Maybe it’s your first child, or maybe this isn’t your first rodeo. Whatever the case, it never hurts to do a little research and planning before a baby arrives. Obviously, every child is different and every household is certainly different. As a mother, you know best, and you need to be able to trust yourself to make the best decisions for your child. Still, it’s smart to get advice from others who have been there before. Some suggestions are universally applicable, and this is definitely the case when it comes to preparing a household for a newborn. With that in mind, here are the things to consider before bringing a new baby into your home.
Tidy up your home.
One of the first steps you should take is to tidy up your home. This is good advice for any homeowner, of course. Even adults who live on their own should keep a neat and organized living environment for the sake of their safety and sanity. So, you can imagine that it’s even more important to do this when you’re about to bring a baby into a home. Everything is a tripping hazard or an eating hazard to an inquisitive newborn. We’ll talk more about baby-proofing your household in the next point, but let’s start off by simply talking about tidying up the place. After all, you want to give them plenty of room to explore their humble abode. Appearances matter, too. Your baby will be happier if they grow up in a neat and tidy environment. Spaciousness is important.
For starters, you need to get rid of clutter. This is a good opportunity to let go of anything you might have been hoarding over the years. You can really let your humble abode breathe by opening up the available space in your household. Your home might be much bigger than you truly appreciate. You might also want to use space more appropriately by improving your storage solutions. Shelves on the walls can free up floor space by creating new areas to store your belongings. It’ll also keep things out of reach from your newborn baby and give them more crawling space. The same goes for clever storage solutions such as dual-purpose furnishings (e.g. a vanity stool with a removable lid to allow you to store things inside, or a coffee table with drawers). By tidying up your home, you’ll be well on your way to making it more suitable for your little one. That brings us smoothly to the next point…
Make every room baby-proof.
You certainly need to prioritize this point. Your home might be perfectly safe for adults or even teenagers if you already have children (ignoring the times that they clumsily crash into things). However, a safe household for adults might not necessarily be safe for babies or young children. You have to make every room baby-proof. We started talking about this in the previous point, but getting rid of clutter is only the start. Yes, that’ll create a more spacious environment in which your child can spread their wings, but there are hazards everywhere that you might not have considered. As we’ll discuss in the next point, you’ll want to set aside a nice area for your child to have fun and play. Plus, their bedroom will be a personal place for them. But they’ll still explore other parts of the household.
So, if you want to make every room baby-proof, then you have to put yourself in the mind of a curious newborn who wants to experience everything. To them, nothing is off-limits. You’ll want to put rubber protectors on the corners of tables, for starters. It’s important to stop them from getting bumps and bruises if they knock into the edges of furnishings whilst crawling around. You might also want to put baby gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. This will stop your baby from getting hurt if they try to climb up or down the stairs. Additionally, it’s worth putting locks on cabinets. Babies will open doors and play with anything they find. You don’t want them to try to eat anything they shouldn’t be eating. There are so many things to consider if you want to make every room baby-proof. You know not to play with sharp objects or eat inedible things, but babies don’t know that. This is obvious, but it’s easy to overlook things in your home that could be potential hazards.
Set aside a safe play area.
This is one of the best ways to keep your baby safe without denying their urge to explore and have fun. You should set aside a safe play area for your baby. It could be in their bedroom, the living room, or even its own separate room. This will allow your newborn to crawl around and explore without putting themselves at risk.
Create a wonderful bedroom.
When preparing your house (and yourself) for a baby, you need to think about the memories you want them to form. Creating a wonderful bedroom is a good place to start. As a child, your bedroom is a sacred place. Maybe you only remember your room from the age of 3 upwards, but your environment probably had more of an impression on you than you realize. So, if you want the same for your baby, then you need to create a beautiful space in which they can learn and grow. Make sure it’s a bright and inviting space. Paint the walls in a nice soft blue because this is a soothing color. Or choose another bright shade that’ll have a good effect on your baby.
Their bedroom needs to be comfortable and practical, too. You might want to check out the complete parents’ guide on how to choose the right crib mattress size. This will ensure that your baby has a cozy and comfortable bed. It’s important that their bed is just right. Given that newborns have a tough time sleeping already, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to get the rest they need and deserve. You also need to make sure the crib itself is just right. It should be able to keep them safe without feeling like a prison. The best way to ensure your baby is safe in their bedroom is to get a monitor; a camera could be useful because it’ll give you peace of mind. You’ll be able to monitor your little one visually, and this is just as important as monitoring the audio in the room.
Make the house warm and cozy.
You should also make the house warm and cozy if you want to create a pleasant and inviting environment for your baby. With the winter months approaching, you need to make sure your child is going to be healthy. Turning up the heating might seem like a simple solution, but that’s costly and inefficient. There are plenty of ways to naturally insulate your house and make it warmer. Plus, a naturally insulated house will stay cooler during summer, so it’s a win-win solution. Start by sealing gaps in your floorboards to stop any heat from escaping and cold air from entering your living space. You might also want to put draft excluders on the bottoms of doors to trap heat that might otherwise leak out. The same goes for windows, but insulating them with thicker glazing is often your best option. By keeping your house warm and cozy, you’ll create a safe and comfortable environment in which your newborn baby can grow up. You want to give them a home that’s conducive to their healthy growth and development.
