10 Tips for Bring a New Baby Home

My youngest is not a baby anymore but I remember when I brought her home just over 5 years ago. You will be tired but also very excited. When I brought my first baby home (7 years ago) we lived near family so I had some help. Now with my youngest we had moved a few states away so it was just my husband and I. Here are my 10 tips to make the first few days go smoothly:

1. Clean the house before your due date or even better get your husband to clean, especially bathrooms you will not have the energy or desire to clean toilets for a while.
2. Have a full fridge and make sure it is stocked with easy to make meals such as soups, salads, sandwich fixings, cereal and fruit.
3. Buy diapers ahead of time! You will need many, many diapers so buy a lot or if you are going to do cloth diapers have them ready! You do not want to have to go out shopping.
4. When people ask if they can help say "YES!"
5. Set up diaper changing stations in each room and at least on each level, you do not want to go up and downstairs all day to change diapers. You just need a changing pad, diapers, wipes and possibly diaper cream. I usually just changed them on the floor, a bed or the couch but make sure you have a changing pad because they will go while you are changing them.
6. Forget about fancy clothes for the first few month, babies do not like being changed so the easier the clothes the better, footed sleepers are perfect. Save the cute outfits for pictures.
7. Babies love to be snug so have lots of receiving blankets, wrap them up like a burrito and they will sleep much more peacefully.
8. Sleep! When the baby takes a nap it is not time to clean, if you are hungry eat but then lay down!
9. Turn off your phone and limit visitors. If you do want people to come over pick an hour (best time is right after a nap) and tell everyone they can come at that time but only for that hour, then kick them out. Make sure that everyone is healthy and have them wash their hands. Don't feel bad about asking people to wash their hands, you can always play the new mother card.
10. Get out of the house! The best is to take a walk and put the baby in a stroller. It will seem to take forever to get everything ready, and it will but still get outside. Obviously it also depends on the weather but if it is too hot or too cold walk around a mall. Bring a blanket to cover the stroller opening in case it is needed.

I could probably think of many more but I want to mention one last thing. ASK FOR HELP! Everyone wants to help and see that cute new baby. Ask them to bring a meal, pick up milk (or fresh fruit) at the store, buy a package of diapers or just to bring you a treat. You are new at this and exhausted so take it easy. The house and yourself will not be the same as before but that is alright. Just enjoy this time, even the up all night times will eventually be fond memories or at least something you can commiserate with other parents.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Lysol® Wee Wisdom blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.