These are the things I wish I had before my first bub. That would have made my life a whole lot easier! Not only will these tips help you prepare for your newborn’s arrival, but they will also help you settle into this new newborn season.

1. Prep some meals

Those first few weeks of having a newborn don’t allow for much cooking.

You now have a tiny little human being to feed and take care of.
Your schedule is completely different to what it used to be.

You’ll need something super quick yet nourishing for your body at the same time.

I’d suggest prepping some meals and getting them in the freezer in advance.
Some healthy snacking items are also a great idea! This will make your life much easier for yourself.

If you’re super time poor and don’t have time to prepare meals, why not sign up for a food delivery plan?

I used Hello Fresh and wow I don’t know how I can ever express how helpful that was for the first few months after having my first bub Max.

2. Baby proof your house

It might sound silly to do it now when you’re still waiting for your bub to arrive…
but you don’t want to forget about this.

Plus, you never know if/when your baby decides to come earlier!
My second baby did, and it threw all my plans out the window… Haha, good times.

First, you should move those nasty cleaning chemicals away from your low cupboards.

The last thing you want is a mobile bub getting into these toxic chemicals.

Second, get the magnets for the cupboards.

No one has time for little jammed fingers or someone emptying the drawers 500 times a day.
Trust me, you’ll love these!

3. Clean the house

Yeah right… Okay, just hear me out.

Did you know that the germiest areas in your home aren’t light switches and doorknobs, as you might suspect…?

But the kitchen sinks, dish rags, stove knobs, sponges, faucet handles, countertops, refrigerator handles, cutting boards, and toothbrush holders.

The list is endless.

They are things you touch every single day!

Knowing this made me realise how much more time I had to put into really cleaning the house.

“Deep clean” isn’t so helpful if it’s not cleaning the right places, right?

4. Make room in your fridge

While your newborn baby may be on an all-liquid diet, you’ll need room in your fridge.

Be it for excess breast milk, baby formula, or just those delicious foods that your friends and family will bring over.

This definitely didn’t come across my mind when I had my first bub!

So, when your fridge is nearly empty (ideally before you go food shopping), give it a good clean.

Work from the top to bottom, and take everything out, tossing expired or unidentifiable food.

5. Sterilise bottles and breast pump parts

You’ve got the breast pump, nipple shields, dummies, and bottles, but now what?

I mean, they look clean, especially if they are all shiny and new, right?
But, are they?

Not really… At least not yet.

Before you use these, sterilize those pumps, shields, dummies, and bottles in boiling water for 5 minutes.

That will help kill the germs and make them extra clean before you use them on yourself and your baby.

6. Make a little “caddy”

Have nappies, wipes and all the bottom changing supplies in a small storage container.

If possible, have a change table cushion under your couch so you can just pull out when you need it.

Not having to run into the nursery all the time helps reduce the unnecessary back and forth.
Mamma, conserve your energy as much as you can…

You’ll find it super handy to have everything easily accessible!

To combat breastfeeding thirst and hunger, I also had another caddy with a bottle of water and snacks (remember to take care of yourself too!).
Breastfeeding thirst and hunger is like nothing I have ever experienced!

Make sure you have some little spew cloths to be within arm’s reach too.

Honestly, just having these little “caddies” made it so much easier for me!

7. Washing

You’ll never realise how much washing there is in the world until you have a newborn baby in the house.

Don’t be fooled by the cute little outfits…

The baby clothes, bibs, burpees, sheets, towels, all need to be washed thoroughly.

Give them a good wash in advance, so when your baby arrives, they are ready to be worn!

8. Install the car seat

If you have it in you to do it yourself, then great!

Otherwise, take it to your local Baby Bunting or similar to have it professionally installed.

They are super helpful and will save you a lot of headaches.

What I love about it is that they use locks/foam and other things to keep everything in the right place, so you don’t have to worry about it not being installed properly.

It makes me cringe thinking about when we were leaving the hospital with Elle where I had to do this in the car park literally two seconds after being discharged and after a c-section. I don’t recommend it!

9. Pack your hospital bag

As I went into early labour, I literally made a list and sent it to my partner Jez of everything I needed!

Of which I only got half of what I needed. As you can imagine, I wasn’t thinking straight!

Remember yourself when you are doing this… You are a patient too.

BONUS TIP: Book your newborn session

Towards the last few weeks of my first pregnancy, I was busy getting ready for the arrival of my son.

I prepared the nursery and the hospital bag, everything they tell you to do.

But, I forgot to book my baby’s first photoshoot!
No one told me about it.

By the time I remembered, I was way too tired.

He also arrived earlier than expected.
Sometimes you just never know when your child decides to come!

Before you get too caught up with everything…
Take a moment to plan this for your baby now.

I’m still so bummed about the fact that I’ll never be able to get those precious times back.

If you’d like to book your Newborn session, click here to download your info pack.

 

Hope this blog post was helpful to you.

Get all these things checked off your list in advance before your baby comes and you’ll thank yourself later!