The DIY Domestic – How to Prepare Your Home to Handle a New Child

Preparing for the arrival of a new child can be exciting and stressful in equal measures.

The reason being is that there are so many things that new parents need to consider and for each item to find there are some different options. To help simplify the multitude of information available to parents, we have created a list of preparations new parents should perform at home before the arrival of their little one.

 

Designing your nursery

Out of all of the preparations parents have to do to get their home ready for their new arrival, most jump into creating the nursery first and foremost. Considering the colors which they wish to use, the furniture needed to meet not just the baby’s needs but also theirs early in the morning and a helpful tip is to try to design it for longevity and critically thinking about how the nursery will evolve as your child grows older and things like choosing a paint color that works past their first year is an excellent place to start. It is also worth investing in furnishing made from Crypton fabric to prevent stains and odors when your child gets older and starts crawling around which sticky hands.

Furthermore, convertible furniture is another worthwhile investment, particularly for more significant purchases like cribs. Some convertible cribs will see your child through from baby, to toddler as well as converting to a full-sized bed.

Safety first

When you have lived in your home for a while, it can be hard to see things from the perspective of a young child. Young children are very inquisitive and will naturally look to explore and play in their environment, therefore things that parents may consider safe won’t necessarily be for a young child.

Some of the leading watch-outs are:

• Power sockets – Purchasing and fitting power socket covers are a must. It’ll prevent young children accidentally placing their fingers in power points.
• Stair gates – These will stop wandering children from putting themselves in unnecessary danger.
• Keep cupboards locked – Child safety locks are a great way to keep dangerous things like cleaning products away.
• A more expansive list of watch-outs found here.

Plan ahead

Once the little one arrives, there will be very little time to prepare any further. Therefore, the time before their arrival is critical. Below are a few things that new parents often forget:

• Prepare healthy food and batch freeze these beforehand. It will save time and can make sure you are both eating healthily, which will be especially crucial during the first few months when you are experiencing a reduction in sleep.
• Rely on your friends and family to support you. For the parent that stays at home with the new child, it can be particularly challenging and isolating. Don’t feel like you can’t talk about these challenges with the people close to you. After all, a problem shared is a problem halved.
• Plan time for yourself in your day whenever possible, it’s essential to find the time when you can each take a break and unwind. Helping each other to will become a critical part of your day.
• Organise and automate as much as possible. Organising your home life before your new arrival is a great idea. Things like automating your food shopping and its delivery will free up some much needed time and prevent you from feeling unnecessarily overwhelmed.
• Get the basics in place. Fitting things like your car seat, and putting up the crib will make the transition a lot easier. Also, things like a comfortable chair in your baby’s room will be a lifesaver late at night when you’re trying to get them off to sleep.

Although these recommendations are helpful ways to improve the transition to parenthood, remember that you can’t plan for everything. Be kind to yourself and your partner, and remember to work through any unexpected events together.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates