8 Ways to Prepare for a New Baby

Are you pregnant? Welcoming a new life into the world is one of the most rewarding tasks that you will ever do. It’s also one of the most stressful. The pressure faced by new and expectant moms is enormous. 

Luckily, women have been giving birth since before we knew what we were. We’ve figured out how to do it. You can never be fully prepared because surprises happen, but you can do everything in your power to make sure you’re ready. 

1. Prepare Your Village

Raising a baby is a lot of work. Throughout history, everyone in the village cooperated to raise kids. The tradition made life easier for everyone involved. Now, your village looks a little bit different. It’s your friends, your family, the people in your mommy meet up group. This is where you can turn to for advice. Ideally, your little village will be set up before you give birth. If you become a mother and still yearn for a bigger social group, join an app or website geared toward making friends. 

2. Get Your Paperwork

All of your life should be in order before the baby arrives. This is especially important when it comes to your finances. Your health insurance, for example, should be figured out before you go to the hospital. 

Of course, there are some accidents that you can’t prepare for. As Ohio birth injury lawyer the Lancione Law Firm explains: “When a child is born, it should be one of the most joyous events of one’s lifetime. However, it is not uncommon for medical professionals to make preventable errors which can cause birth injuries such as cerebral palsy.”

Your birth injury lawyer should be hired after your baby is born. But, you can speak to a lawyer about creating your will before your little one enters the world. You want to be prepared for everything that can happen. 

3. Read

Parenting books can be extremely helpful. They can tell you step by step exactly what you can expect. Physically, your body is going through a lot. Understanding what’s going on can make you feel much more comfortable. 

If you can’t find a book that snags your attention, read parenting blogs instead. 

4. Babyproof Your Home

Where is your little one going to sleep? The nursery, crib, etc., should be ready before the baby comes home. Now, steps like covering exposed outlets can wait a few weeks at least because your newborn isn’t going to do be doing a lot of crawling around. However, the baby’s eating, sleeping, and changing spaces need to be worked on. 

Many women experience a “nesting” phase where they devote their energy to working on their homes. This is the perfect time to visit baby stores like Unique Baby Store so you can buy some nursery essentials as well.

5. Plan Your Birth

As a modern woman, you have options when it comes to your birthing plan. You can choose to have a hospital birth with an epidural, a home birth with no medication, a water birth at a pregnancy retreat. You and your doctor should work out your birth plan well in advance. That way, when the critical moment comes, there’s nothing to stress about. All of the details are already worked out. 

6. Pick a Name

You’ll have to decide pretty early in your journey if you want to know the sex in advance. Regardless of your choice, you can pick out a name in advance. If you’re determined not to pick a name until you see your baby, you should at least think of a few that you like. Your baby’s name should be distinctive, something that has rarely been used. For example, you can pick out a handful of rare baby girl names and a couple of unusual boy names so that when your little bundle of joy arrives, you’ll have some super unique and special options to help you make the decision. After you give birth, your body will be flooded with hormones. You’ll feel very emotional. You may not be in the best mindset to pick out a name. 

7. Speak to Your Partner

If you’re raising your baby with a partner, it’s a good idea to talk about your parenting styles. It’s very important that you’re on the same page. For example, do you plan on breastfeeding? Who’s going to take care of the baby, will one of you stay home from work? If you happen to disagree on anything, you’ll be able to work it out before you’re put into a stressful situation. 

8. Buy Supplies

Babies aren’t cheap. They need diapers, clothes, wipes, toys, and more. You could spend your entire paycheck on baby supplies if you wanted to. If you ever find a good deal, make sure you stock up on it. Filling your garage with diapers may seem extreme, but it’s worth it if you save money.