Baby Prep List

I found a great blog post through Pinterest detailing all the things you should do before your newborn baby arrives.  Even though this is my third baby, I thought I'd check it out and see if there was anything I hadn't considered.  The best part of the blog post was the hundreds of comments from other moms about the things most important to them.  As I read through the comments (all 200+), I found myself copying and pasting ideas into a Word document.  Then I thought to myself, "I should share this information with other soon-to-be-moms!"  So here you go.  And if you have more helpful hints to add, please comment!

Baby Prep List

For the Hospital

• Make a list of things to pack in your hospital bag.  Click here for a list of ideas.
• Put together a folder with all your important information to take to the hospital.
• Buy nice card stock.  Bring it to the hospital and ask the nurse for extra copies of the baby’s foot prints for framing in the nursery or a baby book keepsake.

For the Home

• Bring in a cleaning service to do a good deep clean of your home.  Groupon usually has good deals.
• Stock the freezer with meals that you can easily pop in the oven after the baby arrives.  Click here for a list of great freezer meals.
• Buy lots of soap – hand soap, dish washer soap, laundry soap.  There’s tons of washing to do and your guests can wash their hands before holding the baby.
• Put a waterproof crib liner under the sheets on mom’s side of the bed in case your water breaks when you’re sleeping.  Also, you can leave it there after the baby arrives in case breast milk leaks at night.
• Make a “Please Knock” sign for the front door so visitors don’t wake the baby.
• Sterilize bottles, pacifiers and breast pump equipment ahead of time.

For Mom’s Lady Parts

• Load up on giant maxi pads or Depends.  Save your hubby the embarrassment of having to go out and buy them for you after the baby arrives.
• Buy at least 6 pair of granny panties that you won’t mind tossing later. 
• Make a few Padsicles (This was a pure genius Pinterest find)!  Pour witch hazel on some of those monster pads and pop them in the freezer. 
• If you’re nursing or pumping, stock up on breast pads, nipple cream, a comfy nursing bra and breast milk storage bags.
• Stool softener.  Enough said.
• Buy Tucks witch hazel pads and Dermoplast pain relieving spray for stitches.  Sitz bath help too.
• Buy a spouted bottle.  Fill it with 1/3 witch hazel and 2/3 warm water.  If you need stitches, it will help when you go to the bathroom.

General Items

• Prepare a baby announcement email to all the friends and family you want to notify of baby’s arrival.
• If this is not your first child, buy a gift from the baby to the older siblings.  Could be a book or a toy or a big brother/sister t-shirt.
• Make a pre-baby bucket list.  And check everything off!  
• Pay bills in advance.

Did I forget anything???