There’s a lot that goes into preparing for a new baby, because a baby is a tiny bundle of completely helpless love. You need to prepare the house, the room, the car, any siblings, and even mom and dad.
The temperature of the water is the one thing that parents often worry about. You don’t want it too cold, but you don’t want it too hot either. Try to keep the water around ninety-degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a thermometer, you can simply use that to determine the temperature. If not, test the water on the skin on the inside of your wrist. If it burns you there, it’s too hot. If it’s comfortable on your skin, it’s probably okay. Also, baby will often react if it’s too hot, so pay attention.
We’ll start with the bigger items. The car seat is the most important thing. You can’t leave the hospital unless you can strap the baby safely in the car, so make sure you get one. If you want a stroller, which you will need unless you like the idea of carrying that baby everywhere, invest in a car seat/stroller combo. These are extremely nice. The car seat usually has a base that stays permanently in the car. You can snap the seat into the car or snap it into the stroller as needed. Very convenient for when your baby isn’t sitting up.
After a couple weeks you’ll find that your baby simply doesn’t fit into the newborn stuff anymore. You’ll need to get some 0-3 items before he’s born, so you’re ready for it when he grows. Because he’ll be wearing the onesies for a longer time period, you’re going to want more of them. Get at least eight because your baby is guaranteed to repeatedly make messes on them.
For bathing techniques, the common rule of thumb is to start from top to bottom, front to back. Use the mild soap and washcloth to wash your baby’s head and then work your way down.
When planning for a new baby you can, quite literally, fill the house with new baby items. It’s easy to go overboard. However, if you start with the essentials you can always add to your stash later. The items mentioned above are absolutely necessary, but don’t forget blankets, receiving blankets, burp cloths, and crib sheets.
Bath time, when done right, can be an enjoyable time for both of you, and you’ll learn your own special way of doing things as you go along. Remember that baby doesn’t need to be bathed every day. Once or twice a week is fine. That way it will be an event, rather than a chore. The most important thing, however, is to be calm, happy, and interact with your baby so he knows what’s going on, too.
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