Ten Tips for Bringing Home Baby

Our kiddos are 7 and 5 years of age. Although, it’s been awhile since we have brought a newborn home, I can still remember bringing the baby home and wondering what to do next. I hope these 10 tips will help a new mom off to a good start.

• 1. Nursery - Prepare the nursery with necessities. Don’t go overboard with all of the gadgets. Not all babies like a swing or bouncer. So, keep your receipts should you have to return items.

• 2. Health - Because we had babies born during winter months, I was very nervous about RSV and any other illnesses. We limited our visitors and made sure that hand sanitizer was available for anyone that would be in close contact with the baby.

• 3. Sleep - Sleep when the baby sleeps! Yes, everyone says it and you don’t believe them until you hit a brick wall. So, do yourself a favor and SLEEP!

• 4. Eat - When feeding the baby, have a basket of healthy snacks available near the feeding area. Hopefully, you are eating regular meals and can snack when the baby is feeding. Eating is just as important for you as it is for baby especially if you are nursing.

• 5. Hospital - Keep visitors to a minimum and on a certain day/time while in the hospital. This may sound harsh, but it is crucial that you get some rest during your hospital stay. Keep in mind that your rest is already interrupted by the nurses checking in and feeding times for the baby.

• 6. Food – Try to prepare meals to freeze in advance. Several places offer pre-assembled meals that can be frozen as well. Soups, chili and casseroles are easy to prepare in large quantities.

• 7. Routine – Establish a daily routine for yourself and baby. It does wonders for your sanity.

• 8. Support – Make sure to have a support system to include family and friends. Having a newborn can be isolating and it helps to have someone to simply have an adult conversation with.

• 9. Spouse/Significant other – Please allow yourself some alone time and allow your spouse/significant other to bond with the baby. This gives you a chance to do something just for YOU. This can be as simple as a warm bath or your favorite drink at a coffee shop.

• 10. Be flexible - I am a planner by nature and I thrive on routine. However, I quickly learned the art of going with the flow and flexibility. Being flexible reduces stress and sometimes led to some of the most memorable experiences and quality sleep.

I hope these tips are helpful in adjusting to your new role as a new mom. They are the very tips that I used with our newborn children. The first few months can be challenging, but I encourage you take one day at a time and enjoy your new role. It is truly the hardest role you will ever LOVE!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Lysol® Wee Wisdom blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”