It’s starting to feel pretty real for Eric and I. We cannot believe how quickly this second pregnancy has gone by. Having a toddler definitely helps pass the time! I am currently a little over 33 weeks. Lydia came 10 days early, and I am predicting that this little girl will arrive in the same time frame. That leaves us about….5 weeks. And now you know why we are a bit panicked.
That’s why making a to-do list is so helpful for me. There are things that we still would like get organized/completed around the house before the big arrival. More importantly, there are also things I would like us to do for ourselves. Take advantage of the calm before the storm…if you will.
Here’s what’s on my to-do list before the baby arrives. I hope that if you are also getting ready for a new baby that the items on this list help ease your stress!
The Checklist
Pack Your Bags. With Lydia, I made sure to have my bag ready with things that give me that “at-home” feeling. That was the best decision I made. It feels like your stay at the hospital lasts forever, so having comforting things makes it more enjoyable. I also made sure Eric did the same. We learned a few things after the first kiddo, so we will be making some additions to his bag this go around! Also, to include Lydia in this process, I purchased her a mini diaper bag to match mine. To make her feel like she is part of this process I purchased Lydia a mini diaper bag to match mine and we will help each other pack closer to the due date. I will be sharing what we’re all packing in a blog post coming soon!
Finish the Nursery. Gosh guys. I wish I could tell you we already had this done. But such is life. What’s the hold up you ask? It’s ME. Eric is ready to get it done but I keep changing my mind on decor. You can follow along as we make progress on my Instagram. BUT, let me tell you, having this space as ready as possible for when that baby comes home is a 100% stress reliever. I like things to be organized, but it also makes it simple for friends and family to help when they can navigate around the nursery. Making burp rags, diapers, wipes, onsies, swaddles, etc. easily accessible is key. You spend SO MUCH TIME in this room, so make sure it’s an enjoyable space for you to be in. If you’re interested, here is the inspo post for our nursery.
Make Arrangements for Other Kiddos and Pets. This is a new one for us this time! It was easy to have someone run and let our dog out when Lydia was born. This time we have to make sure he is taken care of, and that someone will be with Lydia. Luckily we have family in town that will be able to help us coordinate all of this. We have already had conversations so that everyone is prepped! Depending on baby’s arrival time, we have someone designated to Lydia. This is definitely something I did not want to worry about while in labor.
Finalize Details with Photographer. So many photo ops when a new baby arrives. If you have a birth photographer, make sure someone other than yourself is designated to contact the photographer once you go into labor. You will most likely NOT be thinking of this once those contractions hit. If you have a new born shoot planned, they should already know your due date, but if the baby comes early or late, have a plan with them to re-adjust the appointment. Having a designated person to help you remember to communicate with them after baby arrives would be helpful as well. Once they are here, you will be in TOTAL mom mode (meaning your memory will most likely be completely gone)!
Meal Prep. Again, we have so much family in town so we were grateful to receive many meals last time we brought a newborn home. This time, Eric and I are planning to have freezer meals prepped as well to maintain some balance to our diets. We also have Lydia to think of so PB&J’s every night is probably not going to cut it.We know that going from one child to two is going to be chaotic for awhile so the more we have prepared in advance the better!
Finalize Maternity Leave Details. If you’re a working mama, like myself, finalizing these details with your boss and workplace is important. There are papers to fill out, and timelines to plan. To avoid making the company have to contact me on leave, I make sure to have this wrapped up around 5-6 weeks out. Also, our new baby is going to daycare when I return to work, so I’ve made a plan with approximate dates with our care provider to ensure her spot is saved!
Pamper Yourself. Why did I not list this first?! Our family has a pretty good daily routine down right now, but if you have had a baby before, you know that routine with a newborn is hard. The frequency in which I have time for myself is about to go way down, so for the next few weeks I am going to take advantage of it. I am planning on getting my hair and nails done, and I have even treated myself to a few naps here and there. Self care is so important!
Purchase Postpartum Clothes. If you are planning to nurse, make sure you have some nursing friendly bras! Those are at the top of my list right now. Nursing friendly tops and dresses as well. There is nothing better than flowey clothing after having a baby. Comfort and function is key. I will share some of my favs in a future post.
Deep Clean Your House (Or Have It Done for You). Besides bringing the new baby home to an organized, put together nursery, a clean home is important to me as well. I want us all to be able to relax as much as we can when we get home, and having a clean house will allow for that. No one wants to worry about vacuuming right after having a baby and a few sleepless nights! Having it done for you would be a GREAT way to pamper yourself!
Pick Your Pump. If you are planning on nursing, I would highly recommend buying your pump before baby’s arrival. I did have a pump purchased when Lydia was born, but it was recommended to me that I not use it until nursing was established. However, you never know what could happen during delivery that may hinder your ability to nurse right away. Because of the unknown, I would suggest having it on hand just in case! I actually brought mine to the hospital for my last delivery.
Define Roles. When I was pregnant with Lydia, Eric and I had the first-time-parent naivety. We totally thought it would be nothing to figure the whole parenting thing out. I’m not sure that I have ever been so wrong in my life! So, whether it’s your first or second child, have conversations with your team mate about what is expected of each other is one of the most healthy things you can do before the baby arrives. After two years, I can say with confidence that we have parenting somewhat figured out….but that’s with one child. So we have already started talking about each other’s roles during the more stressful times of day, like bedtime and the mornings when everyone is trying to get out the door. Having a plan is already easing my stress!
Remember Each Other. The closer we get to my due date, the more I am realizing that life is going to drastically change for our family once again. Like I said earlier, we have a little spare time here and there to relax or discuss each other’s day. Those extra moments will soon be taken over by Eric and I figuring out the balance of two kids. So, we have both made an effort to appreciate the calm moments during the day to focus on each other. Instead of doing our own thing during nap time, we will decide on a movie on the couch together instead. In the evenings we dedicate a good chunk of time together as the three of us. Lydia’s world is about to change too so this is an important part of the day.
