There are some events in your life that change everything. The arrival of a new baby is one of them. Not only can a baby fill your life with love and happiness, but it can also give you a whole new perspective on life. That said, you are also provided with certain responsibilities so that you can take care of the baby and ensure his/her safety and well-being.
The following are some of the things that you should take care of in your home before the baby comes:
1. Prepare for Visitors
Since you are going to be surrounded by your loved ones (relatives and immediate family members) and well-wishers when the baby comes into the house, it’s a good idea to prepare accordingly. Some of the things that you can do in advance include changing the bedsheets, stocking up on toothbrushes, toilet paper, etc.
2. Conduct a Safety Test
Your home might be a place where you can relax and unwind. However, it’s replete with all kinds of dangers for baby- cabinets that contain toxic chemicals, kitchen where there are deadly knives and other cutlery pieces, etc. Since babies like to stay mobile all the time, you may want to baby-proof your home. For instance, you can keep away medication, toxic cosmetics, and other items, etc. and lock the cabinets which you don’t want your baby to reach. If you have firearms in your home, then it’s strongly recommended that you remove the bullets and lock the guns in a vault or a safe.
If your home is rather old, then there might be certain portions that pose a threat to your baby. These include weak windows and doors, rickety roof, pillars, etc. You should repair these as soon as possible not only for your baby’s sake but also for others’. Just keep in mind the homeowners insurance rates and the factors that affect them as making major repairs in a building has a huge impact on the premium cost.
3. Identify the Sensitive Areas
An infant’s immune system doesn’t mature at least until around 2-3 months. So, it’s your responsibility that the baby doesn’t come in contact with harmful bacteria and viruses that lurk around inside your home. Essentially, you need to identify the red zones which include sponges, dish rags, stove knobs, cutting boards, etc. Ensure that the baby doesn’t get close to these objects and stock up on a fresh supply of hand sanitizers and sanitizing wipes so that you can clean infection-prone objects frequently and also keep your hands sanitized.
4. Prepare for Stains
Once the baby arrives, you can expect to deal with all kinds of mess in your home. So, you must prepare in advance. For general spilling, you can switch to microfiber cleaning cloths from standard paper towels, and for the dishes, you can place your baby into a bouncy seat while you load and unload the dishwasher (you can also wear your baby in a carrier or even a cool baby carrying shirt as they usually like to stay in motion).
Clutter is another thing that can make your job challenging, especially if you live in a multi level house. So, one thing you want to avoid is taking your baby up and downstairs with other stuff as that’s a big risk for baby’s health (one study estimates that around 25% of injuries among babies occur when they are carried up or down a staircase).
5. Check Your Hamper and do Laundry in Advance
Babies require tons of fresh laundry. So, it’s a good idea to upgrade your hamper to a better model that offers more compartments or you can buy another one just for the baby stuff. Also, you need to understand that washing and folding the mini sleepers of the baby require a lot of work. Some of the things that you can do to make the task easier include hiring a maid, removing tags and labels from the clothes, especially those that might be sensitive to baby’s skin. You should also get detergents that don’t contain perfumes and dyes (you can get products that are specially designed for infants.
Welcome Baby in a Warm and Safe Home
Welcoming a baby in your home is an experience that’s both heart-warming and anxiety-inducing. However, there is no reason to panic when you have time to prepare. Just follow the tips above, and you will be able to have a great time with the baby and create many beautiful memories.