Waiting for the arrival of your first child is a very exciting time, but it’s also a very nervous time. Everyone says it, but it really is life changing. Once that baby arrives, nothing in your life will be the same again. But that’s not a bad thing! There is a lot of preparation to do before the due date though.
It’s not just you that needs to be prepared; it’s everyone and everything around you too. Some things take time and discussion with your partner, and other things can be solved with minor adjustments to your daily routine. So, here’s where you should start when you’re waiting for your first child to arrive.
Improve Your Health
Once you know you’re pregnant, the first thing to do is improve your health so that you and the baby will get through the pregnancy without any problems. You’re eating for two now, but you need to be eating the right kinds of food for two!
We all know it, but it should still be repeated. You must stop smoking and drinking alcohol as soon as you’re aware of the pregnancy. The harm both can inflict on your baby is not worth it.
Borrow from Friends
There’s a lot of equipment that goes into taking care of a baby, and that can mean a lot of spending. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Id’ always recommend borrowing items from family and friends that they’re no longer using. They’ll usually be happy to give them to you if their children have now grown up. It saves a lot of money and time shopping.
Make the Home Child-Friendly
You’ve probably organised and decorated your home exactly as you like it; that might have to be changed now though. Safety suddenly becomes a lot more important than style when a baby is on the way.
First of all, think about installing smoke alarms if you haven’t already, and add some heater guards. When they start crawling, you’ll have to make sure there are no wires or cords lying around.
Think About How You’ll Raise Your Child
There are thousands of ways in which you can bring up a child, and, of course, we all want the right one for our children. There are a lot of decisions to be made before you arrive at a final decision though.
You and your partner should sit down and discuss it. There are lots of books and guides that can help you, but sometimes it’s best to talk it through first.
Relax
With all that work and preparation piling up, it can be easy to forget to take it easy and relax. There’s no sense in overworking yourself and trying to take on too much at once; that won’t be good for you or the baby.
Let your partner bear some of the burden, you need to spend a bit of time to yourself with your feet up each day! If you do this and the other things mentioned on the list, you’ll have a smooth pregnancy and be fully prepared for the new arrival.