What To Have Ready For Newborn

A Car Seat For The Ride Home & When Going Out And About

It’s not only necessary but mandatory that all children either be in a car seat or booster seat depending on their age. Children have to remain in booster seats, as reported by Healthychildren.org until they are 4 feet, 9 inches in height and are also between the ages of 8 and 12. Children also have to properly fit an adult seat belt before they are even allowed to ride without a booster seat. So, needless to say, an infant car seat is very important to have before bringing the baby home.

Another important thing to note about infant car safety, according to AAP.org, is that babies should be in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible but not going past the height and weight recommendations on the car seat itself.

What Are Your Child Care Options

If you plan to return to work after having a baby, youll need to decide whether to leave your child with a family member or hire a daycare center. Daycares typically cost $15-$30 per hour and offer activities like storytime, music classes, playgroups, and homework assistance. In addition, some centers provide transportation services, so parents dont have to drive their kids around.

You might also consider hiring a babysitter. The average hourly rate for a live-in babysitter is $10-$20, depending on where you live. For part-timers, its usually $7-$12.

Child care costs vary widely depending on where you live, what kind of childcare you want, and whether you plan to work outside the home. The average price of child care ranges from $12,000-$18,000 per year, which includes both direct expenses and indirect expenses like transportation and lost wages. If youre planning to stay at home, consider using a nanny share program, which allows you to split the cost of hiring a nanny with other families who also need help.

When To Pack Your Hospital Bag

No one wants to be packing for the hospital at the last minute, especially if your baby decided to arrive a little bit earlier than her due date. So, itâs worth having your hospital bag organized and packed during month eight of your pregnancyâjust in case.

Keep the hospital bag in a handy place, such as your hallway coat closet or the trunk of your car.

Also, you wonât be able to pack everything ahead of time, for example, your eyeglasses or your slippers. So, itâs not a bad idea to keep a list of these last-minute additions on the door of your refrigerator so you or your partner can keep these items in mind before you leave for the hospital.

If youâve forgotten an item, donât worry too much about it, as a friend or family member can always take it to you.

Below youâll find separate hospital bag lists for labour and delivery, after delivery, for your birth partner, and for the baby.

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Get Ready For Sleepless Nights

Its pretty common knowledge that the second you say hello to your new baby you say goodbye to a decent nights rest for the next 6 months to a year or two if you decide to co-sleep like I do. So how can you prepare for sleepless nights? Here are some ideas: Both parents should get lots of rest in the weeks leading up to babys due date, make some energizing smoothies in batches and freeze them, stock up on your favorite caffeinated tea or coffee, stock up on these 27 foods that give you more energy!

Set Up A Nursery Nook

The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that baby rooms with mom for the first months of life moms love that they don’t have to go far to care for baby during those middle-of-the-night feedings. When you set up a small nursery nook in your bedroom, you can keep the decor simple and keep baby close.

For the closeness of co-sleeping without the stress, try a co-sleeper next to your bed. Read more on inspired ways to make a small space for baby.

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Are There Still Things You Want To Do For Yourself Before You Become A Parent

Before having a baby, I would recommend doing everything you want to do on your own before getting pregnant. This means going out dancing, traveling, and enjoying yourself. If youre going to be a great parent, you need to do everything you can to prepare for parenthood.

When the baby comes, life as you know it will end. You wont be able to go out every night, take vacations, or travel anywhere without worrying about how your little one will react. So make sure that youve done all the things you want to do before becoming a parent.

Create A Baby Registry And Sign Up For Baby Freebies

Even if you are not planning on any baby showers, filling out a baby registry is still a good idea because it will give you coupons and freebies! Most baby registries will offer a percentage off completion coupon, which can be handy to use after the baby is born. Target gives you free samples when you register and completion coupons after. I also like because its easy to share and add. It helps me keep track of wishes for the baby, even if I dont share it with anyone else! Also, , you can add items from any website which is quite handy. That, and its so easy to set up from home! What expectant mom doesnt like that?

There are also lots of baby freebies available. Some of the most popular ones are the:

• Free baby leggings

All of these are completely free with the code PJBABY. You can use the code multiple times, just open up a new browser window to do so. You will have to pay shipping and handling but if you were planning to buy some of these things anyway, why not get them for free?

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Essential List Of Things To Buy Or Put On Your Registry

Although I could have sat down and written out a truly exhaustive list of every single thing you could ever need to have to care for a newborn, I dont think thats the most helpful thing I can do.

So I dug deep and narrowed down the list of absolute must have baby items to only the things that you will REGRET not getting if you dont purchase them beforehand.

These items are key as in, you will regret it if you forget them! Now that I think of it, perhaps I also need to write a post about the most forgotten baby items?! Ill put that on the list.

Okay.back to what all you need to get before your due date

I would personally put all of these on a baby registry so your friends and family can buy them for you. I find that most people LOVE getting practical things for new moms and if you have a lot of people buying for you, you need to put more items than you think on your registry.

In hindsight, I should have registered for more practical basics essential things like diapers and wipes instead of the cool gadgets that I didnt really end up using.

Its so practical to register for things that would cost you money when the baby comes, and people love getting things like this for you!

We didnt register for enough things and had to go back twice to add items because people started getting us multiples of stuff we already had because they had no clue what we wanted!

That makes no sense I know but it is honestly what happened when people ran out of things to buy.

Supplying Your Home Appropriately For Your Newborn’s Arrival

It is recommended that you have the following items on hand before you bring your newborn home. However, you can purchase the minimal amount and always add more.

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Must Have Baby Items: What To Buy Before The Little One Arrives

Heres the thing

A newborns material needs are few. This newborn must haves list includes the basics needed to help baby sleep and stay warm, fed, and clothed. Thats it! (Dont worry Ill include some more fun items at the end that I really enjoyed so you can have a well-rounded registry!

Assuming youve started your registry , lets get to adding these items to it!

Start A Savings Account For Your Baby

You will never regret saving for your childs future, so why not start as soon as possible.Look into how to open a savings account for a baby. Even if you open a savings account in your own name and start putting just $100 in there a month, youll have saved a minimum of $20,000 by the time your child is 18-years-old and thats not even including interest or if you start saving while youre still pregnant!

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Preparing For Babys Arrival

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Buy Onesies Socks Hats And Seasonally Appropriate Clothes

There are plenty of things that parents think they need , but the first few weeks of parenthood will not benefit from toys, or mobiles, or other cute baby accessories.

What a parent will need more than anything else is a robust supply of onesies. Thats because their life is soon to be flooded in baby shit and spit-up. How many onesies can a person change in a day? Upwards of half a dozen.

Another common clothing casualty is the baby sock. Not only do they get dirty, but they are also often inexplicably lost. Not, like, in the dryer. But out in the world during everyday life.

Finally, consider the season your baby is being born into and stock up on clothes that are appropriate. Its great to receive gear at baby showers, but gift-givers often lean towards cute factor rather than function. Sure, your baby will look adorable, but if they are cold or overheated, adorable is worthless.

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Newborn Babies: Getting Ready At Home

Preparing for a new baby doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Experienced parents have learned that newborn babies just need some basic items at first. These include a warm and safe place to sleep, food, clothing, and diapers.

Many baby products are available, but listed below are the essential items you’ll want to have ready for your new baby.

Choosing Furniture And Furnishings For Your Newborn With Care

Safety is an important issue when choosing your baby’s new furniture, especially for the bed and bed linens. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offers the following recommendations:

• Crib. Baby cribs must meet federal safety standards which include:

• Slats should be spaced no more than 2-3/8 inches apart.

• All slats should be intact, not missing, or cracked.

• Mattress should fit snuglyless than the width of two fingers between the edge of the mattress and the side of the crib.

• Mattress support should be securely attached to the head and footboards.

• Corner posts should be no higher than 1/16 inch to prevent entanglement of clothing or other objects worn by child.

• The head and footboards should have no cutouts, which would allow for head entrapment.

• Drop-side rail cribs are no longer considered safe.

• All screws or bolts, which secure components of crib, should be present and tight.

• The CPSC recommends against placing a crib near draperies or blinds where a child could become entangled and strangle on the cords. When the child reaches 35 inches in height, or can climb and/or fall over the sides, the crib should be replaced with a bed.

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What Are Some General Things That Need To Get Done Before Baby Arrives

If you thought this list was almost over, youre kinda right but were not there quite yet. There are a few more general things that need to be done to prepare for a newborn that doesnt really fit into a specific category but are still very important. Below is a list of a few general things you need to do to prepare for your new baby:

Read About Being A Father

One of the best things a soon-to-be father can do to prepare for a newborn is lots and lots of reading. This is especially important for first-time fathers because there is so much information they are clueless about when it comes to pregnancy and newborns. Here are some great book recommendations for new fathers: Dude, Youre Gonna Be a Dad!, Dads Pregnant Too, and Its a dad!

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