Getting ready for a new baby can seem a little overwhelming, especially if it’s your first. The list of things you could do to “get ready” is endless. There’s going to be something left undone, and that’s okay. Your baby will be just fine if you didn’t have time to make that intricate DIY mobile you saw on Pinterest and perfectly color coordinate everything in his/her room. But, there are a few things that I was glad others told me about as I was prepping for our firstborn’s arrival, and they are all things I plan to do again this time. Here are my 5 Things to Prep Before Baby Arrives:
1. Stock up on paper plates and plastic utensils.
The last thing you want to worry about while adjusting to life as a new mom are dishes. When G was almost here, we stocked up on enough paper plates, napkins and plastic utensils to last a month. It was wonderful to not have a sink full of dirty dishes waiting to be washed while we were still trying to figure this parenting thing out.
2. Prepare freezer meals.
Fast food and pizza are okay for a few meals, but sometimes you just want a home cooked meal. When I was 35 weeks pregnant with G, I spent two days preparing freezer meals. It saved me from thinking about menu planning, shopping and prepping meals once G was here. Each day I would pull out a freezer meal to defrost. Some just needed to be reheated in the oven, while others were tossed in the slow cooker for a few hours once defrosted. It was so worth the effort to prep the meals ahead of time. This time, I have a Pinterest board full of freezer meal ideas to try!
3. Make a postpartum kit.
Postpartum recovery isn’t something that most people talk about. On TV and in the movies, women seem to magically bounce back to their pre-pregnancy selves instantly. For most women, childbirth takes time to recover from. Making a postpartum kit can help keep you as comfortable as possible in those first few days. Wondering what to expect postpartum? Check out tinyironfists.com’s explanation of postpartum recovery. Ready to make a kit? There are plenty of ideas to be found through a Pinterest or Google search. My kit included a peri bottle (provided at the hospital), giant maxi pads, Tucks Medicated Cooling Pads
4. Get the house in order.
If you go through a nesting phase, you’ll probably be all over this, but if you find yourself with no energy to clean, consider hiring someone or entreat your friends and family to help. Cleaning is hard enough in the third trimester, but not as hard as it will be once a tiny little one is in the picture. If you find it easier to relax when the house is clean, then get as much cleaning done as you can before the big day! But don’t pressure yourself to have everything perfect. Do what you can, and let the rest go.
5. Stock up on snacks.
This is something I wish I’d done a better job of. Though we had freezer meals prepped for dinners, we had few easy snacks on hand. I think Gary made a trip to the store our first day home from the hospital to grab some much needed snacks. This time, I plan to have the pantry stocked with easy snacks like (gluten free) granola bars, crackers or chips, popcorn and cookies. Oh yeah, and some fresh fruit, but really calories shouldn’t count when you have a three day old.
What would you add to the list?
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Great tips! Thanks so much for sharing at Merry Monday.
Just went through this with my daughter she was so organized and what really paid off that I was aware of? The paper plates and utensils. Because she lives away from the rest of family everyone who came stayed for a longer visit than just a stop by and we had meals and meals and more meals. So we went through the disposables and everything kept tidy. Great post!
Yes, disposable plates and utensils can be a sanity saver when there’s so much else to focus on! Congratulations on your new grandbaby!