Preparing your house for your baby’s arrival

The nesting instinct

If you haven’t already had the urge to ‘nest’ you probably will soon. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly have an overwhelming desire to spring clean your home, or even to redecorate it from top to bottom! But don’t forget you don’t want to be going up and down ladders or shifting furniture so delegate the heavy-duty and physical tasks to someone else.

The most important thing to do is make sure your home is ready for when you return home with your baby. Everything else can wait if it has to.

Get the basics in place

In reality you don’t need to do too much around the home to make it safe for your newborn baby. After all it’s going to be quite a while before they’re crawling around! Focus on having the basics in place - clothes for the baby, nappies, feeding equipment, blankets and a cot or moses basket. And make sure the baby’s room is organised. That way when you do come home with the baby you can focus on recuperating, relaxing and bonding with your new arrival. You can find out about what things you need to buy in advance here.

Prepare some meals

Your freezer will be a life-saver once your baby comes. Make sure it’s well stocked with tasty, home-cooked food while you have the chance. Prepare some casseroles or some other nutritious, filling meals that you can easily defrost, heat and eat. You’ll thank yourself for it after a busy day looking after your newborn!

Don’t forget the car seat!

Most hospitals won’t discharge your baby if you don’t have a car seat. So make sure you buy one in advance – and that both you and your partner know how to fit it.

Coming home from hospital

Remember to relax! So if your mum comes to stay, let her make a fuss of you. And leave the housework to her and your partner. An endless stream of excited visitors can be overwhelming for you and your newborn, so maybe suggest some people wait a week or so before popping round. In the meantime, grab as much rest as you can and enjoy getting to know your new baby!