Bringing Home Baby Like a Champ - Our Top Tips for Success
Have you ever found yourself SO nervous about something that you completely forgot to live in the moment? We’ve all had those gigantic, larger-than-life days and the day you bring your baby home from the hospital is guaranteed to be one of them. It’s a day of excitement and anticipation. But it’s also a day of nerves and stress.
We don’t want you to be so anxious that you can’t enjoy every minute of this special occasion so we’re sharing our best tips for bringing home baby like a champ.
Just the Bare Necessities (Forget About Your Worry & Your Strife)
When it comes to being prepared to bring your new baby home from the hospital, less is more. Don’t go overboard packing your hospital bag with baby gear - the hospital will provide you with everything you need for the first few days, such as diapers and wipes and other baby care essentials. And if you get low on supplies, the nurses will just restock for you!
It is a good idea though to have a diaper bag stocked for that ride home. When you’re packing your hospital bag, grab your diaper bag too and prep it with the essentials. It is a good idea to add the following:
Diapers
Wipes
Diaper cream
Burp cloths
An extra outfit or two for baby (don’t forget any special “going home” or newborn photography outfits)
A wetbag or plastic bag to hold any used burp cloths or soiled clothes
This way if there’s any surprise blowouts on the car ride home, you’ll be ready with your fully stocked diaper bag at hand. You’ll also be glad that you prepped your diaper bag in advance when you find yourself running out the door for these pediatrician visits and other appointments in the first few weeks.
And of course, you will need a carseat for your new baby. Do your research and have your carseat ready well before your due date. It’s a good idea to have it installed by the 36-week mark. Babies don’t read calendars and just in case your little one comes early, you’ll be ready. If you need assistance safely installing your carseat, check your area for a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. This is someone that has taken a nationally recognized safety course and can help you properly install your new carseat.
Station to Station - You’re Covered
Get your house prepped with STATIONS. This is one of our favorite tips for helping new parents feel prepared the moment they arrive home from the hospital.
It’s a good idea to have a feeding station, a diaper changing station on every level of the house, and a bathroom station to help with the birthing parent’s postpartum recovery.
Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, it’s important to have a well-stocked feeding station at hand. Setting up this feeding station also helps you decide where you think you will be most comfortable when it comes to feeding your baby - remember, you will be spending A LOT of time in this location during the early weeks. So find that cozy spot, grab a basket or rolling cart, and fill it with:
Burp cloths
Nipple balm/cream
Breast pads or a haakaa
An extra outfit for baby
Water bottle
Snacks
We’re sure you have a super cute changing table in your nursery, but trust us, you’re going to want a convenient diaper changing station accessible in the most used room of your house (which is probably your living room). And especially if the baby’s nursery is upstairs, you are not going to want to go up and down the stairs every time you have to change a diaper - it will be quite often in those early days. Some parents set up a pack’n’play with a changing station and others just commandeer any available table or shelf space. Wherever you set up, make sure you include:
Changing pad/Waterproof cover
Diapers
Wipes
Diaper cream
Extra outfits for baby
Hand sanitizer
Trash can/Diaper pail
And finally, don’t forget that bathroom station. Going to the bathroom after giving birth presents its own unique set of challenges, so be prepared. There are things that you will want to have on hand and you will want to make sure you have them in every available bathroom:
Peri bottle (take as many as these as you can from the hospital)
Sanitary pads in various sizes
Witch hazel pads/Tucks pads
Topical anestethic spray
Extra pair of underwear
If you have these stations prepared and well-stocked before you come home from the hospital, you’ll be ahead of the game.
What’s YOUR Feeding Plan?
We know you’ve put a lot of thought into how you will feed your baby. You’ve read the books and attended the classes. But have you thought much about how you plan to feed yourself? There will be days you are so exhausted and so busy taking care of your new baby, that you will completely forget to eat. And that’s not good. So a little prep work before the big arrival is essential.
Go ahead and stock that freezer with some easy to thaw and reheat meals. You could spend a weekend meal prepping or just plan to double your dinner recipe a few nights a week and save the extras. We have a great blog here with our favorite easy to make freezer meals if you need some ideas.
If you have friends or family willing to organize a meal train for you, even better! People love to feed new parents, so lean into that.
Now is the time to stock your pantry with your favorite and healthy grab-and-go snacks for those times when you’re starving but just can’t put a whole meal together. Some of our favorites are:
Granola bars/Power bars
Turkey jerky
Nuts/Trail mix
Dried fruits
Dark chocolate covered almonds
We’re also a huge fan of these no-bake energy bites. They’re super easy to make (and super easy to eat) and our postpartum clients love them.
And finally, when in doubt, order out! There are going to be days when you just don’t have the energy to even use the microwave and that’s okay. So go ahead and line up your favorite takeout menus and delivery places now. There are also great options around the Triangle for meal delivery services - have those numbers ready.
Help Wanted (and When It’s Not)
Remember that saying: No man is an island? Well, no newly postpartum family should be an island either! This is the time in your life to say “YES” to offers of help. All my years of experience as a postpartum doula has taught me that new parents are not meant to do this alone.
So if someone offers to help, say yes!
Let a co-worker bring over dinner or set up that meal train for you. If a neighbor offers to walk your dog, let them. Let your mom have those extra grandbaby snuggles while you take a shower and a few minutes of time to yourself. If this isn’t your first baby, say yes to your mom friend that offers to entertain your older child so you can sleep.
And don’t be ashamed to specifically tell people what you need. People want to help new moms and dads out but sometimes they don’t know exactly what to do.
But also remember that it is okay to say NO, especially if you don’t feel up for a visit. Not everyone in your circle is a real helper and if that person is coming over for baby face time and to be entertained by you - rather than to help you - put that boundary in place and just say no. Postpartum is the time to surround yourself with the true helpers; visitors can wait.