Preparing for Baby

When I was pregnant the first time, I really thought I would deliver close to my due date or after. I always repeated the same phrase “I have plenty of time. I have another ___ weeks.” I did not deliver significantly early at 38+2, but I was convinced I could procrastinate a bit. The second time around I felt a bit more seasoned and knew a little bit of prep can go a long way. Here’s what I started doing at 36 weeks pregnant - and a good thing I did because my son arrived exactly a week later at 37+1. 

Meal Prep

If you know anything about me, I really don’t like to cook. It’s just not my thing. So spending an entire day prepping and cooking 4-5 meals was not my favorite way to spend a weekend. BUT it seriously paid off big time when we had a screaming toddler and a fussy newborn. I ended up storing all the meals in tinfoil disposable pans you can throw in the oven or Ziploc bags that could be thawed in the refrigerator. I would have preferred to store everything in glass containers or Tupperware but for freezer storage purposes it just made more sense. 

Aside from food, we stocked up on

• Ziploc bags

• Tinfoil pans

• Sharpies

Before storing away in the freezer, I labeled the outside of the tins or bags using a Sharpie by writing the name of the recipe and any directions for cooking.  

The meals we made were either crockpot or oven. For crockpot, we would take out the meal and let it thaw in the refrigerator, usually the day before. Once thawed, we would simply open the Ziploc and pour it into the crockpot. Heat and serve! 

For the oven, the meal was either assembled and needed to be cooked or just warmed in the oven. 

We don’t have an air fryer, instapot, or any other fancy kitchen gadget, so I can’t speak to any of those recipes! I’m that much of a fish out of water in the kitchen 😬

Some ideas for recipes include: quiche & meatballs 

This boss lady also has some great recipes and ideas

You can also prep some of these no bake energy balls, which are so easy to make and customize. Huge bonus that rolled oats are great to increase milk supply!

Finalize and Pack Hospital Bag 

I tried to pack as much as I could beforehand and then attached a sticky note to the outside of the bag with any last-minute items like a phone charger, glasses, etc.  

• Hospital Paperwork

• Driver’s License 

• Insurance Card

• Birth Plan

• Bathrobe

• Nightgown 

• Sticky Socks

• Leggings 

• Top

• Nursing bra

• Sweatshirt 

• Sneakers (wore to hospital) 

• Flip Flops

• Lip Balm

• Phone, Charger

• iPad

• AirPods

• Peri bottle 

• Postpartum undies to go home or adult diapers 

• Hairbrush

• Hair Ties

• Headbands

• Deodorant

• Toothpaste

• Floss

• Toothbrush

• Shampoo/Conditioner

• Body wash 

• Moisturizers (Face & Body)

• Bag for Dirty Clothes

• Cosmetics

• Glasses/glasses case 

• Contacts/Contact Case 

• Snacks/Drinks

• Ice Packs/cooler

• Water

For support person  

• Driver’s License 

• Snacks/Water

• Phone, Charger, & Headphones

• PJ’s & Regular Clothes

• Glasses & Contacts

• Toiletries

• Pillow

• Laptop

For baby 

• Carseat

• Blanket

• Onesies & Going Home Outfit

• Hats/ socks 

• Velcro swaddles! Ollie swaddles are the best!

• Baby Book

If applicable:

• Outfit for first picture 

• Nameplate/ sign 

Share boundaries and expectations for loved ones

I wasn’t exactly sure what I needed or wanted the first time. The second time, I felt more confident advocating for myself. I shared these visuals with our friends and family prior to having any visitors. 

Some questions to consider:

• Are you going to have visitors at the hospital? Prepare everyone ahead of time to manage expectations

• When you come home, what do you envision? Are you ok with having people hang out and see the baby or do you want to adjust with your baby, siblings, and spouse alone?

Stock up on essentials 

We tried to limit the possibility of any inconveniences with two small kids knowing we would be tired and overwhelmed. So we stocked up on:

• Toilet paper/ paper towels 

• Pet food  

• Diapers for toddler 

• Size 1 diapers and some newborn - turns out we needed a lot of newborn but better to have them grow into them than be too small 

• Detergent 

• Trash bags 

• Toiletries 

• Soap

• We also refilled any eligible prescriptions

Create care plan for dependents 

When we had our first baby, we only had to worry about the dog. I went into labor at midnight and we left Lenny (our 5-year-old Boston Terrier) in our room with some food and water. My in-laws graciously came over in the middle of the night to scoop him up and bring him back home with them. The second time around, we had to think about our almost two-year-old daughter and dog as well. Sure a dog can be left alone for short periods of time, but definitely not a toddler. So we came up with a plan, a backup plan, and a backup backup plan - and I’m so glad we did because we seriously needed it! To summarize, we had our neighbor, my stepmom, and my in-laws all in succession. My entire labor and delivery start to finish lasted all of 3.5 hours plus travel time to the hospital, so we didn’t have much time. In short, expect the unexpected and have a couple of plans in your back pocket in case things go awry. 

When thinking about who will watch your dependents:

• Who is going to be responsible when you’re gone? 

• Do they live nearby? 

• Do your dependents feel comfortable and familiar with them?

• Are they going to take them to their house or stay at yours? 

• If they stay at your place, is there anything they need to know?

• If you have multiple people taking care of pets or kids, are they able to share contact info beforehand in case there is a problem? 

• Are they able to get to your location quickly? Do you have someone who is close by that can help? 

• Do you have a backup plan in case the first plan falls through? 

Pets

If you have a pet make sure they have enough 

• Food

• Bowls for water and food

• Medications in case they need them when you’re gone 

We provided a

• Feeding, bathroom, and sleeping schedule 

• Housekeeping information - do you have a dog that needs its poop picked up or a cat with a litter box? 

Children

• Eating - What time do meals happen? What foods do you serve?

• Medical - Does your child take medication? Do they have any allergies or an EpiPen? Who is their pediatrician? 

• Sleeping - Where does sleeping happen? When are naps? When is bedtime? Does your child have a specific routine? 

• Non-Negotiables - Is there anything that is off-limits? Screen time? Certain foods? 

House 

Is there anything you need to share with those staying at your house?

• Is there a day that recycling or trash goes out?

• Do you have a security system? 

• Can they use the washer/dryer?

• Where should they sleep?

• Is there a place you will keep a spare key in case you have to leave?

Overall, you are never going to have everything perfect and completely ready before baby comes but hopefully, these tips will ease some of the bumps along the way!