Things I Should Have Done Before the Baby Arrived

The week before I had Grace I started drafting a post of “Things you should do before the baby arrives”. I thought this time around I was prepared and that I would have everything I needed ready to go once she arrived. And while I was prepared when Jackson was born there were definitely some little things that I had forgotten to do or needed to buy after he was born.

Honestly, I wanted to avoid having to ask my husband to buy me post-baby maxi pads again. But Grace had other plans and before I could finish the post she was here and I once again found myself thinking, “if only I had done these things before she arrived”. So my things I should do before the baby arrives, became things I should have done before the baby arrived.

This post contains affiliate links

Go to CVS and stock up on Dermoplast, Stool Softener, diaper sized pads and TUCKS Medicated wipes. I’m not going to explain why you need these things but trust me buy them now, so that your husband isn’t heading out to buy these after you’ve brought your new baby home and you desperately need them.

Buy postpartum panties. Your old panties won’t fit and even if they do chances are pretty high that they will get ruined. And you won’t want to be in pretty panties you will want to live in some nice cotton underwear with lots of coverage.

Buy nursing bras if you plan to breastfeed. You will need them almost immediately. Add to that breast pads for when your milk comes in and is leaking everywhere.

If you don’t plan on nursing, still get the breast pads because you still may leak but also get a tight-fitting sports bra to try to keep all that milk from coming in. You can try the old cabbage leaves but I think that’s more of an old wives tale. I didn’t nurse Jackson and my milk barely came in, I just wore a sports bra for a few days to keep it at bay.

Get some comfort items for the hospital like new jammies that you won’t mind greeting friends and family in. Also pick up slippers and a robe, the temperature in the hospital is always too cold or too hot.

Buy snacks for the hospital and pack them. With both pregnancies I’ve brought the snacks but they have not made it to the hospital. And both times, I’ve found myself starving and stuck eating hospital food.

Have a plan for your kid. OK this seems obvious and while we had a plan that when I went into labor my parents would come stay with Jack. However we didn’t have a back up plan or an “oh my god this baby is coming now” plan. Luckily we didn’t need a back up plan but had we needed one, we had nothing in place.

My friends threw me a sprinkle a few days before Grace arrived. At the time I was swollen, tired and sore so all of the gifts sat on my dining room table waiting for John to put them together and my Mom to wash them. Luckily my Dad was able to put everything together, so that when we came home everything was ready for us. But I have friends who didn’t have anything put together when they came home with the baby.

Pack your hospital bag, don’t be like me throwing things in the bag as your water is breaking and you need to get to the hospital. Have that bag packed and ready to go.

Grace’s arrival four weeks early caught us by surprise. I would say that I will be more prepared next time around, except there won’t be a next time around. But maybe you can learn from my mistakes and do all the things I should have done before the baby arrives.