BedVoyage welcomes guest blogger to discuss Preparing Your Home For A Newborn: Mariam from SonoHealthCare.
Every mom gets anxious about bringing home a baby, and is concerned about preparing your home for a newborn.
It feels like there’s always so much to do, from preparing the nursery to cleaning every corner of the house and eliminating unsafe items.
Don’t worry, mom. We’ve got you.
Preparing your home ahead will relieve your stress and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed later.
Here’s a checklist that should help keep your anxiety at bay and make your home safe and comfortable for your baby.
Preparing Your Home For A Newborn
The first item on your pregnancy and nesting to-do list is to determine how you’re going to set up the nursery. This room should incorporate three things: aesthetics, comfort, and functionality.
Start with a theme so you won’t have a hard time choosing decorations, colors, and styles of furniture and fixtures.
The main parts of your baby’s room are the sleeping area (crib), changing station, nursing station, and closet. However, you also want to create a sanitation station to make it easier for you or your partner to keep the nursery clean.
When deciding on the nursery room, develop a system for storing and organizing baby clothes.
Also, pay attention to ventilation and lighting. Large windows provide natural light and fresh air to your baby’s room. Avoid using harsh or intense lighting fixtures directly above the crib, and no LED lights. Preparing your home for a newborn can be a lot of work, but it is oh so worth it!
What to Stock In Your Nursery
Given the plethora of must-have nursery items, it can be a bit overwhelming to figure out exactly what your baby needs.
So which ones should your nursery do without?
- Crib – the safest cribs have simple designs and no scrollwork or finials.
- Bedding and mattress – choose baby-safe products that are breathable, comfortable, and allergy-proof like eco-friendly bamboo crib sheets and bamboo swaddles.
- Glider – you want to be comfortable especially during tiring, nighttime feedings.
- Blackout curtains
- Changing pad and station
- Playmat or rug
- Storage (lots of it)
- Baby’s wardrobe
- Books and toys
Clean and Organize Your House
Now that you have all the baby items prepared and set up, it’s time to give your house a deep clean before your baby comes.
This might be the toughest job on your to-do list, but it’s the most important.
Babies are so new to the world they can easily get sick and develop allergies. Consider these tips when cleaning your home:
- Steam-clean carpets. Floors should be swept and sanitized too.
- Everything should be dusted so that baby isn’t exposed to allergens.
- Clean the kitchen. This is where a lot of preparation for the baby takes place, from bottles and breastmilk to formula, and baby food. Clean and sanitize everything, including your fridge, cabinets, dishwasher, etc.
- Wash all linens. Tips for washing bamboo crib sheets and bedding is found here.
- Disinfect your home. Use an organic disinfecting spray for frequently touched surfaces like door handles, stair railings, tables, desks, and more.
- Clean the windows in the baby’s room with eco-friendly options.
Baby-Proof Your Home
When preparing your home for a baby, always think about her safety. Here are some tips:
- Keep the bathrooms locked and secured at all times as these are the areas where injury can occur.
- Install covers for doorknobs, table edges, stove knobs, etc. Watch out for corners and whenever possible, cover them with corner guards.
- Keep an eye out for heavy objects around your home. At six months, babies start to move, roll and play on the floor often.
- Be cautious around electricity. Install tight-fitting electrical outlet covers that can’t be pulled out by the baby’s tiny fingers.
- Use gates around stairs.
- Keep cleaning and laundry products out of reach.
- Create a safe spot or area for babies to play during chores.
Set up Your Bathroom
The baby needs to get cleaned. Your baby’s bathroom should have the following items:
- Infant bathtub
- Foam pad tub insert
- Gentle baby soap and shampoo
- Cloth bath towels
- Rinsing cup
- 6 bamboo Baby Washcloths and a Hooded Towel
- Waterproof mattress pad, sheet savers, crib sheets
Stock up on Household Products
Cleaning can be difficult when you have a newborn to attend to. Make your life easier by stocking on household essentials so you don’t have to rush to the grocery each time.
Grab extras of paper towel, laundry detergent, dish soap, hand soap, hand sanitizers, and 70% alcohol.
Prepare Your Freezer Meals
Your first few months with a newborn are both rewarding and challenging. You’ll probably lack sleep most days and won’t have enough time (and energy) for household chores, including cooking.
Avoid the need to order unhealthy takeaways by preparing your freezer meals at least a month before you give birth.
Conclusion of Preparing Your Home For A Newborn
Make things easier on yourself by prepping your home in advance. Do not procrastinate because you could give birth earlier than expected. Plus, you likely have more energy in your first and second trimester to do all these tasks. For additional tips on preparing for your new baby, check out 10 Ways to Prepare for a Baby.
Reserve the last few weeks of your pregnancy resting and preparing your mind and body for motherhood.
Sweet Dreams~
