Anne-Charlotte PasseraThe arrival of your baby into your home is disorienting. If you’ve had a puppy before, you’re already one step ahead of a new parent.
Whether you are 23 or 33, being a new parent can be scary and stressful. Through a series of articles called The ABC of Parenthood, you’ll find some of my findings and tips on parenting. Either I learned them on the go, studied other mothers, or simply listened to my pediatrician’s suggestion. I hope that this can be helpful to you.
So what do you do with your baby when you come home from the hospital?
Step 1 To the home arrival with a baby
First of all, don’t PANIC when you come home with your baby from the hospital.
I remember when Mr. Nobody (ex-husband) and I came home from the hospital with Junior. We set him down in his car seat on our sofa, we looked at each other and said: ok, so what do we do next? It’s normal, especially when it’s your first one.
So here is your first step: take him out of the car seat, and show him around the house. The rest will fall into place on its own.
It’s best that no one else is at home when you and your partner arrive home, it’s easier that way. Allow yourself to just take it all in.
After all, there isn’t always going to be someone around to help you and tell you how to do things. You need to figure it out on your own and allow your mother’s instinct kick in.
Of course, you can have either your mother or mother-in-law there, just as long as they respect your boundaries.
Step 2 – Prepare your pet
If you have a pet at home, especially a DOGGY, you need to get him ready for the fact that there will be a new boss in town aside from him.
What you can do to make the transition easier is to make him smell your baby’s clothes from the hospital.
Also, before the arrival of your baby, it’s good practice to go on walks with the dog and the stroller. It takes a little bit of getting used to, so you better get ready. You don’t want to be seen flying down the sidewalk with a running dog at the end of the leash in one hand and a stroller with your baby in the other. No you don’t want that.
An easier way to walk the dog(s) with a baby is by using a baby carrier. Both of your hands will be free, one to hold the leash the other to pick flowers during your walk or take pictures.
You can test out the baby carrier before the baby’s arrival. Simply place a doll or a big teddy bear in it and go walk the dog with it. Of course, don’t wait until your belly is about to explode to try this.
Finally, once you get back from the hospital, introduce the baby to your pet. Once you have settled down, unpacked and done the first feeding go out for a walk as a family. It doesn’t have to be too long but it will vanquish the scary feeling that you might be experiencing.
Step 3 – Plan ahead
If you have the time before the arrival of your baby, try to prepare meals that you can freeze. The first few weeks can be hectic trying to adjust to your new role as a parent. It will be one less of a hassle to deal with and/or worry about when you get home.
Furthermore, you can also ask friends and family to do the same for you. Send a family member out for groceries while you are at the hospital. Make a list beforehand so as not to have to write it while in labor!
Make sure that all your bills are paid for, that’s a given. That your subscriptions have been renewed. Having all your admin stuff squared away before the arrival of your baby will put your mind at ease. Hopefully, it won’t be tax season when you give birth!
Load up on household items so as not to run out of them at the beginning of your new adventure that is called parenting. Honestly, who wants to run out for toilet paper in the middle of the night in between feedings?
Bottom line, try to plan and prepare ahead of time everything you can think of so that the first few weeks (2-3) all you’ll have to do is focus on you and your baby.
Furthermore, it goes without saying that you should already have the necessary equipment for the baby in your home: bed, stroller, car seat, diapers.
For more ideas and suggestions, you can look at our article The Kit. This article tells you all about what to get and what not to get for a baby, no matter what your income.
Step 4 – Final words
If you can, try to put off the visits of friends and relatives when you get home. At least for the first few days. You, your spouse, and the baby need the time to adjust, find your marks, and rest, especially if you had a c-section.
Finally, I generally find newborns to be unattractive (I wanted to say ugly but my editor told me I couldn’t say that). If I have to wait 2 weeks to see a newborn, that would be fine by me.
If you need more tips and ideas on how to deal with the visits, you can read about it HERE.
