Advice for Expecting Parents

Advice for Expecting Parents

Few times in life are as exciting as your pregnancy. However, while showing off your baby bump and reading “Curious George” to your growing belly, you have a lot to prepare. If you’ve ridden in the baby rodeo before, you have some idea of what to expect, but even hardened veterans can learn new tricks. If you’re a first-time parent, you need all the advice you can get. Here is Advice for Expecting Parents.

Advice for Expecting Parents

Pack It Up Early

Experts suggest packing your hospital bag around week 36, but no law states that you can’t get started well before then. The earlier you begin, the more time you’ll have to think of that one extra something special that will enhance your comfort and experience. What should you take along with you? Along with clothing changes and toiletries for yourself, you need to get your baby home in comfort and style. You’ll need your receiving blanket, clothes, booties, mittens and diapers. What about the big celebration? Once you give birth, it’s okay to indulge in tiny amounts of alcohol — although you’ll want to use caution if you breastfeed. However, once the doctor looks you and your infant over and gives the okay, you might want to bring a bottle of bubbly and enjoy one small glass. 

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Get Creative With the Nursery

Decorating the nursery is one task that most expectant parents eagerly look forward to tackling. However, what if you downsize during the pandemic or always had a small pad? Do you need to resign yourself to a bassinet in the bedroom corner? Not! You can have the best of both worlds when you get creative with room dividers. You’ll enjoy a greater illusion of privacy but also the security of knowing that your baby is in the same room. You can repurpose materials like ropes into curtains or select from multiple commercial styles. 

If you do have a separate room, you can rejoice if you throw out the notion of a gender-reveal party. Gender-neutral themes are all the rage. Choose from inspirations like tiny travelers, with plane motifs, or under the sea, featuring “Nemo” and friends. You can also make your furniture do double duty — many moms today opt for a standard dresser and changing basket instead of a separate table. 

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Work Those Showers 

Did 2020 leave you a little financially strapped? While you don’t want to pass around the collection plate, you can use an app like Babylist to request cash instead of gifts. It lets your guests apportion where they want their contribution to go, such as toward opening a college savings fund. Otherwise, spend some time creating your registry. Remember, you can add group gifts if the items you need the most are prohibitively expensive for one person. It might be wise to add several of these to your list if you haven’t already, as the pandemic has left many a bit cash-strapped. 

Childproof Your Home

Your newborn will be up and crawling before you know it, and infants have a remarkable talent for finding unseen hazards — and trying to eat them. The sooner you begin the childproofing process, the more peace of mind you’ll enjoy. You may feel silly, but get down on your hands and knees and look at the world from your rug. That spare change under your couch is now a choking hazard, not a laundry-day bonus. Each outlet appears like a little face waiting to kiss tiny fingers. Identify these risks and check baby-proofing them off your list. 

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Agree on a Feeding Schedule 

At first, your eyes mist over with love like so much morning dew when your child wakes up hungry at 3 a.m. After some time goes by, though, the charm starts to wear off — and that hour is a rotten one for arguments. Sit down with your partner and arrange a night-time care schedule now. If one of you works second or third, the other might have no choice but to handle many of the wake-up calls. However, try to arrange it so that both of you get a solid night’s rest at least a few times a week.

Take a Babymoon

Once your little bundle of joy arrives, your intimate time with your partner significantly decreases. Why not make the most of your last few months of one-on-one adventuring? Many couples today choose to go on “babymoons” before their infant arrives. Enjoy some unbeatable pregnancy pampering among Sedona, Arizona’s red rocks, or take in old-world cottage charm in Nantucket, Massachusetts. 

The days leading up to giving birth are such an exciting time. Get ready for your baby’s arrival with these six brilliant hacks for expectant parents. We hope that this Advice for Expecting Parents post inspires you. Good luck!

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