Preparing your home

You’ve probably heard all about a pregnant women’s urges to nest and if you haven’t already started, it could just be a matter of time before you do! As a nesting mother you may suddenly have the overwhelming desire to start spring-cleaning or re-decorating in preparation for your new arrival, but make sure you don’t do anything too strenuous. The main thing to focus on is getting your house ready for when you return home with your baby.

The basics

There’s not much you’ll need to do to make your home safe for your newborn. It’s going to be a while before they start moving around, so your main priority will be their wellbeing and comfort.

Before the birth you can help yourself by getting the baby clothes, diapers, feeding equipment, blankets and a bassinet (you won’t need a crib just yet) all ready. Then, when you are home after the birth you can focus on relaxing and bonding with your new arrival.

Some baby things to buy in advance:

• Baby feeding equipment
• Baby clothing
• Car seat
• Diapers
• Baby changing mat
• Baby toiletries
• Baby changing bag
• Bassinet
• Bedding
• Stroller

Prepare some meals

It’s a good idea to prepare some meals and freeze them for when you are home with your new arrival. You’ll have a lot to do at first, so if you’ve got some ready-to-heat meals prepared, it’ll make your life easier.

Make sure you have a baby car seat

If you give birth in a hospital, it is unlikely your baby will be discharged if you don’t have a baby car seat. So make sure you buy one in advance and that both you and your partner know how to install it.