Preparing for a baby the first time around was basically me doing absolutely everything that any mother around me suggested. I think I had 5 diaper/wipe baskets and a million jars of nipple cream around our house. We are just days or weeks away from bringing home our second and I have edited my nesting routine just a bit to be a lot less um…insane? Hopefully these tips can help a first time mom (or even second) narrow down her to-do list before delivery.
Diaper/Nursing Stations
One on each floor of your house will probably suffice unless you have even more living areas that you spend time in. I bought medium size decorative baskets from Target (baby stuff is ugly enough) and packed them with the necessities:
- Diapers
- Wipes
- Diaper Rash Cream
- Stink Sacks (newborns don’t smell too bad so you can skip)
- Burp Cloths
- Extra Onesie for Blowouts
- Extra Swaddle
- Gas Drops
- Nipple Cream
You might find later that you need to add nipple shields or your pumping supplies and I recommend high-fat snacks for the basket in your bedroom. Nursing in the middle of the night always made me so hungry!
Postpartum Kits
This is a little less fun than filling baskets with cute little diapers, but it will be super helpful. Instead of open baskets, I bought fabric shoe bins with lids so your guests don’t have to stare at your hemorrhoid cream. I kept one in our master bath and one in the powder on the main floor where I spent the rest of my time. What did I fill them with?
- Extra Large Pads
- Peri Bottle
- Hemorrhoid Cream
- Tucks Pads
- Dermoplast Spray
- Stool Softener
- Nipple Cream (if you don’t have it with the diapers)
When you get home from the hospital, you can throw in your beautiful mesh undies. Be sure to take as many home as possible!
Freezer Food
I didn’t prep a lot of food for our first baby. I knew a friend would start a meal train and we would have food for weeks. We did, but it was mostly dinner and mostly unhealthy. Then after the first few weeks, the visitors dwindle and you’re even more tired than before. We ended up eating a lot of takeout which is not the way to nourish your body while nursing and on little sleep.
This time we bought a small deep freezer and I went to Trader Joe’s and bought TONS of frozen meal options. I also started ordering smoothies from Daily Harvest, a pricier option than making your own smoothie bags. Now that we have a toddler to feed, freezing milk and his food is also really helpful. Extra veggie tots and chicken nuggets will do the trick!
Now that those big items are ready to go, I am in full nesting mode and scrubbing every inch of our house. I was induced so early due to preeclampsia with my first baby that I never had a chance to do this. Nesting is a lot less fun when there’s a 2-year-old making a mess right behind you!
UPDATE: Katie welcomed a beautiful son shortly after writing this article! Baby and mama are doing well!
