I consider myself a pretty organized person when it comes to work and projects, so it didn't come as a surprise to anyone that I approached my pregnancy and the arrival of my now five-month-old son with a clear-cut plan. Of course, you never know exactly when your baby will make his entrance, and day-to-day life often gets in the way of even the best laid plans, but I say, even more reason to think ahead. Though my son came a week early, and I was in the midst of making his stil incomplete crib mobile, I think my preparations paid off. Here are the top six things to get done before your baby makes his debut.
Clean and paint the nursery. This may seem obvious, but I can't tell you how many couples I know who waited until the last minute to make room for baby. Of course, it's not the end of the world, if the walls aren't the perfect color or the closet isn't organized before you arrive home from the hospital, but having a neat room to care for baby in will make the transition a lot easier. Plus, if you do the cleaning and painting well in advance–think early second trimester–you'll have plenty of time to fill the room with furniture, supplies and shower gifts.
Prepare and freeze meals. This is actually one bit of advice I didn't take myself, but I'm sharing it because it was my biggest regret and a mistake I won't make the second time around. Making time to plan and prepare meals during the newborn days can be a near impossibility, and oftentimes 7 or 8 p.m. would roll around and I would realize I was ravenous and suffering from a complete lack of energy. Thanks to dear, generous friends, we had dinners brought to us two nights a week for two months, but thinking about breakfasts, lunches and the remaining dinners, caused a lot of undue stress. Take a few weekends to prepare large batches of freezer-friendly foods such as lasagna, soup and casseroles, ahead of time.
Go on dates. There will be little time for courting once the newest member of your family arrives–take advantage of your last few childless months and go on as many dates with your significant other as possible. Especially to the movies–go see movies!–the theater is one place where whining newborns are generally not welcome. Do something romantic. Do something adventurous. Do anything you think might not be as easy with a baby in tow.
Do laundry. It's recommended that you wash everything your newborn's sensitive skin will come in contact with before using it. To make the chore less arduous, wash clothes and blankets as you purchase or receive them. As soon as you have enough to make a small load throw it in the washer, dry it, fold it and organize it. Do this for every new batch and when you're bleary-eyed from sleep deprivation you won't have to worry about trudging down to the basement to launder those unopened packs of burp cloths and teeny tiny onesies.
Get a haircut. I haven't had a haircut in almost seven months–it is just not on the top of my list of priorities. But I had a great haircut before my son's birth, so even though my mane is bordering on ridiculously long, it's still pretty manageable. Spend some time thinking about a cut that will be flattering but also easy to maintain, go to a nice salon and indulge in a little bit of pre-baby pampering.
Pick up everything on your must-haves list. If you're having a shower, wait until afterwards to do this. Otherwise, do it as soon as possible. Be sure to do plenty of research before purchasing the biggies: car seat, stroller, crib, etc. Go to a few baby stores and check out the contenders before making any purchases–you're going to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on this stuff, so you want to make sure that you are getting the best items within your budget. Keep in mind that if you go gender neutral, you don't have to wait until later in your pregnancy to get these things, and you'll be able to use them for subsequent children. And always be on the lookout for deals on your top picks. We bought my son's lightly-used crib–a style I'd been admiring since before we even conceived–from a Craigslist seller when I was nine weeks pregnant for $50! By starting early, you won't be forced into making spur-of-the-moment choices when the need arises and you'll be less likely to overspend.
Image via ::paqman::/flickr
