Here is a complete guide on how to prepare your home for a baby – so you can enjoy this wonderful new journey with minimal stress and worry!

As you reach the end of your pregnancy, its an exciting feeling – you can’t wait to meet your little one! You can’t wait to hold your baby, look at those little feet and kiss that head. 

Yes, those early days are truly magical, but you know what would make them better? Being well-prepared for your baby’s arrival, knowing that everything is organized and set up, so you have nothing to worry about.

Taking care of a newborn is wonderful, but it is hard work, which is why it’s imperative to prepare your home for a baby – well ahead of time!

How to Prepare Your Home for a Baby

Postpartum 

When you’re thinking about how to prepare your home for a baby, don’t forget that you need care too, and things!

• You’re going to bleed a lot in the first couple of weeks, so stock up on heavy-duty maternity pads
• You may also need underwear in a larger size, with more coverage
• If you plan to breastfeed, you’ll need maternity bras that have flaps that can be opened
• Have some nipple cream for breast care so that you can deal with sore nipples in the early days
• You can get a nursing cover that offers some privacy when there are people around during feeding time
• Make sure to get yourself a one-litre water bottle to monitor your water intake, while keeping it portable
• A corset belt can help give your back some extra support, especially after a difficult labor

Sleeping

Where your baby will sleep is an important decision, and it’s recommended to do it before the baby arrives. There’s no right or wrong way – you can co-sleep, or let your baby sleep in their own bed. You can keep your baby in your room or in a separate nursery. Consider your individual situation before making a decision.

• If you’re not planning to co-sleep, get a baby cot that can grow with your child
• If you are planning to co-sleep, keep bumpers on either side of the bed 
• Have swaddling cloths to swaddle the baby in the first few weeks after birth
• You can also have a sleeping bag that the baby can move on to after the swaddling stage
• Avoid any soft toys or fluffy blankets in the baby’s bed
• Make your room’s lighting suitable for sleeping; install night lights or blackout curtains if needed
• Whether you are planning to co-sleep or not, be sure to use a mattress cover on your bed

Bathing and Diapering

Another important decision to take when getting ready to prepare your home for a baby is about diapering. Will you choose cloth diapers, disposable diapers or a combination of both? Your preparations will depend upon this decision.

• Decide where you will change your baby’s diaper – a separate changing table with storage is ideal
• Wherever you do your diapering, make sure you have a basket or bin with diapering essentials close by
• Stock up on baby wipes, diaper cream, body wash, and baby moisturizer
• You can bathe a small baby in a small tub in the sink, moving to a larger tub in the bathroom later
• Make sure you have enough towels, washcloths and diapers
• Have a plan in place for trashing disposable diapers and/or for laundering cloth diapers
• Buy special nail cutters for your baby, along with a hairbrush

Feeding

Even before you’re considering how to prepare your home for a baby, you will have to make a decision about your baby’s food – breast milk or formula, or a combination of both? Will you be pumping or feeding direct?

• If you’re going to breastfeed, consider getting a comfortable feeding chair with a footrest
• A nursing pillow may make it easier on your back when feeding your baby
• You’ll also have to make changes to your wardrobe, opting for clothes that have openings in front
• Before your supply settles according to your baby’s demand, you may need breast pads to handle leaks
• If you plan to pump, get a good quality breast pump along with breast milk storage bags or containers
• In case you’re planning to use formula, buy enough bottles so you are always ready for a feeding
• Be sure to sterilize all your baby’s feeding utensils, including parts of your breast pump

Clothes and Laundry

One of the most important tips to prepare your home for a baby is laundry. You’ll be surprised how quickly it adds up!

• Babies are bound to spit up a lot in the early days, so make sure you have enough clothes to get you through laundry cycles
• Have a mix of onesies, rompers, sleepsuits and pajamas to start with
• Babies generate a lot of laundry, so make sure you have enough space to hang baby’s clothes
• Use a sensitive, baby-friendly detergent to wash baby’s clothes, towels and sheets
• Remove any tags and packaging from the baby’s clothes
• Wash all baby’s things before using them, including sheets and towels

Health and Safety

Childproofing is another thing to consider when going to prepare your home for a baby, and it’s best to get it done in advance rather than struggling with it when you’re sleep-deprived and your baby is cranky.

• Install a car seat – many hospitals won’t let you take the baby home without one
• Childproof your entire home, even though your newborn may not need it – the earlier the better
• Stock up on a first aid kit for your baby, including saline drops, a baby thermometer and a medicine dropper
• A baby monitor helps you keep an eye on your baby when you’re not in the room
• Make sure you’re walls are painted with a safe lead-free paint, something like the Asian Paints Royale Health Shield with Silver Ion Technology, recommended by the Indian Medical Association

Playtime and Storage

Looking at this list of tips on how to prepare your home for a baby, you’ll realize that babies have lots of stuff! So now you need to find a way to store everything.

• If you can, have a separate chest of drawers or wardrobe for all of the baby’s things in one place
• If you’re short on space, move things that you aren’t currently using into a bin or suitcase, and make space for your baby’s things
• Make the most of the small nooks and corners with hanging organizers or corner shelves
• Include space for baby’s toys and the gifts you’ll inevitably receive from friends and family
• A play pen is a good investment, especially if it grows with your child
• Stock up on board books, including a few black and white ones for the early days

Daily Routines

• Well before your baby’s due date, cook and freeze meals that you can easily reheat later
• Sign up for online grocery delivery, and set up subscriptions for regularly used products
• Stock up on essentials before the baby comes, like detergent, cleaning products, and personal care products
• Make sure everyone’s essential prescriptions are refilled
• If you have older kids, make sure their schedules won’t be affected once the baby arrives

Home Maintenance

As you prepare your home for a baby, it is important to ensure that your home is up to date and spick and span, so you don’t have to worry about anything later.

• Declutter and clean all cabinets and drawers; this will also help make more space for the baby’s things
• Look out for signs of a pest infestation, so you can call pest control before the baby comes
• Deep clean all furnishings, including carpets, cushions and curtains
• Check all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as pipes and faucets
• Sanitize hot spots around the home, like door knobs and remotes
• Service your car, and carry out regular tasks like tire rotation, tire alignment and oil change
• If you have pets, get them vaccinated and if you want, install a gate to keep them out of baby’s room

Home Layout

You may not have thought about it being necessary, but you may have to change your home’s arrangement while planning to prepare your home for a baby. 

• Make sure you have a clear path to walk in your home; remove any furniture that’s obstructing the way
• Get rid of any unnecessary furniture in your room to make space for the baby’s crib and feeding chair
• Rearrange your kitchen cabinets to make space for bottles, breast pump parts and sterilizers
• Try to have some space in a safe area with direct sunlight for your baby to play in

Visitors

Visitors are an inevitable part of your early motherhood journey, which is why they should be a consideration when you’re getting ready to prepare your home for a baby.

• First of all, you don’t HAVE to receive guests if you don’t want to, you can send out a polite message saying you need some time to recover
• Have a sanitizer right next to the baby’s cot, so anyone who picks up the baby is reminded to use it first
• Ask guests to remove shoes before entering the house; you can have some slippers on hand if they’re not comfortable being barefoot
• Stock up on some simple snacks and drinks so you aren’t stressed when guests arrive
• If someone is going to stay a few days, set up the guest room in advance, with personal care products, fresh sheets and clean towels

Hired Help

A common mistake new Moms make is trying to do everything themselves – or at least, they think they can!

• When friends or family members are offering to help, accept it graciously
• Delegate tasks among your family members – even kids can do basic chores around the house
• Outsource any tasks that you’d rather not do, like ironing, cleaning or cooking
• You may want to consider hiring a nanny, if things get too much or if you have multiple older kids

Please remember that these tips aren’t meant to overwhelm you at a time when you’re already exhausted. In order to prepare your home for a baby, you need some kind of structure, which is what we’ve tried to help with. Gather as many people as you can in your circle, and let them help. After all, it takes a village – not just to raise a child, but also to prepare your home for a baby!

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 Prerna is the founder, editor and owner of ‘Maa of All Blogs’, one of India’s Top Parenting Blogs. Besides being a certified Ashtanga Yoga instructor, she is also a fashion designer and economics graduate.

When she’s not busy running her home and business, she ensures she stays active – whether it’s running the half marathon, completing the Oxfam walk or climbing to the Everest base camp. Prerna enjoys wearing all her hats, and she does so in style!

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