Becoming a parent is one of life’s biggest joys. It is also one of the most difficult roles you’ll take on, if not the most difficult one of all. It’ll change the way you look at life as well as affect the choices you make on a daily basis.
But before you get to enjoy your new life as a family, you’ll need to take a couple of steps to prepare yourselves and your home for your newest member. With that in mind, here are a couple of handy tips to smooth the homecoming for new parents and make heading home with a new baby less stressful and more enjoyable.
Get down to meal prepping
The great thing about those early days is that your family and friends will probably offer to bring some food when they come over. Still, your safest bet is to think in advance and take action yourself. Start an online search for quick and nutritious recipes, and make sure there’s variety. Then, get down to meal prepping, making as many meals as you can. Then, pack them up (ideally, served in portions) and then freeze them. You can go a step further and label the containers by writing contents and date when you made the meal.
By freezing your food for later, you’ll help preserve all the nutrients and still have delicious, healthy food on hand whenever hunger kicks in. It’ll also help control your craving for junk food and sugary snacks, helping you maintain a well-balanced diet, which is overall vital, but especially if you plan on breastfeeding your newborn.
Clean and sanitize your home
Welcoming your baby also calls for some detailed cleaning and reorganizing. Your home, closet, pantry – any space with a storage area will likely benefit from a complete overhaul. A dust-free, spotless home won’t only feel more welcoming, but it’ll also go a long way in protecting your baby’s fragile immune system.
Also, wash all of your newborn’s clothes with a mild detergent to prevent baby rash, and be sure to set up a changing station as well, stocked with everything from wipes and diapers to creams and baby hygiene products. If there are any updates you plan on making around the house, tackle them before the baby arrives. Chances are, you’ll want to focus all your love, time, and attention on your little bundle of joy, so there probably won’t be time for any extensive home improvement projects.
Rely on pros for an extra set of helping hands
One thing that’s certain when it comes to new parents is they can never have too many sets of helping hands. This is a time where they need to make many adjustments to their lifestyle, and keeping help coming is oftentimes the best thing someone can do for them.
Whether that means hiring a newborn care coach to help out in those early days or getting a lactation consultant, any help will be greatly appreciated. They can help parents with everything from setting up a healthy sleep routine for their little one to breastfeeding to tackling a multitude of postpartum challenges new moms and dads often face. Those first few days after getting home are usually the most difficult ones, and expert tips and advice can make them a lot more bearable and enjoyable.
Get all those new outfits ready
Make sure you’re all set when it comes to getting all your newborn’s clothes ready so you can be focused on your baby and yourself. If you need to buy baby clothes, always remember to take into account the season you’re in, and buy basic items such as unicolored bodysuits or pants/leggings which can be mixed and matched, so your baby can have a variety of outfits with just a few simple pieces.
Prepare clothes and essentials for the trip back home
As an expectant mom, you’ve probably given some thought to what you’ll dress your baby in when heading home. What’s important is that you keep your coming-home outfits comfortable and cozy, and dress them as you would yourself. Keep the weather conditions in mind, and be sure not to overdress or underdress your little one. You can have your and your baby’s clothes brought to you by your partner when leaving the hospital, or you can pack them beforehand and bring them with other essentials in your hospital bag.
Since you won’t be able to bring your baby home from the hospital without a car seat, mount it (rear-facing and properly attached) ahead of time. That way, you’ll have one less thing to worry about on an already lengthy to-do list.
Wrapping up
Welcoming a baby to the family is exciting, but also quite overwhelming for first-time parents. As confusing as it seems at first, navigating the role of a parent can be quite smooth if you take the steps to prepare. Keep these couple of tips in mind to make the homecoming much smoother, and above all – learn to trust your new instincts as a parent.
