Preparing your Home for the New Baby
Despite that include reading up on child rearing and taking advice from their own parents, new moms and dads are When it’s time for the baby to come home, taking care of newborns takes a lot of time and attention, and balancing baby care with the upkeep of a household is where most parents experience difficulty. Therefore your home must be baby-ready so you can focus all your attention on your family’s newest member.
Here are some handy tips on preparing your home for the baby’s homecoming:
- Clean the house thoroughly
Infants are highly vulnerable to bacteria and viruses. With their immune system just gearing up for life ahead, it’s important to eliminate the risk of exposing them to pathogens. Disinfect the house before the baby comes home. If your family is prone to allergies, keep all allergens away. Similarly, do not use harsh chemicals in cleaning the house as they could leave unwanted residue that can harm your baby. Make sure that your baby’s room is prepared – all of your baby’s essentials such as diapers and feeding bottles are within reach, and that the room is located in an airy and cool part of the house.
- Prepare your baby’s washing area
Prepare and disinfect the area of the house where your baby will be given baths. Take note that their umbilical cord stumps are still healing so make sure that the area where you will wash them is clean to avoid infecting your baby’s wound.
- Keep household pets away from the baby
Babies, especially those with weakened immune systems, may be allergic to certain animals. Keep pets away from the baby’s room to avoid exposure to animal fur and saliva, which can trigger allergic reactions. Even though pets may be tame enough not to hurt the baby, never leave pets alone in the same room as your baby under any circumstances.
- Baby-proof the house
Although it’ll still be a few months before your baby starts crawling, start thinking about baby-proofing the house. Cover all sharp and jagged edges, as well as unused electric outlets. Store all knives, scissors, and other harmful materials safely out of the baby’s reach. Keep and out of the way.
- Prepare for emergencies
Your baby’s first few weeks in the house are critical as this is when they are most susceptible to all kinds of diseases. Babies who have been to the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit), premature babies, and babies born with complications have a higher rate of re-hospitalization.
Always be prepared for an emergency. Keep a list of emergency numbers in the house and learn the fastest route to the nearest hospital. Make sure that you can reach your baby’s pediatrician for emergencies. Also, keep a packed bag with your baby’s clothes in the room in case you need to stay at the hospital. This way, if an emergency occurs, all you have to do is grab the bag and go to the hospital.
- Prepare and refrigerate some easy and quick-cook meals
First-time parents may find it difficult to adjust to sleepless nights especially if their baby is colicky. It is advised to keep and refrigerate some quick-to-cook meals a few days in advance, so it would be more convenient for the couple to prepare meals without taking too much time from focusing on their baby.
Infant care takes more work than most people think. First-time parents soon realize that reading about infant care in books and doing it in real life are miles apart. With their attention focused entirely on taking care of the baby, having everything else prepared and out of the way will surely be of great help in reducing the number of sleepless nights ahead of them.
Do you want to learn more about child care? Read more about it here.
You can also talk to our EQ Support here.
Sources:
http://www.sheknows.com/homeandgardening/articles/807365/waystoprepareyourhomeforyournewbaby