The birth of a child is an important event in the life of a family, and you should carefully prepare for the arrival of a baby in the house. However, everything is not as simple as it seems, especially if there is no grandmother nearby who will guide the new parents with competent advice. In particular, dads whose wife is already in the maternity hospital and whose nursery is not yet ready are in a difficult position. Pleasant chores turn into a puzzle! Which crib should I buy? Which diapers are best? Does a newborn need a pillow?
For answers to all these questions, we decided to turn to a professional nanny. As psychologists at the Second Mother domestic staff agency say, pregnant women often hire a nanny before giving birth, and then the nanny becomes, in a way, a trusted person who will actively participate in all preparations for the birth of the baby. Experienced Elena M. often had to play this role.
“Of course, young parents need both an adviser and an assistant,- says Elena. - Otherwise, with the best intentions, they buy a lot of unnecessary and unnecessary things, cluttering up the room. I understand them very much - now there is a huge variety of products for children, and you can get confused.”
How to arrange a baby's room
The nanny will also help with choosing a crib. “Of course, the best are multifunctional cribs that can be adjusted to the individual characteristics of the baby.”, – comments Elena. Pediatricians recommend placing the crib away from windows and drafts. It is important that there are no unnecessary objects on the walls near it (paintings, racks, shelves, lamps, etc.). The baby should not sleep on a feather bed, so it is best to choose an orthopedic mattress. For the crib, you can immediately select special “bumpers” that are attached to its sides and protect the baby so that he does not hit. This is especially true three months after the birth of the child.
It would be nice to place a baby monitor near the crib. This will definitely be needed if you are hired for a job that does not include accommodation, and/or if the child will immediately sleep alone in the nursery. The baby monitor will notify the mother of all sounds coming from the baby’s crib. However, such a thing must be chosen carefully: not all manufacturers make high-quality baby monitors.
Putting together a wardrobe
You need to have a separate locked cabinet for children's things. It is the most convenient place to store all your clothes so that they don’t gather dust and your pet doesn’t even think about sleeping on them. At first, you will need diapers, rompers, several cold and warm shirts with short and long sleeve, as well as suits for walking (warm and lighter). There are also subtleties here - in the store you need to choose all the shirts and suits with safe fasteners (small flat buttons or Velcro), no hooks. “Scratchies” are very useful - special mittens, thanks to which the baby will not be able to accidentally scratch himself. You also need several hats and overalls, a woolen and flannelette blanket, and children's bedding. “Everything should be made from natural fabrics so that the baby does not have allergies. I consider the sheets with elastic bands to be a godsend - they do not move, even if the baby likes to toss and turn.”
According to , many parents, in the turmoil, forget about a special children's first aid kit, which includes: potassium permanganate, peroxide, brilliant green, powder, cream or skin-moisturizing oil. You also need bottles, pacifiers, wet wipes, and, of course, scales.
“If a nanny helps prepare for childbirth, the expectant mother calmly goes to the maternity hospital, knowing that everything has already been done and that the nursery will be in perfect order when she arrives,” says Elena, “but, of course, all this preparation is only the beginning of a big and responsible work. And the main thing in all this is the positive attitude of all participants in this important process!
Newborn: how to prepare the house for the welcome Category: Comfort of the family nest | April 27, 2014 Expecting a baby often changes a woman greatly. Just recently, the expectant mother went to work, submitted annual reports and wore stiletto heels. Or had fun with her friends, discussing the next fashionable novelty or opening a spa. When she goes on maternity leave, a woman transforms from a businesswoman into a housewife, and now the mother of the family, on a wave of inexhaustible energy, cleans and washes the apartment, asks her husband to buy a cyclone vacuum cleaner and take the carpets to the dry cleaner. Probably, the nesting instinct is inherent in all pregnant women (especially in the last prenatal weeks), because anxiety expectant mother about the safety and comfort of a newborn is quite natural. How to organize a general cleaning of the house before childbirth in order to get everything done without harming your health and nit-picking other family members? What do you need to do yourself, and what can your relatives handle? How to properly disinfect your home and prepare your home for welcoming your baby? Where to begin? Of course, the main focus on cleaning should be in the room where the newborn baby will be. However, the kitchen with the hallway and the bathroom with toilet require no less attention. Usually these places in the house are the most contaminated, and you want to protect your baby as much as possible from germs, fungi and bacteria. Rough plan Actions for general cleaning before childbirth are as follows: Washing windows and washing curtains. Dust accumulates on curtains, which can cause allergic reactions in the baby, so you should get rid of it. If possible, wash or dry clean. If for some reason this was not possible, you can go over them with a steam generator. Removing dust. This is where the aforementioned cyclonic vacuum cleaner comes in handy, as it does an excellent job of cleaning and is easy to clean, since it does not have replaceable bags. It is necessary to vacuum the walls, upholstered furniture, carpets and floors. Use a spray bottle of water and a brush to clean the heating radiators. Use a damp cloth to wipe switches, sockets, lamps, shelves and window sills, all furniture and baseboards. Dry cleaning of carpets, upholstered furniture and mattresses will not be superfluous. It is also necessary to wash the leaves of all house plants. The ideal option when preparing your home for the arrival of a newborn is to get rid of all kinds of “dust collectors” (at least temporarily). Stuffed Toys, carpets, thick curtains accumulate dust well, but why should a baby breathe such air? Kitchen cleaning. You should wash the inside and ventilate the refrigerator, clean kitchen surfaces of grease, and wash the trash can with disinfectants. When cleaning a gas stove, you need to check whether the gas is flowing well and whether there are any leaks (the flames of the burners should not be yellow, and there should be no smell of gas). Cleaning the bathroom and toilet. Bathroom cleaning includes cleaning and washing plumbing fixtures, tiles, and tile joints using safe disinfectants. In this case, a steam generator will be very helpful, as it will help get rid of mold and mildew and wash away the remaining chemicals and dirt. Wet cleaning of floors. This is the final stage of cleaning. General cleaning of the house can be done 2-3 weeks before the PDR. And cosmetic surgery should be carried out by the family while the mother is in the maternity hospital. Useful little things when preparing an apartment for the birth of a baby Simple household items and high-quality household chemicals will help optimize and facilitate the cleaning process as much as possible. A mop with a mechanical spin, replaceable attachments, microfiber cloths for wiping dust and wet cleaning, melamine sponges will significantly speed up the cleaning process and make it much more enjoyable. The main rule when choosing household chemicals– all sprays, gels and liquids must be of high quality, hypoallergenic and non-toxic, so as not to harm the health of the expectant mother and baby. If you need more aggressive products that can thoroughly clean grease from kitchen cabinets and ovens, bathtubs and tiles from mold and mildew, it is better to use them while mother and child are in the maternity hospital. And cleaning should be done at least 4 days before their return, so that all chemical fumes have time to evaporate.
If a baby is coming to your family soon, be sure to read this article. She will help you properly prepare the room and tell you what things the new family member will definitely need.
Preparing for the birth of a baby is a troublesome task. Having learned about the arrival of the first or second child in the family, many young people, not knowing where to start preparing for the new addition, fall into panic. First of all, future parents should prepare children's Corner, buy furniture and the most important accessories for the first days.
Playpen - mother's main assistant
It doesn’t matter at all whether the baby will have a separate bedroom, or whether the child is expected to stay with adults around the clock; in any case, the future mother and father will have to get a playpen.
A playpen is a very important place for a child. This is, first of all, the baby’s personal space, where he can play with toys, relax, walk along the walls and crawl without parental supervision. Therefore, there is no doubt about the advisability of this purchase - the presence of a playpen will make life much easier for mother and will give her the opportunity to calmly go about her business.
When purchasing a playpen, you do not need to skimp on quality, giving preference to the cheapest option. The material from which it is made must be environmentally friendly and safe. But when choosing a shape and size, young parents do not have to limit their imagination - modern manufacturers of children's furniture provide a large selection of types and configurations of playpens. However, you should not buy a playpen that is too small - over time, the child will feel cramped in it.
How to arrange a crib
A crib requires a mattress, as well as bed linen and a blanket. It is best to choose a two- or three-layer coconut mattress with a removable cover. Children's bedding should be made from natural cotton fabric. Under no circumstances should it have a persistent paint smell. A blanket for a baby is light and, of course, hypoallergenic. You should put an oilcloth between the sheet and the mattress. Otherwise, frequent washing and drying of the mattress cannot be avoided.
Parents preparing a dowry for their baby are often tempted to decorate the crib with a canopy with bows and ruffles and attach beautiful colored sides. However, almost no one thinks that all these additional accessories are not only low-functional, but also collect on themselves a large number of dust. In addition, the presence of such decorative elements prevents the flow of fresh air into the crib, which is so necessary for a newborn.
Such accessories not only cannot be considered essential items, they can even be safely added to the list of unnecessary things. The baby won't even need a pillow for the first time. Babies sleep on a completely flat, smooth surface.
A mobile above a child's crib is a controversial issue. On the one hand, it is a convenient thing that can interest, distract and even lull a baby to sleep. On the other hand, it’s a toy whose electronic sound will quickly get boring and become unpleasant for both the child and the mother. Therefore, soon the mobile will remain hanging lifelessly above the crib.
The importance of a changing table
The second most important piece of furniture after the playpen can be considered a changing table. Although its presence in the nursery cannot be called necessary, it is still very convenient and practical. And a table combined with a chest of drawers, in which all children's things can be stored, is just a godsend for caring parents.
You can, of course, arrange a place for changing the baby on the bed, but in this case the mother needs to be prepared for the fact that an uncomfortable position while caring for the baby will definitely result in back pain.
Now the apartment is ready for the new family member! Now we need to think about what else is needed
There is hardly a young mother who, after going on maternity leave, will not do cleaning or repair and construction work in her apartment. Crowds of "tummies" and young daddies are storming construction and furniture stores, choosing new wallpaper, plumbing fixtures or furniture sets. What motivates young parents? Everything is clear with daddies, they are driven by mommies. With mothers everything is a little more complicated; they have become “victims” of the nesting instinct.
Of course, there are women (although there are not many of them) who do not feel the need to “build a nest”, or this need is not clearly expressed. It's normal, it happens. This may affect hormonal changes, personality characteristics, existing comfortable conditions. Most women, however, develop vigorous activity, covering their household with a wave of inexhaustible energy: running around the shops, constantly rearranging something, washing, cleaning, rubbing and re-washing. In this case, it is advisable for household members (usually husbands) to “keep their mouths open”, hold the plate of food tightly and not leave the spoon-fork set aside unattended. You never know...
Why is the nesting instinct needed?
Man is a child of nature. Having observed the females expecting offspring, it becomes clear that the animals are trying to create comfortable conditions for themselves and their future cubs. Often, females are forced to spend a lot of time in nests before and after giving birth to children, so they need to worry about the safety of housing, cleanliness, space and possible supplies. Modern women- not an exception. That is why they are trying to make repairs, buy the necessary equipment, reorganize the apartment space, freeing themselves from everything unnecessary, and adapting it to take into account the children’s tendency to poke things into sockets, knock down corners and empty cabinets and drawers.Apartment renovation
There is no point in undertaking major repairs 2 weeks before giving birth. However, it is worth paying attention to the condition of the pipes in the apartment. Pipes are a delicate thing. Replacing pipes is noisy, dirty and sometimes “swearing”, “not taking off your shoes” and “smoking”. Regardless of the daily routine, the age of the child and the agreement with the workers, work with a grinder, drill, hammer drill, saw, etc. always occurs during sleep. Make sure to replace any suspicious pipes in advance. It is advisable to check the operation of the ventilation. If before the birth of the child, smoking neighbors and lovers of fried lard did not pose any threat, then with the birth of the child everything will change dramatically. It’s also worth thinking about replacing the windows (if they don’t already exist, or new wooden ones). Be sure to order a profile with a complex opening so that you can ventilate without leaving the room.
Having started, and especially updating the walls in the apartment, think about whether there is a need at all. There are no children who do not tear wallpaper (and also do not draw on it, do not stick stickers, etc.), there are parents with vocal cords of steel. If the external appearance is depressing (and with a 99.9% probability they do not suit the young mother), then think about buying washable wallpaper, photo wallpaper, etc. At the same time, MirSovetov readers should take into account that washable wallpaper does not “breathe”, it is better to leave it for the corridor, bathroom, kitchen. An alternative to wallpaper can be decorative plaster, tiles, decorative stone, etc. Decorative plaster is easy to work with (much easier than wallpapering), and it does not require smooth walls or special preparation for the plasterer. You can combine plaster and wallpaper: plaster is the bottom, that is, the child’s reach zone, wallpaper is the top, that is, the zone is out of reach. Thus, you can achieve an interesting visual effect if you choose the right finishing materials. Tile and stone are not the most budget option. It will be difficult for a non-professional to lay out both.
Pay special attention to the bathrooms and kitchen. Nothing in these “rooms” of the apartment should be “straining” or annoying. Everything should be as convenient and functional as possible.
Necessity of a children's room
Before you engage, think carefully. The child, of course, needs personal space. Parents also need personal space, and it wouldn’t hurt to have some other non-personal space, where mountains of cubes, stacks of books, piles of clothes, piles of toys, an incredible amount of things taken apart, as well as scattered utensils from the kitchen and dad’s tools will be located. But such a magical room, where all the things mom and dad need will then disappear, will be needed no earlier than the child begins to walk and run. However, keep in mind that a child under one year old (usually up to 1.5 or 2 years old) prefers to spend time with his mother. Most likely, it will be more important to buy a comfortable bed for three than an expensive one, which will then simply turn into a warehouse of unnecessary things.
As a rule, equipping a children's room (painting "children's" wallpaper, buying special "children's" furniture) is rather psychological in nature. This helps parents understand themselves in a new role, show themselves and others that they already love their unborn child.
Children feel comfortable not under a bright blanket, in a funny hat, with a teddy bear at their side, but by clinging closely to someone alive and warm, or simply clinging to at least something. This is why the traditional cradles of many peoples are very tight; perhaps this tightness resembles intrauterine “crowding” and creates tactile contact, which is necessary for small children.
Reorganization of space
Be mentally prepared that you will have to give some of your flowers to relatives, friends and colleagues, since not all flowers are “healthy” for newborns and small children (for example, lilies, oleander, ficus, azalea, hydrangea, etc.). Be prepared to throw away or give away to friends, relatives, and the poor almost half of the things from closets, mezzanines, shelves, etc. The throwing criterion is not used for 2+ years. The vacated space will be taken up by stacks of children's clothing, carrier bags and other children's useful items.
Feel free to get rid of unnecessary furniture and some decorative items. Think about whether you need 2 coffee tables, ottomans, floor lamps, etc. The more spacious your apartment is and the less furniture it has, the better. Evaluate the ability of your hallway to accommodate a giant wardrobe. It’s a good idea to give up cabinets in the nursery or bedroom. As a rule, these rooms are not pleasing with their size, and closets eat up a lot of space. You can also order a functional wardrobe for the hall. For a child's room, you will most likely need a separate chest of drawers for rompers, T-shirts, cosmetics etc.
Having thrown away everything unnecessary, hide everything you need upstairs until you remember. Children grow up very quickly. Documents forgotten on the bottom shelf can turn into chewed, wrinkled and slightly torn documents. Beads may accidentally break and computer parts may break.
Train yourself not to scatter small items (rings, stationery, sewing items, etc.), put everything on top or in special closing containers.
Check all wires and hide them in cable channels. If possible, move the outlets upstairs.
Apartment security
Children love to slam doors. Pay attention to the doors in your apartment. Often there are doors with inserted glass. If there is no possibility or desire to change the doors, then consider purchasing a special transparent film for glass. This film is often used on cabinet or sideboard doors to prevent broken glass from scattering.Children love to climb in cabinets and often get their fingers pinched. To prevent the child from pinching his fingers, special internal locks have been developed that prevent the drawer or door from being completely opened or closed. To prevent your child from opening the cabinet door, you can buy or make your own special locks or Velcro locks.
To make your own Velcro lock, you need Velcro tape and thick fabric (for example, jeans). The thicker and longer the Velcro strip, the more difficult it is for a child to remove it from the door. We measure the distance between the cabinet handles, multiply by 2 and add another 2-3 cm to the reserve. We cut out a rectangle from the fabric (for example, 3-4 cm wide and 25 cm long), process the edges (you can make a two-layer one), sew half of the Velcro tape on the back and front sides. The length of the Velcro itself (also called velcro) can be 5-10 cm, and the width from 2.5 cm. The finished Velcro-lock can be decorated with something.
In addition to locks and films, there are also all kinds of fasteners on the door, plugs for sockets and corners for the table. You shouldn’t buy them right away, but it’s worth noting for yourself where you can get them later. Flower children, flowers and children. They are compared constantly. In order to grow a healthy flower, it is desirable to create optimal conditions for it - this is a fact, but some flowers grow successfully in drafts, with a minimum of watering and in cut plastic bottles - this is also a fact. MirSovetov offers the article “How to prepare an apartment for the birth of a child” for review to help young parents, and not as a guide to action and full implementation of all points. There is no need to demolish the walls in the apartment and buy all the locks on the cabinets in your city, and also give up the equipment of the children's room, throw away things dear to your heart and give flowers to your neighbors. Read, smile, think.
With the birth of a newborn, the mother begins new life, full of pleasant and not very everyday chores. The baby needs care and attention, the husband and older children need attention. You also need to think about yourself, for example, get your figure in order. It seems that there is simply no free time left for everything else. In order for a mother to be able to effectively combine all her responsibilities while devoting herself to the baby, she should minimize household stress in advance, even before giving birth. How to do this, read on.
- Divide responsibilities between loved ones
Don’t put absolutely all the troubles on your shoulders. To avoid turning into a tired, irritated and angry vixen a couple of weeks after giving birth, think in advance about how to involve loved ones in caring for the child. For example, grandfather could take a walk in the park with a stroller several times a week, and grandmother could help with the housework. For now, let the future dad search on the Internet so that he can study with the heir every evening.
- Hire an assistant
If you don’t have a grandmother at hand (or your relationship doesn’t allow it), but you have money, then find an au pair or, specifically, for walks with a stroller. Communicate with the potential housekeeper in advance, outlining her responsibilities. If you need a nanny for older children and an au pair all in one, be sure to tell them which educational methods you support and which you do not. It is advisable that the future “employee” suits you psychologically, since after giving birth, mothers become overly sensitive and irritable. ()
- Use the benefits of civilization
In hardware stores there is a huge selection of various household appliances that can make the life of a young mother much easier. So, a multicooker will reduce the time spent on cooking, a robot vacuum cleaner will help clean your apartment, and a dishwasher will save you from endlessly washing dirty dishes. Think about which of these ingenious inventions will be useful to you, and purchase them in advance. ()
- Prepare a dowry for the newborn
In the first days, all your attention will be directed only to the baby, so diapers should be selected, purchased, washed and ironed at least a couple of weeks before birth. Experienced mothers advise paying attention not to the beauty of things, but to their functionality. But it’s also not worth packing outfits for months in advance, because no one can say what your baby will be like in two or three months - slim or “in body.” ()
- Take care of your own wardrobe
Your wardrobe will change significantly after giving birth, and it's not just about changes in your figure. You can find quite a lot of models in stores now special clothing for a nursing mother. Buy clothes for the house and be sure to have something for going out, so that you can feed your baby on the street, at a party or in the clinic without any problems.
Note to moms!
Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...
- We prepare food for the whole family
Surely, after the birth of your little one, you won’t have time to run around the supermarket. So think about the menu for your family about a month in advance. Place dumplings, chopped vegetables, dumplings, cutlets and other semi-finished products into the freezer. Also purchase a variety of cereals, pasta and canned goods. ()
- Prepare your older child for the baby's arrival
If you already have children, think in advance about how you will combine caring for a newborn and raising them. The older child may begin to be jealous of the “rival” and resent you for the fact that mother’s attention is now much less. Prepare him for the arrival of a baby in the family and come up with ways to involve him in caring for the baby.
- Buy a sling
The sling will free your hands, and you will be able to do much more household chores. It is also very convenient for constant walks in the fresh air, travel on public transport and trips to the clinic. Mothers with slings are much more mobile than women with strollers. Each model of this device - a scarf, a product with rings and a May-sling - has its own advantages and disadvantages that must be taken into account when choosing. ( How to choose a sling? Which one to choose: Sling with rings, Sling-scarf, May-sling, Sling-backpack, Fast-sling (pros and cons). Video instructions - )