Things to do before baby arrives

So much to remember, we've made a handy list to check off before the big day.

You can of course get a lot of what you need online and delivered to your door FREE (free delivery for orders over $150) here at Belly Beyond. www.bellybeyond.co.nz

• Hire or buy an approved car seat.
• Pack your Nappy bag packed with several nappies, blanket/wrap, change of clothes, plastic bag for soiled nappies, washcloth or baby wipes
• Get Nursing bras
• Changing table or change mat/wallet to change nappies
• Wash all baby clothes, bedding, towels and washcloths in mild baby detergent before using.
• Prepare a basic layette of essential clothing and equipment for the baby.
• If you own a 2-story home, create a changing area downstairs as well as upstairs.
• Put together a basic baby survival (more info coming soon)
• You can never own enough plain cloth nappies. They make great burp cloths, are a must when feeding baby and make an impromptu changing pad.
• If requiring daycare, call and visit them now. All the good daycares will have waiting lists.
• Complete a Wishlist. It's a great way to inventory what you have, what you need, and what you want.
• Read about the pro and cons of Cord Blood Banking. It might be something you will want to consider and if so, you need to have it arranged in advance.
• Try out the car seat in all your vehicles. Insure it will be compatible for all of them.
• Install a shelf in the bathroom near the baby bath area with all necessities: shampoo, soap, cotton balls, washcloths, etc.. great to have it all handy and within reach.
• Install dimmer switches or night lights in various rooms where baby may sleep. You will appreciate the dim light so you can still see what you’re doing but it won’t stimulate baby.
• Don't buy a lot of baby bottles, teats etc..some babies prefer only certain types and some babies only ever breastfeed. Wait and see what works for your baby.
• Fill Your Freezer, one of the best things that you can do for yourself is to begin filling your freezer a few months before your baby arrives. The last thing you are going to want to do when you get home is to prepare meals for the family. Choose a day that is easiest for you to prepare an extra dinner for your freezer. Fill the freezer with things that are easy to double and to reheat. Some of the things that I chose to fill our freezer with were meatballs, meatloaf, pizza dough, casseroles, & lasagna. Make sure to clearly mark the outside of the packaging with what the item is and the date of preparation.
• Get a head start on your Thank yous - make sure to purchase plenty of stamps & thank you notes to keep on hand. Making a trip to the post office or card shop will be last on your list of things you would want to do in the first few weeks after bringing your child home. Keep track of these gifts by keeping a notebook next to the cards and writing down any baby gifts, gift cards, or meals received from my family & friends.
• Nappies Galore, there will be lots of nappy changes in your future after bringing your baby home. If you are planning on using disposables, add nappies to your grocery list a few months before the baby arrives and pick a box up each time you go. Don’t buy too many of the newborn size and they grow out of them so quickly.
• When your big day is very close, try to keep a minimumpetrol in
• Don't forget to organise someone to look after your pets. You might not need to use them, but it's much easier to set this up beforehand than try to scramble around last minute.
• If you are birthing away from home, it help's to set up a back-up ride to the hospital or birthing unit - you really don't want to have to try to organise this while you are in the middle of labour. Having a back up means your birthing partner or husband has the option of meeting you there if things are progressing quickly.
  

The Bottom Line:

Sleep, eat and read often. Enjoy your pregnancy!!