As a mom of two kids with a third on the way, I have done the whole “get ready to have a baby” thing a couple times over. The first time felt momentous–baby showers, stocking the whole house, child-proofing, learning about labor and delivery, etc etc etc. It was a lot! But now, I’ve come to find that while we don’t need a brand new set of baby gear, or to prepare the whole house, there are still some things to prepare for a new baby that were exceptionally helpful for baby #2, and I’m hoping will be as well for baby #3. Not all of these may apply to your family, so I hope that in reading this list, you can take what you need. Do what feels helpful and let go of the rest. Now that you’re already a mama, you’ve got your hands full, so only do what feels beneficial to you!
15 Ways to Get Ready to Have Another Baby
- Have some meals prepared or lined up – whether you make a few meals now and store them in your freezer, or ask someone to host a meal train, or even perhaps find out if your church would facilitate some meal drop-offs, you’re going to want some dinners prepared so that you don’t even have to think about prepping food for the first couple of weeks after baby arrives.
- Take stock of what you need – If you already have a good amount of baby gear from your first or second child, chances are you won’t need much. But there are some things like fresh pump parts, or possibly a second crib, or a double stroller that you will need. So remind yourself of the baby nursery essentials and take stock of what you need to buy. Each year, I have created an Amazon Baby Registry simply for getting that 15% off completion discount, and I definitely encourage you to do the same.
- Prepare your older kids for the new baby – It’s helpful to talk with your kids often about the new baby and get them excited for their arrival. You can read books about becoming a big brother or sister, let them talk to the baby in your belly, and encourage them with ways they can help with the new baby. I also wanted my eldest to learn a few particular skills so that they could be a little more independent before the baby arrives, and you may find them helpful to consider, too.
- Get a small gift from “the baby” to give to your other children when they arrive – a friend suggested this to us when we had our second child and it really helped our eldest adjust. A sort of “look what the new baby just brought you!” sort of gift to get those good sibling vibes going early. We wrapped this and stored it somewhere hidden but easily accessible when we came home from the hospital.
- Line up childcare for the big day – whether you have family who live nearby or plan to ask some friends or family to help out, be sure you have a plan in place for who can watch your older kids while mom and dad are in labor.
- Prep your birth plan – if you have used one in the past, it’s worth refreshing and going over with your care provider. You want to remind yourself of your hopes for labor & delivery and make sure your care team understands too.
- Refresh your memory on some helpful newborn/labor books – I found this list of books to be so helpful when preparing for my first child. Before having all 3 of my kids, I have re-read parts of Babywise, The Happy Sleeper and Ina May’s Guide to Natural Childbirth to remind myself of baby’s feed, wake, sleep cycles, and stories for natural labor to get me pumped for the big event.
- Re-wash the baby clothes – whether new or from a previous child, the baby clothes will need to be rewashed and stored in easily accessible places. I plan to get mine out of the attic soon and begin to wash and fold in preparation for baby’s arrival.
- Make some postpartum care kits – I found that having a couple of baskets for postpartum care (1 in each bathroom of the house) was exceptionally helpful. Think: large pads, demoplast spray, Tucks’ witch hazel pads, peri bottle, and some nipple cream.
- Create a couple of diaper stations around the house – get a couple more baskets and fill them with size 1 diapers, wipes, bum cream, extra newborn clothes and spit-up rags so that whether you’re downstairs, in the baby’s room or in your room where they may sleep at night, you have all the essentials easily accessible. Better yet if you teach your older children where these baskets are so they can hand you stuff when you need it!
- Prep the baby things – you might be thinking, “haven’t I been doing this all along?” and the answer is yes, but what I mean is to get out of storage the boppy, the bouncer, the bassinet, your breastfeeding pillow, the swaddles and baby bath; all the things you used with a newborn need to be pulled out and cleaned so that they are ready for when baby is here.
- Pack your hospital bag– when you’re a month out, your Hospital bag should be packed. We typically pack a bag for mom, and a bag for dad/baby. I also tie a ribbon marked “hospital bags” on it, so that if we’re in a rush, my husband could find them even at 3am.
- Potentially start to implement some “labor inducing” activities as you near your due date – now, I am no medical professional so (quick disclaimer) consult with your doctor before taking any advice, but–there are things you can do once you’re past 37 weeks or so to try and naturally help baby come by their due date. Do your research and decide what activities feel most beneficial for you and your baby!
- Try to stay healthy as you wait with exercise & rest – I know, I know, you’re already a mom. Who has time to rest and who has the energy to exercise? But, with your due date quickly approaching, it’s good for you to take walks and keep (healthfully) active. Some nights you may just need to go to bed by 8pm once the kids are asleep–that’s okay. The reality is that I don’t get great sleep while pregnant anyway (looking at you night peeing and general discomfort) but I have found that giving myself breaks to sit throughout the day and sometimes going to bed earlier or sleeping more on the weekends can be helpful.
- Consider what you’ll need postpartum – Only you know what this looks like, but for me, I encountered postpartum depression and anxiety after my pregnancies. I needed to check in with my doctor, adjust thyroid medication after giving birth, talk with a counselor, and make sure I had the support I needed in those first couple of weeks to help care for my little ones and myself. Thinking ahead about this rather than assuming everything will be fine can go along way to care for your needs right from the get-go.
Alright, mama. 15 ways to prepare for another baby being added to your family! I hope this list helps you feel prepared and excited to welcome your new addition. Remember, make note of what’s helpful and let go of the rest. And happy nesting!
