When Baby Comes Home: Tips to Prepare

By Dale Ho

This momentous occasion is often marked by feelings of sheer elation and at the best of times surmounted by fear. You’re now solely responsible for this tiny human being and undoubtedly you have a myriad of questions and uncertainties floating around in your head.  Let’s rewind to a few weeks prior to your delivery and share some practical tips to help ease this transition to parenthood, making it just a little less stressful.

1) Keep in mind baby care takes up the majority of your days and nights; come up with ways to simplify your life during this transition period.

2) Both you and partner get in the kitchen and together prepare and freeze as many meals ahead of time as you can.

3) Stock your pantry

4) Put together a contact list of your support network.  This list may consist of family members, close friends and professionals all within the community.  Family members and close friends are always willing to help out wherever they can, don’t be afraid to ask for help especially within those first few weeks after the birth.

5) Gently remind those visiting that a simple meal would be more than welcomed when next they drop by for a visit.

6) Have family members and/or close friends stop by to entertain baby for a while, just long enough for you to take either a well-deserved nap or a leisurely soak in the tub.

7) Divide up a few simple chores amongst everyone i.e. laundry, grocery shopping, etc.

So often we’re immersed in our new role as a parent that we forget about the importance of caring for ourselves…The demands of caring for a newborn can be quite exhausting and it is for this reason we need to maintain a healthful diet, however, it’s not every day you have the opportunity to sit down to enjoy a meal, plan ahead…have healthy snacks readily available to grab and go. Think of quick and easy yet nutritious meal ideas you could put together ‘on the fly’ that don’t necessarily require you to slice and dice, sandwich wraps are just one of the many simple meal ideas along with a side of your favourite salad and remember to continue to hydrate yourself as you did during your pregnancy, water is best!

Becoming a parent is the most challenging job out there, yet the most rewarding one and there are many uncertainties that can go along with this. Talk to your family doctor about these and more, such as any health and welfare related issues i.e. vaccines, when to take your baby to the doctor, development and more.

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