With your bundle of joy arriving any day now, you’ve likely got many things on your list you have to do before they enter the world. The nursery might not be finished, and you still may not have stocked up on diapers, bottles, and other baby essentials. However, if all of those things aredone, it can be worth preparing for your baby’s arrival in otherways, such as the following:
Consider Basic Life Skills Courses
It can be a terrifying thought to realize that if your baby were to become ill suddenly, you don’t know how to help them. You may have always wondered if you should take emergency classes in Tacoma or elsewhere but just never got around to doing it.
Bringing a new life into the world may make you re-evaluate your decision. These classes can teach you the basic life skills you need to potentially save a life, such as CPR for children and infants and how to use an automated external defibrillator. You can even learn about the differences between BLS and CPR training.
The journey into motherhood can be stressful, but learning necessary first aid and life-saving skills may give you one less thing to worry about.
Create a Support System
We’re often told that it takes a village to raise a child. However, it’s usually not until we actually have children that we realize how true that is. You can’t always do it alone.
Before the baby is born, think about who you can rely on for help when you need it. You might have a friend that has helped you through mental illness and life stresses or a family member you can call at all hours for anything. Some moms-to-be may be happy just to have the phone number of a trusted therapist.
Stock Up On Health Supplies
Once your newest family member arrives, you may not always feel like leaving the house to run errands. There’s no harm in stocking up on health supplies so that you can keep those pharmacy runs to a minimum. Make sure you’ve got plenty of first aid supplies, vitamins and minerals you’ve been taking for your wellbeing, and even simple cold and flu remedies.
Prepare Frozen Meals
With sleep deprivation a genuine possibility with a newborn, there will be days when you don’t feel like cooking. Before those days arrive, stock up the freezer. If you are making meals you can freeze, create extra, and store them away.
When you’re hungry but too tired to cook, you’ll thank yourself for thinking ahead and not having to reach for an unhealthy premade freezer meal.
Create a Labor Plan
Ask any mother, and they will tell you that labor rarely goes to plan. There’s no harm in creating an open plan, which can include who will take care of pets and older children and what to pack for the hospital visit. The more prepared you are, the more confident you may feel.
There is a lot to think about in the months leading up to parenthood. You’ve got to plan a nursery, childproof the house, and even prepare yourself mentally for becoming a parent. However, for even more peace of mind that you’re more than ready, consider stocking up on supplies, creating a support network, and even taking basic life skills courses. These small things can be worth doing for peace of mind.