Are you welcoming a new baby into your home soon? It’s an exciting time for parents and grandparents, and just about anyone who is a loved one of the woman who is pregnant, but it can also be very stressful!
During the third trimester, many women feel the urge to “nest”. Nesting is usually described as an overwhelming urge to organize the home ready for the new arrival by decorating the nursery, washing baby clothes, preparing the kitchen to make nutritious meals, etc.
Plan For the Nesting Phase
If you’re planning to “nest”, then don’t worry. Many women feel like they need to get every last thing done before the baby arrives. However, this feeling is completely natural, and there’s no reason to stress out about it!
Of course, you still want your baby’s room ready for the newborn by the time your belly gets too big for you to move easily around your home.
To help you along with this and other household tasks, here are some tips on how to prepare yourself and your home for a new addition:
Get Your Baby’s Room Ready
This may be one of the most important things to get done before your due date. If you’re not sure where to start, have a look online for nursery decorating ideas.
Many websites will also feature a range of nursery furniture and devices, such as cribs and changing tables.
One thing that is often overlooked is a comfortable chair for nursing, but this is super important. Mom needs to be comfortable while nursing, so organize to have bean bags or a rocking chair in the nursery to allow for comfortable nursing.
Make The Home Safe for Baby
There are several ways you can do this: check that all sockets have covers, that all crevices have been filled, that the front door locks properly and is easy to use, etc.
It never hurts to be prepared for a worst-case scenario, either, so think about what you would do if a fire broke out while you were home. How would you get your baby out of the house safely?
Buy A Baby Monitor
If possible, get a baby monitor before the baby arrives. These devices are designed to allow parents to hear their newborns crying even if they’re not in the same room. This can be very useful for many reasons, such as:
Making sure that your baby is okay at night so that you don’t have to rush into his room every 5 minutes (and risk waking him up in the process) will make both mom and dad more comfortable letting the baby sleep in their own room.
When deciding which type of monitor to get, make sure that it can be stashed out of sight during the day so that you don’t have to look at it every few minutes.
Enjoy Nesting
Nothing is more important than organizing your home so that it will be comfortable for you and your baby, especially if you’re nesting, and remember, your baby won’t really care. As long as the home is cozy and comforting, your baby will realize that it’s a safe place for them to be.
Reminded me of taking my son to the beach in Santa Barbara when we lived there when he was about Chelsea’s age. I can’t believe we are going on trips to look at colleges now.