The Nitty Gritty on Getting Ready For Baby
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As I sit here typing this, I am 29 weeks pregnant, and don’t ask me where the time has gone. I will admit that I am just beginning to feel a tad bit panicked since I have six kids who all arrived somewhere in the 37th week. Then there was number seven who went almost an entire week beyond the due date. Ask me how I felt about being pregnant for another month beyond what I had been pregnant before. Then again, probably best that you not ask 🙂 As I get to about this point in my pregnancy, however, there are certain things I do to get ready for baby.
Having done this seven times before, I can say that I have become an expert at what you do and don’t need to do at this point. So, if you don’t see something on this list, don’t fret about it – you may not need to do it!
I find that the lists on the Internet, books, and advice from others is plentiful when it comes to these sorts of things. Maybe you find yourself wondering how to sift through it all.
So, here’s the nitty gritty on how to get ready for baby when you are about two months out.
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Get a few baby essentials
You would be amazed at what you don’t need. While there are many things that you don’t need, at least not right away, these are a few of the basics that I am glad I have on hand.
Some of these baby T-shirts. These are nice early on when you still have a cord to deal with and when your newborn is pooping out of everything faster than you can blink an eye. I find having maybe six of these on hand is nice.
Of course you will want a few of these full onsies, too
I LOVE gowns for newborns. My kids practically live in these when we are at home for the first month of their life.
You will hear many say that wipe warmers aren’t necessary. I will tell you why I disagree. There is nothing babies hate more than cold wipes and diaper changes, especially in the middle of the night. When all you want to do is sleep, anything that will keep you from having a screaming baby on your hands is worth its weight in gold. Warm wipes really do make diaper changes a little less traumatic. I am as cheap frugal as they come, and I’ve bought three of these.
Stock up on a smaller amount of newborn diapers, and a bit more of the size one diapers. I do cloth diaper, but I use disposables for the first month or so just to lighten the load. You can read about cloth diapering in Cloth Diapering 101 and Cloth Diaper Laundering
I love muslin blankets
Receiving blankets are also good
So are a few warmer blankets if necessary
These pads are a lifesaver. Stick them in the cradle, the crib, the bassinet, or wherever your baby lies down. This will save you from an entire sheet change more times than you can imagine.
Gas drops are nice to have on hand. I haven’t used them a ton, but it’s better than heading to the 24 hour pharmacy in the middle of the night because you don’t have any.
I must have a sling carrier. My babies love them. This is the one I have. I have a different style for older ones, too, but we are focusing on getting ready for baby here.
Burp cloths are good, especially if you have a spitter…but you don’t need a ton of them. I really find these diapers to work the best. You can even sew something cute on them if you want 🙂
There there are some basic clothing needs, but again, you don’t need a ton right away.
Pacifiers are a necessity most times. These are the ones my kids have loved.
That really covers the essentials believe it or not. I will share a more detailed list in another post, but these really are the essentials.
Start loading up your freezer and pantry
It is so much easier to have some meals on hand for the beginning. Start by stocking your pantry and stocking your freezer, but then get some full meals in the freezer, too. Ideally, I have about four meals in the freezer for about four weeks. That means 16 meals. Of course you can do whatever you feel you need, but having a nice stash of meals for the first month is so nice.
Stock up on the things you use every day
This would be things like toilet paper, basic toiletries, and the things you use all the time in your kitchen.
Take care of routine maintenance ahead of time
Will your car need an oil change around this time? What about new tires? Appointments at the dentist, eye dr., or other random appointments? What about home maintenance? Avoid having to take care of these random, and often annoying, things during the first six weeks or so with a newborn. If they are things that can be taken care of ahead of time, you will be so thankful that you were proactive about it.
Tackle any cleaning or home organization projects
It is so nice to not have to focus on these kinds of things either. And, it is really nice to have things well organized when the baby is here. It is amazing how much time it takes to care for a newborn.
Get your hair done
Schedule an appointment for at least your hair to be nice and fresh about three to four weeks ahead of your due date. You will be so happy that you feel nice during the tail end of your pregnancy as well as when you are a new mom.
It is a really nice treat to have a pedicure before your due date
These little things can make you feel so nice in the days leading up to your due date and beyond.
Schedule newborn pictures with a recommended photographer
Some even like to do pregnancy sessions, too. While this can be rather costly, I have been so thankful to have done that with my last one. My session is already booked for this baby. It is an expense that is well worth it.
Find a pediatrician or family care doctor
Whoever it is that will be providing medical care for your baby, start researching far ahead of time. I find it best to ask people you trust about who they have and why. Then, call these offices and talk to them. How nice are they? Prepare a list of questions to ask. Whether or not they have after hours help available is a big thing to look for in my opinion. I have a more detailed list of helpful questions scheduled for a separate post, but get to work on finding recommendations right away.
Will you need daycare?
Find this well ahead of time, too. Follow the same recommendations as I laid out in finding a dr.
Line up any child care, pet care, home care, or any other jobs you might need done while you are in the hospital
This is one of those things that is easy to forget until the last minute. Finding someone at the last minute can be a challenge at times.
Start packing your hospital bag
It really never is too early to get your things together. I’ve got a great list in The New Mom’s Guide to Packing a Hospital Bag. Check that out, and start getting it together.
Have plenty of date nights
These will be hard to come by once the baby arrives…at least for a bit. Make sure you have enough date nights scheduled.
Schedule some you time, too
Again, this will be in short supply as a new mom. Schedule girl time, alone time, fun time, relaxation time now. You will be happy you made the time.
Get some great reading material
Most new moms like to read about being a new mom. Find some great resources now, both for the last days of your pregnancy and beyond.
Make sure you’ve got thank you notes and stamps
You will need these for gift givers. This is another one of these things that is often overlooked.
Plan what you will do for baby announcements
There are so many options these days. Take the time to research them all now to avoid the headache later.
Relax
Yes, relax. Enjoy these last few weeks of your pregnancy. It is a special time, and your life will be forever changed after the baby is born. Get plenty of rest and do everything you can to stay healthy. It can be really hard to overcome an illness at the end.
If you are wondering what to do to get ready for baby, this really is the nitty gritty on what you need for the first month.
These are really great tips, some of which might not be the common, go-to recommendations. Planning ahead is so important…like making meals, getting your hair done and making sure that you’ve got Thank Yous and stamps! These are things that you definitely won’t want to worry about with a brand new baby around the house. And after having a baby, moms naturally feel like they don’t look as pretty. Having your hair done and nails done are such simple ways to make moms feel a little bit better about themselves during this very unfancy time of life!
Thanks for the great ideas!
I think it is just so hard to not feel guilty about taking time for ourselves after the baby comes, too. But if we look nice, it makes all the difference in the world. I have had to master the getting prepared thing since I literally walk through the door with a new baby to hear, “What’s for lunch?” and “Don’t forget you need to take me to practice in two hours.” Life just doesn’t slow down for me, baby or not!
Ha! Isn’t it funny how different life is after you’ve had one child compared to when you have multiple children? Moms often feel overwhelmed after their first baby, and by the time they have a second and third or more child, they can feel like an expert! Because the older kids don’t give them a chance to bee insecure…there just isn’t time!
LOL. True no time at all!