A big change is looming in your life: Future parents: how to prepare to welcome baby? you are about to become parents and in a few months your baby will be there.You may be wondering how to best anticipate and prepare for the arrival of this little one, especially if it is a first child? Here are some answers in this article that will interest all future parents!
Future parents: how to prepare to welcome baby?
- S’informer
- Anticipate purchases before welcoming baby
- Preparing for childbirth (and parenthood!)
- Thinking (already) about after maternity leave
S’informer
Before any practical aspect, it can be useful for future parents to get information : about pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, their future new role as parents… Finding out, reading, getting information helps to prepare better, to collect a number of useful information, to remove fears and doubts and to prepare for the baby’s arrival on a practical level without omitting any major points. Everyone can learn in their own way: listen to programs on parenting, watch documentaries on how to welcome babies, follow podcasts on the subject, participate in discussion groups, find out from relatives who are already parents. … These theoretical data are not always to be taken literally and do not always correspond to the personality of the future parents, but they can constitute an interesting basis for reflection.
Anticipate purchases before welcoming baby
You will quickly realize it: the arrival of a baby generates some expenses! Beds, car seats and pushchairs are essential childcare items, along with clothing, nappies and baby care. Because these purchases can represent a substantial budget, it is better to anticipate them and spread them over time.
By the way, have you thought about making a birth list? On an online store or in a store, the birth list is very practical for directing your loved ones to the gift ideas that would make you happy, or the products that you need. A personalized diaper bag, a baby monitor, a matching mother/child t-shirt, a care box… Write down each gift and distribute the list among your loved ones or each time you are asked what you are missing for baby. And then if you are asked what would make you happy for yourself…(and yes, you also have to think about the future mother!), you can always slip negligently only care to take care of your body, like a young mother boxwould be a perfect gift 😉
The significant advantage of a birth list? This will save you from ending up with two deckchairs and fifty clothes size 3 months 😉 Remember to put gifts for all budgets, and to specify clearly if you need certain objects before the birth (for example, clothes to bring in the maternity ward, a sling that you want to use immediately, or even decoration for the baby’s room).
Speaking of the baby’s room, if you have some work to do or furniture to buy, we can only recommend that you do not wait until the last moment. Already because preparing your little cocoon is a good way to project yourself and make the birth to come more concrete for you, the future parents. And then you never know, your little one could be a little in a hurry to arrive, and having prepared everything beforehand will take a great weight off your shoulders. (not to mention the stress of leaving to give birth with a house under construction!) Ditto for the maternity suitcase: around 7 months of pregnancy, it’s time to prepare it for any eventuality.
Preparing for childbirth (and parenthood!)
Perhaps you have been offered to take childbirth preparation courses? From the 6th month of pregnancy, each pregnant woman has the possibility of taking 7 lessons with a midwife, fully covered by Social Security. And this, whether it is a first child or not.
The content of the courses varies according to your midwife: she can offer you relaxation sessions, activities in the pool, but also more theoretical courses, in which she will detail the different stages of childbirth, teach you how to breathe well and grow well on D-Day, etc.
Your midwife will discuss concrete topics around baby care (how to give him a bath, blow his nose, feeding an infant, his sleep, breastfeeding, etc.), sometimes with workshops where you can practice with a plastic doll. She will give you information and valuable practical advice to help you get organized and prepare for your role as parents. Of course your partner – the future father or your spouse – is welcome and can attend these sessions with you, to also benefit from this valuable information. This will allow him, on the one hand, to prepare well for the arrival of baby at your side, and on the other hand to give a concrete aspect to the birth that is looming, to help her feel a little more involved in this pregnancy where you are the only one carrying the child.
Note that some maternities or associations organize workshops for future and young parents. It can be a very good idea to meet other couples in the same situation as you and share your experience.
Thinking (already) about after maternity leave
Difficult to project towards the resumption of work when baby is not even there yet. During pregnancy and the first weeks of the child’s life, you will probably just want to make the most of your life as a young parent (and you will be right!) But without wanting to spoil the atmosphere, it is also important to project yourself a little further and already plan a mode of care, if you plan to return to work at the end of your maternity leave. In some towns, crèche admission files must be filed from the very beginning of pregnancy, in others finding a childminder is an obstacle course: so think about looking after your child in advance. This is also valid if you wish to continue with parental leave: it is better to warn your employer early enough so that he can organize himself.
As you will have understood, to be well prepared for the arrival of a baby, it is better to anticipate, whether by getting everything you need in advance, by taking childbirth preparation courses, or by planning a mode of custody well in advance. Freed from chores and time-consuming tasks, you will be able to fully concentrate on your little wonder as soon as it shows up! We wish you a nice meeting with baby .
