If you have recently heard the exciting news that a baby is on the way, then you need to start thinking about making some changes around the home. No one wants to arrive at their home with their newborn only to discover that they have no food or their pipes are leaking. Taking care of a few issues early will allow you to focus on your newest family member and not potential catastrophes.
Stock the Fridge and Pantry
Hopefully, you have at least a few meals ready for you when you get home, but you also want to be sure that your kitchen is full of healthy ingredients. Putting a few extra cases of bottled water and dry baby food in the pantry will be invaluable if you experience a sudden power outage or a severe storm. You can also make your freezer meals just in case the baby is being particularly ornery or you don’t have time to run to the store.
Getting Your Pets Ready
Introducing your pet to your newborn can be a stressful experience. Even if you have done everything in your power to prepare your pet, they might still be protective of the home. Getting them used to being in a crate or outside for a few hours every day will reduce their anxiety once the baby is finally home. You might also need to invest in a doggy door, doghouse, and outdoor water bowls so that you don’t have to worry about taking them out or refilling their water quite as often.
Have the Plumbing System Serviced
Dealing with a burst pipe or broken water heater while taking care of a newborn will add significant amounts of unwanted stress. Instead of hoping for the best, you can schedule an appointment with a plumber to have the entire system inspected and serviced. These contractors can also help you set your water heater to the correct temperature and remove sediment from the basin so that the water doesn’t get too hot.
Toss Your Chemical Products
By the time your baby starts crawling, you might forget about some of the choking hazards and toxic products you have around your home. That is why many couples start tossing those products or using them up a few months before the baby is due. You also want to be careful of the harsh cleaners in your laundry room. Any detergents or softeners that you use should be hypoallergenic and designed specifically for homes with younger children.
Even if you already have children, your home might not be quite ready for a newborn. Luckily, a little foresight and some hard work in the months leading up to the birth will help you avoid many of the most common household issues.
4 Comments
This is a great list. I wish we had started baby-proofing before the baby’s arrival because we’re so busy and tired all of the time now! She’s not crawling yet but she’s close so I know we need to jump on this soon!
Thanks Sarah! You’re absolutely right, once they start crawling it’s mind boggling how fast they start getting into every place they’re not supposed to be. I’m not a mom myself, but I do have 5 nieces and their moms were my inspiration for this article. 🙂
This is a great list and really highlights the fact that getting ready for baby is about making lifestyle changes, such as ditching chemical products and even keeping food stocked for when the baby is a little older and you might not feel like leaving the house every time you need run out of a couple of things. Once baby comes, everything is such a blur for a bit and getting into these habits now will help tremendously in the future. I have a site, roamingmommy , where I focus on product advice, but I really appreciate it when someone posts something like this that goes further into the aspects of being prepared for baby that we don’t always think of. Great advice, thank you.
marina@roamingmommy.com
Thanks for the feedback Marina! I really appreciate it. 🙂 My Sister has a 3 month old baby and has been so grateful that she took the time to prepare a bit so she could reduce the amount of thing she had to deal with, so I figured all moms could try some of the same things!