preparing for baby Archives | Kids Ain't Cheap

Six Steps to Prepare for Baby

July 9, 2018 | Leave a Comment

Whether it’s your first child or fifth, there are things you must do to prepare for your infants arrival. And no matter how much you prepare, there will be times you just have to wing it. Here are six steps to prepare for baby.

See a doctor – your OB/GYN will make sure mom and baby are healthy and guide mom in making healthy choices during this crucial 9 months. Educate yourself on your options though. You are not required to have every test done. While you are at it, seek out a pediatrician and know what’s expected after birth – shots, visits and so on. Don’t freak yourself out, but ask about any “high risk” medical concerns you have and wrap your head around what they will require medically.
Purchase the basic supplies – the basic supplies vary from family to family, but in general you will need diapers and wipes, crib or bassinet, swaddling blankets and several size and weather appropriate outfits for the infant. Also consider some bottles and formula, even if you are planning to breastfeed. It never hurts to be prepared.
Prepare your home – consider the pets in your home and preparations you need to make with them. Prepare meals and keep them in the freezer for those first couple of months when sleep is a luxury and your free time will be spent snuggling with baby. While child proofing your home is not required with an infant, you will find that time flies and before you know it, those little fingers are seeking out electric sockets.
Organize help – who will watch your other children while you are in the hospital? Will your mom come to stay when baby is born? How much maternity leave does mom have and what’s the plan when she must return to work? Perhaps you can get help cooking and cleaning for a while to take some pressure off. Work these things out before baby makes his or her appearance to give you peace of mind and time to just enjoy your new baby.
Know your options – we all go into the birthing process with a preconceived notion of how it will turn out. Are you expecting an all natural birth or are you ready to ask for an epidural the moment you arrive? Are you scheduling c-section or are you going to wait until the baby is pushed out into a tub full of water? Whatever your hopes and dreams, make sure you are aware of alternatives. An all-natural birthing process may turn into an emergency c-section in an instant, be aware of it all and the repercussions.
Relax and enjoy the process and your baby – pregnancy and birth are miraculous. Make sure to slow down and breathe and enjoy the process. Enjoy your baby’s movements in your belly. Watch as they punch out through your skin or practice kicking. Babies do not come with a handbook, but relax and trust yourself to know what’s right for you and your baby. And don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Every new mom has been there!

Preparing for Baby: The Hospital Bag

November 20, 2013 | 1 Comment

A friend of mine recently called to ask for some advice about what exactly to pack for her hospital bag as she and her husband are prepping for the arrival of their first baby. The hospital bag can save your sanity. I honestly don’t think you can ever be prepared enough. I’d rather have too much of something than not enough, especially if you’re a long way from home. Here is a list of things that you should remember to pack in your hospital bag.

Prepping the Hospital Bag for Mom

I forgot a lot of stuff for myself, I was so concentrated on making sure everything for baby was packed I didn’t remember everything for myself. Lesson learned. Things that a mom will need include:

Comfortable, loose, clothes of your own. I was hospitalized for a week due to c/section complications, after a few days I was more than ready to get out of a hospital gown and put my own clothes on. Especially if you have a c/section, make sure they’ve very loose-fitting. If you’re breastfeeding, make sure your clothes are easily accessible since in the early days you will be nursing often and need easy access. I bought two t-shirts at Old Navy that were light, loose and had button snaps to open and close it at the neckline. I wasn’t concerned about fashion but more functionality and comfort. I opted to wear PJ pants that I could get on and off easily.
Nursing Bra
Toiletries
Snacks for you and spouse. Though I had access to yummy food of my own at the push of a button, my husband, who stayed with me, did not. I also didn’t want to call for small snacks or a drink so we brought a bag of our own snacks and it was very helpful! {This is also a great gift idea for expecting moms. Find out what their favorite snacks and drinks are and put a little bag together for their hospital!}
Nursing pillow. Not everyone uses a nursing pillow, I personally found it helpful, especially when first learning.
Camera/cell phone plus all required chargers.

What You Need for Baby

Warm clothes. Though there are a ton of cute newborn clothes, stick with practicality. Newborn sleepers that button or zip work well and most have feet and hand covers. Remember a small hat too, regardless of season (our daughter was born in June) since babies are used to a very warm environment.
Diapers/wipes. Our hospital had a full stash of newborn diapers in our room for use but it’s always nice to have your own and not all hospitals provide them. If you’re cloth diapering, you may want to wait until you get home to start since you likely won’t have access to laundry.
Swaddling blankets. Again, the hospital provided blankets for us but not to take home and we wanted to get comfortable using the ones we would be using at home.
Car seat. We were not allowed to leave the hospital until the nurse signed off on her placement within a car seat. This is for both her and our safety.

Though we forgot our camera, I was glad we had our phones to snap her first pictures. You can never be too prepared for baby’s arrival if you think you’ll need it, bring it!

How to Make the Most of Your Baby Registry

November 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment

One of the most exciting things about having a new baby is preparing for their arrival. Suddenly, you have to prepare your home, as well as yourself and for family, for an extra person. The best tool that new parents have at their disposal is the baby registry.

Whether you have been looking forward to this moment since childhood or find it a tacky practice, a baby registry is an excellent way to get the things you need. People want to give you gifts, whether you like it or not. Think of a baby registry as if all the people who will buy you gifts got together and decided to get things that matched, things you wanted, and just enough of what you need.

A baby registry can be a lot of fun, but if you fill it with impractical things, you will get less of what you actually need. Here are some tips to make the most of your baby registry:

Figure out what you’ll actually need

There are lots of adorable and completely impractical things for sale in the baby aisle. These are things that you and your partner can buy the baby yourselves.

Furniture

You will need a place for the baby to sleep, for example. Don’t forget crib sheets and bumper sets. You will also need a car seat (you often can’t leave the hospital without one) and a safe place to set down your baby during the day.

Clothing

Only register for the bare minimum. Some people will not buy off of your registry. Those people will buy you clothes. If you register for as many clothes as you’ll actually need, you’ll end up with a lot more than you need.

Diapers

This includes wipes, diaper cream and other diapering aides. Decide on a brand, and register for a couple bags of each size.

Food

Whether you plan to breast feed or to bottle feed, you will need some stuff. Bottles, nipples and formula are basic for bottle-feeding, and breast feedings moms might need a pump and storage containers.

Start Researching Early

You’ll want to have your baby shower a month or longer before you are due. You’ll want to give your guests at least four weeks to buy a gift. And it might take you a month to decide on all the brands you want. So you should start this process as early into your pregnancy as possible.

When deciding on what store to register at, there are several things to keep in mind. You want a store that is accessible not only to you but to your loved ones as well. Online shopping is handy as well. A large chain store might be your best bet if your family is spread out.

Talk to Other People

Ask for suggestions

A pregnant woman is inundated with “helpful” tips by nearly every other woman on the planet. It becomes hard to keep track of who suggested what, but try to steer these conversations towards what you should register for. Fellow moms will help you remember the little things that you might not realize you need: like a bottle brush or gas relief medication.

Tell People

The whole purpose of having a registry is to tell people what you need for the baby. So you have to make sure you tell the people where it is! Have family and friends spread the word for you, post it on social media networks, and add the information to your baby shower invites.