As you near the arrival of your new baby, you may be feeling a few mixed emotions. From anxiety to excitement, these are feelings every new parent starts to feel as the birth day nears. If you’re wondering about some of the things you need to know before you bring that little bundle of joy home, then continue reading as we lay out everything that anew parents should know before you bring that baby home.
What New Parents Should Know Before Bringing Home Baby
Clothing for New Baby
Now that you’re preparing to head to the hospital to give birth, you’re going to want to be prepared to bring baby home in clothing that fits the season. Not only do you want to ensure that your baby will be comfortable and warm, but you’ll also want to have something easy to bring them home in.
New parents are famous for overdressing their babies. Your newborn will only need bottoms and an onesie with socks and perhaps a hat to transport home. If it’s colder outside, you only need to bring a blanket to wrap around your baby while they’re being transported home.
Brush Up on Car Safety
Many hospitals check the car seat that parents plan to bring baby home in, so be sure you get brushed up on car seat safety. You’ll want to put the car seat in your vehicle and have the local fire station check it to make sure it’s in your vehicle properly, long before the due date of your little one. The last thing you want is to have the hospital delay your departure due to an improper car seat.
Review Pediatricians
This is often one overlooked part of becoming a new parent. Your newborn will need to visit a pediatrician with a few days after being home, so knowing that you have a pediatrician you feel comfortable with will make a huge difference in how your next few months go.
Ask some of your friends who they use for a pediatrician and search for some online reviews to see which pediatricians have good reviews. Don’t feel bad asking to meet with some pediatricians before giving birth so that you can get a feel for which pediatrician will be a good fit.
Get Educated about Sleep and Eating Patterns
Every baby is different in how much they sleep and eat during the first few months, but it’s good to get yourself educated about sleep and eating patterns for newborns. If you’re going to breastfeed, then you’ll find that you’re going to be feeding your baby on demand. This could translate into 12 feedings a day, but if you plan to bottle feed they may only eat 2-4 ounces of formula every few hours.
Your newborn may not sleep well right away, they’ve been in a warm comfortable womb for so long that the outside world can be frightening for them. Your newborn may sleep a lot during the first week home, labor was just as exhausted for them as it was for you! After that, you’ll start to learn more about your baby’s sleep pattern, just do your best to sleep when your baby sleeps so you don’t suffer from major depression or anxiety as well as other symptoms that arise with lack of sleep.
These are just a few of the top tips we have to share what new parents should know before bringing baby home. If you use this guide as a starting point to prepare for your first months as a parent, you’ll feel a little more relaxed and be able to enjoy this new chapter in life easier.