Preparing Your Home For Your Baby: What Many Parents To Be Forget

So, you’re going to be bringing home a newborn baby in around 9 months’ time – congratulations! This is an exciting step to take and it’s one of the most life changing events anyone can ever go through. 

That’s also why it takes so much time and energy to prepare to be a parent; it’s not something you’re automatically ‘good at’ or ready for. Taking your time to get used to the idea, and learn a few things from those who have done it before you, is a great way to use the next 9 months productively. 

Within that, you’re going to want to get your home ready for a new member of the family as well. Babies are quite unique in their needs, and preparing your home for one will take time and effort. However, it can also be a lot of fun, seeing as you’re going to be setting up and decorating a nursery. We all love buying baby items that are super cute and cuddly! 

But when a soon-to-be parent sets out to prepare their home for their newborn, they can forget a few things about the process. It’s not something to be embarrassed about or ashamed of – we all forget to do a couple of essential things at a time like this! 

If you want to be sure, however, that your home is best for your baby, you may want to check out the list below. Getting to know the demands of being a parent also means dealing with a lot of self doubt and second guessing, but we’re here to make that just a little bit easier. 

Get Some Meals in the Freezer

Babies don’t quite respect their parent’s time. It’s not their fault – they’re just being babies! However, that does mean you may have a lot less time to do activities such as showering, sleeping, and indeed, eating. The latter is the one thing that’ll drive you mad. If you don’t get enough nutritious meals throughout the day, you’re going to be running on empty at all times. 

This goes double for anyone who’s breastfeeding. You need to eat and you need to eat properly, but with a newborn needing your attention 24/7, it’ll be hard to create the kind of meals you need. That’s why you need to meal prep at least a month before the baby is due to arrive. 

With some meals in the freezer, all you need to do is get them out and pop them in the microwave. In a matter of a couple of minutes, you’ll have a healthy, nutritious, and very tasty meal to dig into. And you can freeze breakfasts, lunches, and dinners and routinely top up the supply as and when you do have the time. 

Don’t Let Too Many Guests Come Round

You’re going to need time after the birth to get your baby settled into their home. You’re also going to need time to get used to having the baby around, and to bond with each other in your own way. That means you need time and space to yourself! 

As such, don’t let too many guests come round in the immediate weeks after your newborn arrives. Friends and family are naturally going to want to come over and meet your child, but you’re going to need to temper the excitement and keep things calm and peaceful for a little while. 

Immediate family members, such as your own mom or dad, and really close friends like your bestie, are the ones you’ll want to have over right now. But otherwise, close the door behind you and let people know they can come round soon but not right now. 

It might not feel great to say, but that’s why we’ve included it in this list. Get used to the idea of saying it a few months’ beforehand and it won’t feel so bad. 

Set Your Home’s Temperature

We all know that babies need to be wrapped up, seeing as swaddling makes them feel more comfortable and safe, and there is a big temperature concern when you’ve got a newborn. You don’t want them to be too hot or too cold, and it takes time to get that balance right. 

But even in the mess of finding the perfect blanket or muslin or baby romper, it’s easy to forget about setting the temperature of the house to be just right. Babies have slightly different temperature requirements to anyone older than a year, and as adults, we have full control over the thermostat. 

And you might be someone who likes things a little cooler, or you might be someone who loves a warm room. Either way, your baby may not like the same temperature, and that’s something to get used to now. 

Indeed, you’re going to need a robust hearing system to make use of, so while you’ve got the time to, look into a hvac replacement that will make keeping your home temperate a lot easier. Getting your hvac serviced ahead of time is a good idea anyway, as you can then rest easy knowing the house isn’t going to turn into an oven or a freezer without any warning! 

You’re Going to Need a Clear Out

Babies are tiny, but they can fill a house with clutter in a matter of days! Because of that, it’s best to have a clear out before you bring your newborn home. 

This way you’ll have space ready to go, whether you need to set up some new furniture or need to tidy things away in a cupboard or closet. 

So, if you’ve been needing an excuse to finally clear out the garage or get the cupboard in the upstairs hallway rearranged, here’s what you’ve been looking for! 

Create a Dual Sleeping Space

Babies need to sleep in the same room as their parents for at least six months after they’re born. 

Even though they have a nursery of their own and you spent all that time lovingly hand decorating it, baby should only use it during the day and while supervised. 

Change your own room around to properly accommodate the two of you at nighttime. Make it comfortable for everyone to get a good night’s sleep! 

As Baby Gets Older, Hazards Will Change

Your baby is going to grow fast, and probably faster than you were ever expecting them to. That’s why baby proofing your home is never a one and done kind job. It’s best to keep an eye on the way your baby develops and what they may come into contact with as they do.

For example, once your baby starts crawling, they are much more likely to take notice of things like outlets, wires, and anything that’s been left on the floor. And babies love to chew on things, especially if they’re at an age where they’re teething! 

Similarly, when your child starts walking and they’re able to toddle short distances, you need to get to the same height they are and consider what they’re able to reach. You don’t want them pulling things down on top of them, such as items  on tables, shelves, and sideboards. 

They may not even do this on purpose; they could just be stabilizing themself and accidentally cause a whole load of books to pour onto the floor. 

That There’s a Chance of Overpreparing

This might sound crazy, seeing as newborns require a lot of gentle care and attention! But really, it’s easy to go overboard with home preparations when you’ve got a little one on the way. 

Instead of having a nice time getting ready, you accidentally pile on the pressure of trying to be 100% prepared and just stress yourself out. Recognizing this state is the first step to eliminating it. 

If you’re in a panic because you feel your home isn’t ready for your baby, stop yourself and think about things. What have you done already? And what could there possibly be more to do? Probably nothing! 

And as we said above, baby proofing isn’t something you can just tick off and be done with. You need to do it over time, and change things around as your baby grows up. 

Do You Feel Prepared to Bring Your Baby Home?

Some parents do, some parents don’t – but that doesn’t mean you’ve not done enough. Take note of the tips above. A few things, like the temperature check and clearing space, are easy enough to get on with. 

But when it comes to the long term, and making sure you don’t stress yourself out, it’ll be harder to tick things off. That’s natural, and we can tell you now it’s all going to be OK. 

Just remember, as your baby grows, you will as well. You’ll get used to all the things they need and you’ll be able to curate your home to fit those things – you probably won’t even realize you’re doing it because you’re doing it so well!