With baby 3 due to arrive in a month – give or take a few days I have been a mama on a mission to get this house ready to go and have everything “nested” and in its place.  Seeing that this isn’t my first rodeo, I thought I would talk about the 10 things I like to have been doing while prepping for baby outside of the nursery walls.

Prepping for Baby

1. Disposable plates, cups, and silverware:  I can’t say enough about how much this has saved us.  I did little to no cooking for the first few weeks our other two were home, and saving on dishes takes one daily task out of the picture.  Plus this way if people bring you food, or you have people over, they can have water or whatever it may be without leaving you work to do.
2. Load up on postpartum products in the bathrooms: Tucks pads and maxi pads in all the bathrooms you will be using will make your life so much easier.  Take as much as you can from the hospital, but I like to come home knowing its ready.
3. Have an extra supply of the necessities: Make sure you have a fully (or over fully) stocked house of TP, paper towels, bottled water, coffee – any of the daily items you OR YOUR KIDS need (i.e. pull-ups?).  You don’t want to run to the store for those daily items when the baby is a newborn, and chances are you will go through them faster because you will be home all day every day!
4. Have a system for storing baby items in your living area: For me, this has been huge with the other two kids.  We have lived in 2 story houses, where the nursery is upstairs for all of our kids, so a changing area and system for having things ready on the main floor is a must.  This time around I used an Ikea Cart (painted white) and loaded it down with a breast pump, Diapers, wipes, toys, changing mats, burp clothes, our gathre mat, and some swaddle blankets.  I figure things can change and be switched around on here, but for now this is perfect so I have everything I need in a mobile spot on the main floor – and it can be wheeled into the coat closet if I don’t need it at the time!
5. Food: I think this varies from person to person.  I have shockingly thought that the most useful food I had frozen were things like banana bread and such.  I liked that I could thaw it when my parents were in town and have a breakfast for them, or thaw it for Sam and I as a sweet treat and change of meal for breakfast. If you like a full meal nightly I highly suggest some freezer meals tho.
6. Breastfeeding or Formula Feeding supplies: Whatever your plan this might not go how you anticipate.  You may have excess supply, so make sure you have milk bags, or you may be low on milk supply, and need supplements, or to supplement with formula, so I always recommend having some of those items on hand.  If you plan to formula feed from the start make sure you have formula on hand for when you get home.
7. Baby’s laundry: Don’t wait.  Have this done and ready because they will create enough added laundry to count as 3 humans when you bring them home anyway.
8. Cleaning/yard work: This is just my suggestion – I like my house very clean at all times, and having a newborn doesn’t do away with that need for me, so I have found that having a house cleaner lined up to come 1/2 times minimum after the baby comes allows me to relax a bit and not think about fitting that in.  That being said, I also know that with 2 toddlers when Sam gets home I want his help so we will do the same with our lawn mowing for a month or so until we get in a better routine!
9. Batteries: Look at ALL YOUR BABY ITEMS and see what size battery they require.  BUY THEM AND KEEP THEM ON HAND.  I can tell you that if your baby requires a glow worm to sleep…per say… the batteries will run out at 2 am. and you will drive to the store at 2 am.
10. Thank you cards: First off, be caught up if you can.  If you had a shower, get those thank you cards done before the baby arrives so you’re  not trying to add that to your work load.  Make sure you also have a stock of blank thank you cards and STAMPS on hand for after the baby arrives.  You will likely get gifts, meals, help of some sort, and it’s nice to have the cards readily available.

There are probably a million other things I Could talk about as far as nesting and getting the house ready, but for now this is a pretty good list.  If you’re expecting and reading this, congratulations, and relax (thats what I tell myself daily haha) if some of this isn’t ready, or all of it isn’t ready, you will be fine and find time once baby is here!!

If you have other great ideas for this over prepared type mama, send them my way!! I have one month to put all your suggestions into action, and I hope you enjoyed my prepping for baby tips!

XO ARIN

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