Welcoming your newborn baby home is an exciting, yet nerve-racking experience. Newborn infants look so fragile and innocent, and they also embody a world of new challenges and responsibility. You can make baby's homecoming less stressful by preparing ahead of time.
Before your baby is scheduled to arrive, you should get your home ready for your little one's arrival. Here are a few preparations you'll want to make before your baby arrives. They will make your life much easier and stress-free!
Prepare a Safe Sleeping Place for Baby
Before you do anything else, make sure that you have a safe place for your newborn to sleep – whether this is in a crib or bassinet.
In the first two weeks of your baby's life, it's probably easier on you if you allow your infant to sleep in the same room as you. Co-sleeping isn't recommended, but you can "room share" – where you place your baby's crib, bassinet, or cradle near your bed. When buying the crib, bassinet, or cradle, make sure that it meets national crib safety standards.
If using a crib, be sure that the crib mattress fits tightly. There should be no gaps or spaces for a baby to fall into. Cover the mattress with a fitted crib sheet. Pillow-like bumpers and stuffed animals may enhance the look of the crib, but you don't want to use them in your baby's sleep area. They can become suffocation hazards. A bare crib is best.
In addition to preparing your baby's sleeping environment, you'll need to also make sure you get stocked up with all the essentials that your baby will require. Whether using a crib or cradle, you'll need to buy bedding and nursery décor. Crib bedding and cradle bedding is available in a variety of piece sets from select retailers.
On top of the baby bedding set, you will want to stock up on receiving blankets, a diaper pail, and diapers of all sizes – babies grow pretty fast, so you want a variety of different sizes, not just newborn diapers.
In the first month of life, a newborn will go through at least four to six dirty diapers a day. That equals to at least 180 diaper changes a month. To be on the safe side, you should stock up on 200 to 300 diapers for the first 30 days of your child's life.
Other baby items that you'll want to stock up on include baby nail clippers (some newborns have pretty lengthy nails when they come out of the womb), baby thermometer, a baby brush, baby bathtub, burp cloths, and baby clothes – such as one-piece bodysuits, booties and socks, hats, gowns, and cold weather sleepers.
Whether you're formula-feeding or breast-feeding, you'll want to stock up on equipment. Breastfeeding mothers should stock up on nipple cream, a breast pump, nursing pillows, and bottles. If you are formula feeding, you should discuss what formula is appropriate with your baby's doctor. You'll also want plenty of bottles, nipples, and brushes.
An infant car seat is a must-have for any parent. You will not be allowed to leave the hospital with your newest bundle of joy without a car seat properly installed in your car. You should buy the car seat months ahead of your due date – just to be on the safe side. Babies can arrive when you least expect it.
To verify that your baby's car seat is properly installed, you can find numerous child safety seat inspection stations in your state that will double-check your installation for free. These stations are found at local police departments, fire stations, and select children's hospitals. You will want to call ahead of time and schedule an appointment.
From birth until your child is one year old, you must place your baby in a rear-facing infant car seat in the back seat. The safest location is the middle of the back seat. DO NOT place your baby in the front seat of a car that has passenger air bags.
If you aren't a first-time mom, you'll want to get your other children prepared for the arrival of the new baby. All children respond differently, and your firstborn may not show any signs of sibling rivalry at first. Some children are welcoming and excited about the new baby, but you should prepare for problems that may arise. Other children, especially those who are closer to mom, may be more temperamental and upset when a new baby is born. Kids who are closer to their fathers tend to cope better.
Get Your Children Involved with Your Pregnancy
Before the baby arrives, you should keep your other children informed about the pregnancy. If you have young children, don't automatically assume that they are too little to understand what's going on. Children have a natural ability to understand the concept of brothers and sisters, and keeping the new baby a secret will only alienate them.
Once you have the ultrasound photos, show them to your children. Allow your kids to spend time rubbing your belly and talking to the baby. Encourage your children to participate in the nursery preparations. Allow them to pick out the baby crib bedding set, and take them along with you when you go shopping for baby necessities.
Sibling Classes
You should consider taking your children to a sibling class – these are special classes designed to prepare older children for the arrival of the new baby. They are offered at many hospitals across the country.
Before your baby arrives, you need to choose a pediatrician or family physician that you trust. It's important that you make the right decision – you will be visiting this doctor's office at least six times in your baby's first year for routine check-ups. Your baby will need to see the pediatrician within days of coming home from the hospital, so don't put off this task until the last minute. Start looking for a pediatrician in the second or third trimester.
To start your search, you should consider whether you'd like a male or female pediatrician. The doctor's gender doesn't matter to babies, but once your child gets older, he or she may feel more comfortable with a pediatrician of the same sex.
You should get recommendations from friends and family. Some hospitals have "Meet the Doctors" open houses, which are attended by local pediatricians. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also has referrals to certified pediatricians on their website.
Pregnancy Week by Week
Pregnancy Explained A to Z
Nutrition and Beauty
Pregnancy Blog
Ask Our Doc - Pregnancy Q & A 
Follow us on FaceBook
Follow us on Twitter
