Preparing to Bring Your Baby Home
Bringing your baby home is exciting but it can also be a little bit frightening. You may have pictured the moment hundreds of times throughout your pregnancy, never dreaming that when the time came, you would feel so nervous. This is normal. You and your baby are just getting to know one another and caring for another human being who is totally dependent on you can seem overwhelming at times. Do you know how to care for your baby? The answer is yes. You have invested time in childbirth education classes, your doctor or midwife has advised you, and you have researched infant care. You can do this and, just like every other parent, you will also learn as you go along. This is a very exciting time and, although it is natural to feel nervous, you are fully capable of meeting your baby’s needs; and a confident mom makes for a content baby.
Leaving The Hospital:
Car seats. Make sure you have a car seat that meets safety regulations and that has been installed correctly. Most communities have local resources – such as fire stations, police stations or hospitals – where you can have the installation checked for free by someone trained and experienced. This is very important, as the most common problem involving car seats is improper installation.
Clothing. Have something loose for baby to wear home as you will likely not want anything that is fitted or constricting for baby. It may be tempting to dress baby in the cutest outfit you have in anticipation of the welcome home picture, but struggling to get baby into an outfit for the sake of a photo may result in a photo of a not very happy baby. Instead, pick something that will be easy to dress your baby in and that is temperature-appropriate. Hats and footsies are necessary in colder temperatures while on hot summer days, a simple short-sleeved onesie may be the most practical, although you may want to have a very light blanket that can be loosely draped around baby as well.
Ask lots of questions. The hospital staff will be used to questions as they regularly interact with new moms who want the best for their child but may be unsure of how to proceed. When you leave the hospital, it is natural to feel nervous about what comes next but you should also feel that your questions have been answered and that you are armed with the information you need.
Home sweet home. You may have a lot of people eager to meet your baby but keep your homecoming calm. Too many people and too much noise can be overwhelming for baby and may even make baby fearful – the exact opposite of how you want your baby to feel at home. You will also be feeling tired and will be eager to get yourself and baby settled. If you have other children at home, you may want to consider bringing them a gift from baby to help them feel included when so much attention focuses on the new arrival. Make sure to give them attention as well in that first hectic week. If you have a dog, you may want to place a blanket with baby’s scent beside or underneath your dog’s food bowl before you arrive home with your baby so that your dog associates the baby with good things. It will also give your dog time to get used to the newest addition to the home even before baby comes through the door.
Supplies. Do you have everything you need for baby? A few examples: newborns may use up to ten diapers a day and you will need a diaper pail with foot pedal or one-hand design, a supply of cotton balls and washcloths, and soft towels for diapering. You will need multiple easy-to-put-on outfits for baby as their clothing may need to be changed a few times a day. You will need feeding supplies such as breast pumps and bottles. You will need somewhere for your baby to sleep such as a safety-approved and properly installed crib or bassinet or moses basket.
Love every moment. The homecoming of your baby is a special and memorable event. Do everything you can in advance to make it go smoothly but remain relaxed if things change. It may not go exactly as planned but then much about raising children doesn’t. The important thing is to love every moment with your baby, building your bond and making memories every day.