This is a collaborative post. So I may have received payment for including one or more of the links it contains about preparing for the birth of your first child.
Getting ready for the birth of your first child will always be an extremely exciting experience. While it will be a little bit scary and you might not know what to expect, this time in your life will probably be something you’ve been building up to for a long time.
When you’re anticipating the big day, dealing with the challenges of pregnancy, and experiencing all of this for the first time, it can be all too easy to forget about the little things. To help you out, this post includes lots of advice for new parents and will be exploring some of the most crucial things to address before the birth of your first child.
Preparing your home for the birth of your first child
A modern home can be quite a dangerous place for a newborn baby. A range of different threats can be found in a place like this, and it will be your job as a parent to find solutions to ensure that your child doesn’t get into trouble. You can find a list of some examples of these parts of your home, though it will be worth spending some time thinking about how you could improve your place with other ideas before the birth of your first child.
– The air
Humans are at their most fragile when they are developing. This means you have to do a lot to protect your little ones. The air they breathe can have an impact on their life for years to come. Pollution can often cause issues that make it hard for them to use their lungs going into the future. Plants, air filters, and even moving home can be a good solution to this. But you may need an air quality meter to figure out how bad your home will be for things like this.
– Their bedroom
Much like the air they breathe, a child’s bedroom can be very important to their future. The right kind of space shapes their development for years to come. You can’t start to work on the way their room looks before you’ve figured out how to make it safe. They should have a secure cot, and there shouldn’t be any hazards they can reach. The windows in rooms like this should be restricted so that they can’t be opened very far.
– Other parts of the house
There are plenty of other areas within your home that can have similar logic applied to them, before the birth of your first child. For example, you will want to avoid letting your child access cupboards that have strong cleaning chemicals inside them. Figuring out which parts of your home could be risky for your child will involve doing some research and creative thinking. Other parents will also be able to help you with this. They will have experienced some of the surprises that come with parenthood.
Building their bedroom
As mentioned above, a child’s bedroom is a very important space. This is where your little one will spend the formative years of their development, and of course sleep. Therefore making it well worth working hard to make sure you’re giving them the best possible space you can. Many parents struggle with this aspect of parenthood.
– The Decor
The decor in a child’s bedroom is more significant than you might expect. Many people fail to consider this properly, finding it hard to know what they need to do to make a room that inspires their child. Using neutral tones and simple decor alongside additional decorations like hanging posters can be a great way to create a room that you can adapt in the future. Your child’s interests will always be changing, and this is something that their personal space should reflect.
– The furniture
Choosing a child’s furniture will always be an exciting experience. With all of the miniature options you find making you anticipate the birth of your first child even more. Alongside picking options that look cute, though, it’s also worth thinking about the functionality of pieces like this. You can never have enough storage space when you have a child. And this makes it well worth spending some time searching for options that will make good use of their footprint.
– Toys and games
Having toys prepared for your child’s arrival will be a good idea. Even if you’re unsure of the gender of your child, you should be able to find options that will appeal to any little one. Newborn babies don’t need much to stimulate their minds. Stuffed toys, colourful puzzles and games, and simple wooden toys can all be great for a baby. Having these tools available when your child first gets home will be a great idea.
Consider hygiene before the birth of your first child
While a baby’s immune system will be partially built while inside their mother, newborns are often more susceptible to illness and disease. This makes it incredibly crucial that you have hygiene under control before your child makes it to your home. Learning will be a big part of this. But there are loads of YouTube videos and other content on the web that can teach you. Alongside this, you could also ask your doctor for advice when you’re trying to improve hygiene at home.
There are a number of essential tools to consider when you’re working on hygiene with a newborn baby. Nappies will make it much easier to control their waste. While anti-bacterial sprays can make it much easier to feel confident when you’re preparing their food. It’s worth using everything at your disposal when you’re approaching something like this. Ensuring that you’re not making your life harder by ignoring them.
Food and drink
A baby’s diet will be one of the largest contributing factors when it comes to their development. They need a healthy diet to be able to grow properly. But the things that a baby needs will be different to an adult. Either baby formula or breast milk is ideal for a newborn. They shouldn’t need much more than this for at least the first six months. Having some baby food in stock won’t hurt, though. Your health visitor will be able to help you when they get to the weaning stage.
Preparing for the birth of your first child
Once your due date finally rolls around, you will probably be feeling just a little bit anxious. Giving birth isn’t going to be easy. But you’ve been getting ready for this for a long time and should have a good idea of what to expect. Choosing the right hospital, birthing centre or at home will make you feel far more comfortable. But you will need to do some research to make this decision properly.
Alongside having an idea of where you’d like to give birth, it can also be a good idea to take some steps to prepare for the big day. Your newborn baby hospital bag checklist should contain everything you’re going to need to successfully make it through the process of giving birth. There are loads of guides around the web that can help with this. Though it’s also worth thinking about the things that make you feel comfortable. And adding them to your kit to improve your time in hospital. It’s also worth creating a hospital bag checklist not just for you, but also for your baby and maybe even your partner.
With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of preparing for the birth of your first child. A lot of people struggle with work like this. They find it hard to make sure that they having everything ready when the big day comes. Getting this ironed out as early as you can, and listening to other’s parenting tips is always a good idea.
How did I do?
Did you enjoy this post? Hang around and read a few of my early posts about giving birth and the early days of parenting. You can find them here : When it comes to a twin birth an epidural is the best thing ever. 10 ‘must haves’ to survive the early days with twins and a toddler. Why giving birth to twins was easier than one baby, and a guest post on Hypnobirthing.
If you like a bit of social media madness, pop over to my Facebook page where you’ll be able to have a laugh at what ridiculousness goes on in my house with three very small boys on a daily basis. Warning – there is often sarcasm, and usually swearing. There are also great travel reviews and some AWESOME giveaways. Feel free to join my Twins, Tantrums and Cold Coffee – Shits and Giggles Parenting Group too, where everyone shares their hilarious stories.
And if you want to work with me, feel free to give me a shout here or at helen@twinstantrumsandcoldcoffee.com and I’ll get back to you.