Preparing for Your Baby
Getting everything ready for your new baby can be great fun, and you’ll feel very excited once her room is prepared and you have a stock of tiny baby clothes. So you don’t get overtired, start doing things a little at a time, rather than rushing to do it all at once. Get your partner involved, too-the preparations will help you both to bond with your unborn child.
YOUR BABY’S ROOM
Since you first became pregnant, you may have had lots of ideas about how to arrange your baby’s room. It’s a good idea to prepare the room before the birth-once you have your baby, most of your time and energy will be taken up by her care. Make safety and comfort for both of you your main priorities.
SLEEPING
You’ll probably want your baby to sleep close to you in your room for the first few weeks of her life. But it’s a good idea also to have somewhere that’s a special space for your baby-this may be either a whole room, or an area in another child’s room. Make sure you have enough space for sleeping, feeding, bathing, diaper-changing, and dressing. A baby’s room doesn’t have to be expensively decorated, and if you keep it simple there’ll be fewer changes needed as she grows up. You can usually find most of the things you’ll need secondhand, or you can sometimes adapt existing furniture to your needs. Whether your baby has her own room or shares yours at first, she needs to be kept warm. Try to keep a constant temperature of around 60-70°F (16-20°C); if necessary, install a thermostatically controlled heater.
FURNITURE AND STORAGE
A chest of drawers with a sturdy frame and legs is ideal both for storing your baby clothes and as a changing table. Attach the dresser to a wall, if possible, so that if a child climbs on it or opens too many drawers, it will not tip over. It should be high enough (about hip-height) to allow you or your partner to use without bending too much. Make sure the surface can be cleaned easily, and, if it’s wooden, check that there are no cracks or splinters. Choose a chest with at least three spacious drawers. Keep diaperchanging equipment in the top drawer or on wall shelf units nearby-these can be used later for books and toys. Put a plasticcovered changing mat with raised sides on top of the chest and have a small pedal bin, lined with a plastic bag, nearby for dirty
diapers. Keep a straight-backed chair in the room so that you or your partner can feed your baby in comfort. If possible, place a small, sturdy table nearby so you have somewhere to put drinks, bottles, and so on.
LIGHTING
You’re bound to want to check your baby while she’s sleeping at night, so it helps to have lighting that you can put on without disturbing her sleep. Install a dimmer switch for the ceiling fixture and adjust it so you can put on the light without waking your baby. You could also use a nightlight or shaded lamp, but be very careful not to leave any electrical cords trailing over the floor.
FLOORS AND WALLS
The floor in your baby’s room needs to be nonslip, warm, and easy to clean. Don’t use small rugs or matsyou may trip or slip on them. Vinyl floor coverings are hardwearing and easily washed, and cork tiles are warm and practical. Paint the walls with a nontoxic, washable emulsion paint, or if you prefer wallpaper, make sure it can be wiped clean.
WINDOWS AND CURTAINS
Keep your baby’s room well aired, but make sure the windows are draftproof and above your baby’s reach. Put up lined curtains or room-darkening shades or blinds to block out light during daytime naps. Always choose, fire-resistant materials. Blinds should have a
safety mechanism so your baby can’t be strangled by the cords.