If you are reading this then you are likely expecting your first child. Congratulations! There are few greater joys in the world than the gift that is a child joining your family. But being a parent does come with a whole wealth of new responsibilities. New things to stress over. New worries and new fears! But don’t worry, this is all a natural part of being a new parent.
There are so many things you need to do and get before your baby is even born. Changes that need to be made to your home. An endless list of supplies that need to be bought. And it can be quite overwhelming figuring it all out. Which is why we have put together this essential prep list. It will guide you through all the home changes and supplies that you need to have sorted before the birthday!
Baby Proofing
Baby proofing is the act of insulating your home to reduce the risk of harm to your child. This will come in many different forms. The most obvious thing you need to sort is adding gates to areas you don’t want your baby getting into when it does start to walk. You can wait for them to start walking before doing this, but it is advisable to get it done ahead of time.
You also want to look at adding padding to sharp corners and door handles. Edges on kitchen counters, tables, dressers. Children are naturally inquisitive and clumsy. Chances are they will have a number of falls and bumps as they grow up. Adding even a small bit of padding to sharp edges will drastically reduce the risk of serious injury.
If you have a garage in your home you will need to ensure it is completely baby proofed. Ideally you want to ensure your child can’t access it without supervision. But as they grow this will become less realistic. So you need to ensure any tools or dangerous chemicals are safely stored away and locked up. You’ll also want to get a garage door that is fitted with a sensor that will stop it closing if it detects anyone underneath it. We recommend using a garage door specialist for this rather than attempting any DIY jobs.
The Nursery
Designing your nursery is one of the most exciting parts of the lead up to the big day. Deciding on colours and painting the walls. Filling it with decorations and those little personal touches. And, most importantly, the cot.
The ideal cot should be extremely sturdy. You don’t want to skimp on this. The bars on the cot should be well spaced, to ensure your child doesn’t get their limbs stuck in the bars. But equally not so spaced out that they could conceivably fall out of the cot. The corners of the cot should be rounded. And you should invest in a firm mattress that fits into the cot snuggly. Avoiding any gaps between the mattress and the bars.
You’ll also want to invest in a high quality baby monitor. There are hundreds of options available so it is worth doing some research to find a model suitable for your home. You want it to have enough range to cover the entire house. And, if possible, you want to find a unit that can have multiple receivers. Allowing you to have a few monitors in multiple locations within your home.
The Supplies
Having a baby in the family is a gift. But it is a gift that comes with a lot of requirements. The list of supplies you will need to keep stocked can seem overwhelming. So it is good to stock up on as many as you can ahead of time.
Nappies are the one of the most important items you will need. And they are also one of the items that you will burn through the quickest. On average it is estimated that a newborn can get through 9 nappies a day. Naturally this number will decrease as they grow older. But it highlights just how many nappies you will need in your home at all times.
You will also need a lot of baby clothes. Ideally you want baby rompers as they provide easy access for when it is nappy changing time. If you are throwing a baby shower you will likely get a lot of clothing gifted to you. It is also wise to buy rompers in a variety of sizes. Babies grow very fast. And they will quickly outgrow their clothing.
Baby oil is another essential you will want to stock up on. Not only is it a fantastic moisturizer for your baby’s skin but it will also help dealing with skin issues such as diaper rash. And, as an added bonus, it is equally suitable for adult use too.