How to be Prepared for a New Baby. 4 Tips for New Parents.

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! You are having a new baby! Now, on to the serious stuff. You need to get yourself prepared for your new baby and you will need to adjust your house and car for the new baby as well. For many mothers, especially if you are having a baby for the first time, it can be very difficult to adjust to all the changes that your body and mind are going through. In this post, I not only want to give you essential material things to prepare for a new baby, but rather how to prepare to a new baby physically, mentally and emotionally.

Ready? Let’s begin. 

How to be prepared for a new baby mentally.

Remember this, women adjust to having a new baby mentally faster than men. Therefore don’t expect husbands to start being all fatherly after the pregnancy is announced. They are not like that. Women adjust better to the new baby, mentally, because they experience physical, emotional and psychological changes within their own bodies. These changes help them adjust to the new baby quicker. However, men start feeling the new baby when they see the bump or feel the flicker of baby movement over mummy’s belly.

How to be prepared for a new baby physically.

There is nothing much a new father can do to prepare to the new baby. What needs to be done by a father needs to be done BEFORE the new baby is conceived. However, the new father can try quitting smoking, quitting drinking and other vices once the new baby is conceived. The new mother needs to do the same too.

The most important things you must keep in mind to prepare physically for a new baby are:

• Begin taking care of your body even before getting pregnant.
• Start early the visits to your doctor to rule out medical problems if any.
• Exercise if you can.
• Eat healthy.
• Stop before, during and after smoking or drugs completely if you wish to have a healthy baby.
• Stay hydrated.
• Prioritize your well-being. This includes implement any hobby that gives you joy.
• Create or perfect a routine to keep you happy and balanced. (Example: Meditation, a self-care routine etc.)
• Take prenatal pills.

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How to be prepared for a new baby: the house and car.

With the new baby, depending on whether you are planning to co-sleep with the baby or whether you are planning to put the baby in a separate room affects the changes to your home. Either way, we recommend having a separate room for your new baby, even if the new baby is going to be sleeping with the new parents for the first couple of months. A baby crib, some toys, a place to put all the baby’s clothes, shelves to convenient grab lotions, creams, diaper wipes, diapers, etc. off near the changing table is a MUST.

You will also need to think about getting a baby chair too; baby chair for the house (at the right height for the dining table) and a baby chair for the car (for traveling). Some baby chairs can be adjusted to fit the adult dining chair and fit into the car at the same time. They are a little bit more expensive than the conventional baby chairs, but the multi-function is extremely convenient PLUS it is downright comfortable for your new baby.

Essential stuff you need for your new baby.

Frankly speaking, the essentials depend completely on your own preference, budget and lifestyle. You can live without some of these things if you think you would rather not waste the money.

If you have had previous babies before, you probably do not need too many new baby clothes. New babies outgrow their clothes terribly fast, and it would be a waste of money to splurge on new clothes. You can get hand-me-downs from nieces and nephews too, if you want. What you should probably get are blankets, sweaters, coats, and clothes for going out.

At home, your new baby is not going to mind old clothes. In fact, it is a fact that your new baby is probably going to like wearing the old clothes better than the new clothes. Don’t forget the feeding utensils like baby bowls, breast pump (if you’re planning to pump breast milk for your new baby at work), baby bottles, cloth nappies, diapers, baby wipes, lotions, shampoo, bath gels, towels, baby blankets, baby bedding, bibs, stroller, etc.

For more useful information about pregnancy visit my YouTube channel, here is the link. 

Related posts that might help you out in this topic:

The basics for Baby Parenting.

The guide for Weaning a Breastfed Baby.

5 essential tips to take care of a newborn baby.

11 excellent tips for traveling with a baby.

Tips to help your colicky baby to get relief.

Final thoughts about how to be prepared for a new baby.

Having a baby is one of the mesmerizing experiences that any couple can experience. Babies actually need few material things to be well for the first 3 to 6 months in my opinion. The most important thing to prepare for a baby is you, emotionally, physically and mentally.

If you liked this article, share it so that other moms-to-be can benefit from this information.

Zadi, xo