meal delivery options in your local area, and you can order healthy meals from restaurants or meal delivery services.
Hospital Bag
Packing your hospital bag sooner rather than later will mean you are ready to go should you go into labour earlier than expected. When it comes to preparing a hospital bag for childbirth, you will need to consult with your maternity ward to find out exactly what they expect you to take and if they have any products, you will be supplied with once you have given birth. In some cases, maternity wards will have supplies; however, you must take with you everything you will need for the baby.
In many cases, you will need to have outfits, as in plural for both you and baby during your stay, nursing pads, maternity pads for post-birth bleeding, any feeding equipment you will be using for the baby if you are choosing to bottle feed, bibs, nappies, wipes, muslins, hospital paperwork and so on.
Car Seat
When you leave the hospital with your new baby, you will be required to have the car seat ready for the baby. Learning how to correctly instal a newborn car seat is highly recommended so you can confidently fix the car seat into your car to come home.
If you are unsure of how to fit a car seat, stores such as John Lewis or Halfords can help you to correctly install your new car seat as well as advise on the best newborn car seat for your car if you are still in the process of choosing the right car seat.
Transport
Have you thought about how you will be getting to the maternity department if you have chosen to give birth in the hospital? If you are driving, it may be worthwhile to get your car checked over at your local garage to avoid any unwanted issue arising in the event of an emergency dash to the hospital.
Making the same checks as you would if you were going on a long car journey is advisable. Check your water, screenwash, oil level, tyre pressure, and condition can give you peace of mind that your car is ready. Some people may find it gives them peace of mind to book in for a service to ensure their car is safe for their family.
Confirm with family or friends who are your contacts if you are not driving yourself so they can make sure they are available in the run-up to your due date. Thin practically as to who is most able to drop everything and leave on a moment’s notice if need be or who lives closer to pick you up once you need to make your way to the hospital.
Important Details
You need to make sure you have all the right details with you, including your hospital paperwork. As your due date gets closer, it is better to keep it in your hospital bag. Having pictures on your phone in case you are unable to get home to pick your file up is a good idea as this will help the staff locate any important information they may need to know about mum and baby.
Make a list of phone numbers you will need once labour starts, family, friends, midwife, birthing partner and so on. This way, you can keep everyone informed simultaneously, and you don’t have to worry about missing anyone off your list.
Keep It Clean
In later stages of pregnancy, the urge to nest can kick in, meaning the desire to clean the house to Mrs Hinch standards will be running crazy. Take advantage of this to get the house clean and organised to give you less worry about post-birth.
Take care to clean any new items you have bought for your baby to avoid unwanted irritants on their skin from new clothing or bedding and blankets. Many parents choose not to use non-bio washing detergent to care for their baby clothes and skin as it is gentler.
Birth Plan
Get your birth plan in place, so medical professionals know your wishes and understand how you would like the process of giving birth to go. In some cases, it isn’t possible to follow your birth plan, so understanding that this may have to change to ensure the well being of mum and baby will allow you to be more flexible should your plans have to change. Midwives and maternity staff are always on hand to help you have the best birth experience possible but testing them to what is best once labour starts will mean you have a safer delivery whilst also being mindful of your wishes.
Have your birth plan written down so you can easily refer to it or have your partner refer to it during labour is recommended. Sharing it as soon as you go into labour or arrive at the hospital can allow more time to accommodate your plan.
If you are after a water birth or anything other than the standard delivery at most hospitals, discuss this with your midwife early on so they can look into whether or not these arrangements can be made available for you should your pregnancy progress as planned.
Anything Else?
It is important for new parents to remember that despite the wealth of information out there and advice from other parents, you are allowed to parent in your own way, set your own boundaries and make the best decisions for you and your new family unit.
Advice, tips and offers of help are all good and well, but it can be overwhelming, especially right after birth when you experience massive changes in your life and pregnancy hormones are heightened. You are allowed to turn down offers of help if it feels too intrusive and miss any calls if they are at a bad time.
Learning to trust your instincts is a vital part of becoming a new parent. If this means you don’t allow any visitors until you have spent some time together as a new family unit, then this is OK if you want to limit who can visit and when setting your schedule out firmly before the birth, so well-meaning family and friends are aware of your wishes and are more mindful about when they visit instead of just turning up at your home.
While you may not be able to plan for your life with a newborn until your baby arrives, there are plenty of things you can put into place to help you be more organised before your baby arrives.
