As your due date approaches, concerns about how life will be after the baby comes are perfectly normal. Even if you have had a lot of experience babysitting other children, handling a newborn 24/7 and juggling motherhood with everything else can be a big challenge. Here are some things you can do to prepare:
1. Get plenty of rest. Resist the urge to stay up cleaning your house and sleep as much as possible during your last days of pregnancy.
2. Cook meals ahead of time. Prepare and freeze enough dinners to last you a solid week. You’ll be much too busy taking care of your newborn to have time to cook. Good Housekeeping has a large selection of Fix-and-Freeze meal recipes on their website.
3. Ask for help. Make arrangements for family members or a postpartum doula to assist you during your first week as a mom. You will be both sore and exhausted, so it will be really helpful to have someone who can watch the baby while you nap, fetch diapers, or run to the store when you run out of milk. My mom stayed with me for a week and a half and it was absolutely wonderful. Not only was she there to help out with everyday tasks, but it was nice to have an experienced mom there to help when I didn’t know what to do!
4. Set up a baby station. For the first few days, turn your bedroom into baby camp. Set up a bassinet and changing area near your bed. Have everything you need in a short radius so you don’t have to move around too much. Resting is a crucial part of recovery.
5. Stock up on entertainment. Get plenty of reading material and fill up your DVR with your favorite shows if you are planning on nursing. You’ll be spending many hours on the couch since newborns sometimes nurse every hour! It can be hard to stay awake while nursing your newborn; having something to read or watch really helps.
If this is your second or third time around, what are some things you plan on doing to prepare for your baby’s first week at home? Any advice for new moms out there?