You’ve pregnant with your first baby and you could not be more excited if you tried. Of course, what with it being your first baby, you are also probably a little nervous – there’s a lot to think about, isn’t there? The truth is that every first-time parent feels this way; both anxious and excited in equal measure. 

Becoming a parent is a daunting concept, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work that you need to do to prepare for the arrival of your little one. However, there’s no need to panic – you can deal with everything that needs doing, it’s just a case of creating an action plan to follow. 

Wondering what your parenthood action plan should include? Below is a guide to some of the steps that you can take to prepare for the arrival of your first baby – read on for everything that you need to know! 

Create a birth plan 

The first step to take when it comes to preparing for your first baby’s arrival is to create a birth plan. A birth plan is an essential part of preparing for the arrival of your new addition and is an important step to take. Sit down with your midwife and talk through your birthing options, from the location at which you will have the baby to the type of birth you would, in an ideal world, like to have. 

Of course, when it comes to creating a birth plan, it’s important to remember that this will simply act as a guide to the birth experience you have. It isn’t always possible to have the kind of birth that you want, because your health and the safety of your baby have to come first. So it’s important to make your peace with the fact that you may not get to experience your birth plan. However, putting a plan in place is still an important step to take. 

Talk to your parent friends 

You’ve never had a baby before, so you don’t know what to expect, but your parent friends do. If you want to gain an insight into a certain area of parenting, then you could consider having a chat with your parent friends to ask them what being a parent is like. You could also speak to them about some of the essentials that they would recommend for new parents – the lists always have so much on them, and most of the time it’s not all necessary.   

Make tick lists to follow 

When you’re preparing for the arrival of a baby, there’s a lot that you need to think about, which is why it might be a good idea to keep track of everything via tick lists. Start by thinking about what you need to keep track of, and then consider making ticket lists to keep on top of everything that needs to be done. If you don’t want to write the tick lists by hand, consider using an app on your smartphone to keep track of everything. 

In terms of the kinds of tick lists you could make, you might want to create a tick list of hospital bag must haves, a list of baby nursery essentials, a list of clothing items your little one will need, and a list of everything that you will need post-birth, for instance. When it comes to the lists that you need to prepare, you want to think about all of the essentials that you will need while you’re in the hospital, as well as what you will need after the little one arrives. 

Get the nursery ready 

Another important aspect of preparing for the arrival of your little one is taking the time to get their nursery ready. You might have already decided on the room that you are going to be using for the nursery, but have you begun to organise it? Before your little one arrives, it’s important to make sure that you’ve got the nursery ready, even if you plan on having them sleep in your room for the first few months.

If you feel stuck for nursery inspiration, you might want to take the time to have a look online for inspiration. When it comes to sourcing inspiration for your new nursery, you might find that resources like Pinterest come in handy. There are plenty of design ideas on Pinterest for you to choose from, so whether you want to create a beautiful gender-neutral nursery or a cute, quirky animal-themed space, you can find tips and ideas on Pinterest to help you to create the room of your dreams. 

Stock your cupboards 

When you bring your little one home, the chances are that the first few weeks of parenthood are going to fly by, and things are going to be so hectic that you’re not going to feel like cooking. That’s why, if possible, it’s a good idea to be as prepared as possible for those first few weeks of parenthood by prepping as many meals and snacks as possible and making sure that your cupboards, fridge and freezer are full. 

Not a great cook? How about organising a meal delivery service for the first few weeks after your little one is born? Or, if you don’t want to receive ready-cooked meals, how about opting to sign up to a recipe delivery box where the ingredients are already prepared for you and all you have to do is throw the meal together? 

It’s also worth taking the time to fill your cupboards with some of your favourite snacks that are easy to make and are nice and filling. After you’ve returned from the hospital you might not fancy anything too big, so having a few of your go-to snacks ready to eat could be ideal, and could make your first few nights back at home a little easier. 

Having your first baby is a big deal, and it’s important to take steps to make sure that you are as prepared as possible for the birth and the first few weeks of parenthood. Take note of the tips above and you should be able to make sure that you are as prepared as possible to welcome your new baby into the world. 

Category: Mumbling Mommy

Tags: babies