First-time parents experience a lot of anxiety even before the birth of their baby. This is because of all the preparation they would need to do and changes they have to welcome in preparation for the life of being new parents. The best way to prepare is to stack on baby essentials you would need that will make everything so much easier and more manageable.
Diapering Essentials
Babies would mostly do three major things during their first months. It is to eat, sleep, and relieve themselves. You would need to change diapers every couple of hours and this can be so tasking. In order to make this easier, you have to set up a diaper station where you can change the baby easily. Prepare wet wipes and tissues, diapers of your preference, diaper cream, and the trash bin where you will dispose of all of the used diapers. Having everything handy will make the process faster so your baby will not grow grumpy while going through it. Do not stack on a lot of diapers of the same size because your baby can outgrow it easily. Sanitize the place as well and always keep everything clean in order not to harbor bacteria and germs.
Health and Safety
The baby’s safety and health are the most important thing you have to take into consideration. You have to prepare their sleeping arrangements, baby clippers and thermometer, petroleum jelly for their skin, and even a first aid kit by recommendation of their doctors. In moving and carrying them, make sure that the materials used for carriers, bassinets, and car seats are durable and well secured. They would also need to be supervised all the time using only the best baby monitor for two rooms to guarantee you have eyes on the baby no matter what you are doing. Keep hazardous objects away from them and ensure that their movement will not cause them to fall from a high place. Protect their head always and constantly check if something is causing them discomfort when they are crying.
Learning and Development
A baby is learning the moment they are born. To engage babies and help with their development, you should prepare toys that will tickle their senses and make them learn more about their environment and their own body. It is important to caress the different parts of their body to raise awareness of themselves. You can also have sensory toys that would ignite their sense of sight, hearing, and touch. Let them smell different scents by bringing them into the kitchen when you are cooking. Sounds can come from playing soft music in the background. Some babies are able to sleep better when they hear lullabies. Make the nursery bright by making it well lit and have the wall decorated with different colors.
Diet
All the baby needs during the first few months is milk. You can either be breastfeeding exclusively or giving formula milk, or a mix of both. The frequency and amount of milk they would need will increase as they are growing and it is important that they are not kept hungry for long periods of time. You would need bottles and storage bags to feed and store milk for the baby. Breast pumps are helpful to mothers who are breastfeeding. Everything you are using to feed the baby should go to a sterilizer to ensure that they are clean and bacteria-free. To make you and the baby comfortable, you can also use nipple creams and nursing pads. After feeding, make sure that the baby burps to avoid tummy problems later.
Wardrobe
Babies’ skin is very sensitive so they would need to wear only the most comfortable clothing that can be easy to put on and remove. Prepare all kinds of clothing from onesies, short and long sleeves, sweaters, socks, and mittens. They should also have sleeping clothes that will make them feel warm at night. When the weather is cold, they would need to keep their head warm so make sure they have a beanie and look for wearable blankets too. All of their clothing should be washed with mild soap and separated from adult clothing.
It is not easy to raise babies, but keeping all these essentials will ensure that you can take care of them more trouble-free. The challenge is in equipping yourself to aid the needs of a baby more efficiently. It is going to be a tough time, but it will get better as you get to know more about your baby and you learn along the way.
