The 7 Things You Need to have When Baby Comes Home from the Hospital
As your baby’s birth approaches, you may find yourself so caught up in the homecoming event that you may overlook items you need to help make your baby’s arrival home as smooth as possible. By slowly purchasing your infant’s items before the due date, you’ll be able to avoid overlooked items by reviewing your purchases while having plenty of time to procure any missing baby goods. There are some essential items which will assure you and your baby have an easy hospital-to-home transition.
First and foremost, have a rear-facing car seat. You will be unable to take your baby out of the hospital without a proper seat. It is not necessary to immediately have a stroller to bring your baby home though you may want to consider looking into baby travel systems which provide the required infant car seat and also a stroller which you’ll later need.
Not often realized by many parents are the benefits to the close-contact bonding of wearing your baby. Research has shown that the use of baby wrap and sling-style carriers that keep baby close to mom or dad offer many benefits to the baby’s development. Though not critical to the arrival day, these types of carriers are great to use right from the beginning.
You’ll need a place for your baby to sleep when he or she arrives home. A crib or bassinet and a couple of sets of sheets and blankets will be needed. Some parents opt to purchase both a bassinet and a crib, as the bassinet offers a more confined space which tends to make newborns feel the most comfortable when first outside of mom’s womb. In several weeks to a few months, after your infant has become more acquainted with the outside world, he or she can more comfortably sleep in the crib.
Receiving blankets are excellent for swaddling your baby, as newborns have a difficult time regulating their body temperature. They also come in handy when there’s spit-up after a burping. Receiving blankets will often be used for wrapping your infant during nap and nighttime sleeping.
Every newborn seems to have an endless appetite and pre-planning for proper feeding is very important. Much of the feeding supplies you’ll need will depend upon whether you choose to breast feed or use baby formula. Burping cloths, a handful of bibs, and even several baby bottles will be necessary for breastfeeding as well as formula-based babies, as breastfeeding parents often find that storing some breastmilk for future feedings is often necessary. For formula feeding, you’ll want to make sure you have at least a couple of weeks of formula prior to baby’s arrival. If choosing to breastfeed, you should consider the convenience of a breast pump and nursing pads to comfort sensitive nipples.
You’ll also need to have plenty of diapers for baby’s arrival home. You’ll likely find your baby needing as many as 10 to 12 changes per day. You will have to decide whether to use disposable or cloth diapers. Disposable diapers are often considered the most convenient to use but will add up to much more money over the diapering years. One-size cloth diapers are also easy to purchase and use, but you’ll also need diaper inserts with them. Wether cloth or disposable diapering, you’ll need to have an abundance of baby wipes, a diaper changing pad or table, baby powder, and diaper rash ointment.
Basic baby health care items your infant will be important to have upon arriving home. A newborn or infant first aid kit, which includes a nasal aspirator, thermometer, and toenail clippers, among other things, is one such item. Be sure to have a baby bathtub, baby shampoo, lotion and hooded towels for a complete bath time experience.
Though purchasing your baby’s first toys is a fun part of every soon-to-be parent’s experience, only a few are important during the first weeks, as your baby won’t yet be ready for a lot of individual play. Toys that stimulate baby’s senses are invaluable. It’s always good to start stimulating baby’s development as early as possible. Baby can find much enjoyment and comfort through the comforting songs and sounds of a soft toy or mobile.
If you’ve addressed all of the essential items, you and your baby will both enjoy the first days in his or her new home. Keeping a proper perspective as to what’s really important within the first several week’s will help you plan well and keep the stresses that come with being a new parent to a minimum. Most importantly, you need to remember that this should be a special event for the entire family so don’t let any little oversights from disrupting this memorable time.
