The nursery is ready, the car seat has been installed, and your hospital bag is packed. Think you are all ready for the arrival of your baby? Think again! Unfortunately, there are some things that you might still have forgotten. Here are some of the things that you need to make sure you sort out before the baby arrives.
Batch Cooking
Who knows how much energy you are going to have once the baby is here? You might be so tired from taking care of your little one that the idea of cooking is just completely off the radar for you. Instead, you could be tempted to turn to quick ready meals or takeout as these will give you a meal for minimal effort on your part. However, this is not going to give you the nutritional support that you need, and this could lead to you feeling even more drained and exhausted.
Therefore, you should look into batch cooking before the baby arrives. Take the time to cook a variety of your favorite meals, plate them up into individual portions, and freeze them. If you don’t feel like cooking, you can be certain that you will have a delicious and nutritious meal on hand that you can reach for.
Life Insurance
Do you have a good life insurance policy in place? It is not something that we like to think about, but you need to make sure that your children will be taken care of properly if you are not there to support them. The right life insurance policy will be a key part of this.
What life insurance cover includes. Well, every policy is slightly different. It is vital that you find one that gives you the coverage that you need with a premium that works for you. Make sure that you find the right policy for you and your family. Unfortunately, we always need to ensure that we are prepared for the worst scenario, whatever that might be.
Older Siblings
You might have got caught up in the preparation for the new baby but have neglected to properly talk through the impending new arrival with any children you already have. It is vital that you sit them down and properly help your firstborns adjust to their new siblings.
Make sure that they are aware that you are not replacing them with a new baby, and that you still love and support them. Try to get them as excited about being a big brother or sister as possible. This should hopefully make for a smooth introduction when the new baby is here.
Clean Your Floors
Your baby is going to spend a lot of time on the floor. Whether they are having tummy time on a mat or learning how to crawl about, they are going to be spending a lot of time down on the floor, and you need to make sure that this surface is properly clean and hygienic for them. Think about – what do you track in on your shoes? Do you have pets who also walk on the floors? Though they might appear to be clean, they might not nearly be as clean as you might think.
Invest in a steam cleaner, even if it is just a hire. This will allow you to go through all the floors in your home. Whether they are carpet, wood, tile, or anything else, you need to make sure that you are doing everything in your power to make them as clean as possible.
Wash the Baby’s Clothes
Prewash your baby’s wardrobe. Whether you are using hand-me-downs from older children or buying all brand-new, you need to make sure that everything is washed and ready to use as soon as your baby gets here. Wash it all in baby-safe powder or liquid, and then make sure it has enough time to dry. You could even try to line-dry it outside for some extra freshness!
You will be shocked at how many clothes a baby can get through – especially if this is your first. It is important that you always have something on hand that you can change them into if you need to, so wash their wardrobe well before they arrive!
These are five things you might have forgotten to do in the run-up to the arrival of your baby. With so much to prepare, it can be so easy for something to slip through the gaps and end up forgotten!