With just seven days until my due date (though we suspect Baby P may stubbornly make us wait a little longer), we’ve officially started preparing for her arrival.
You’ve probably already seen us tackle the nursery, but this time “getting ready” means preparing for my water to break and for the moment we welcome our daughter into the world. From the instant we learned I was pregnant, we slowly adapted to the idea that our family would grow as my belly expanded with every baked potato and chocolate milk craving.
Hence the song stuck in my head that goes something like: “I don’t think you’re ready for this belly.”
Only recently did it fully hit us that we actually made a person. There’s a little girl inside me who will walk, talk, have a job, and probably feel embarrassed by her dorky parents with paint in their hair. The idea is enormous—so much so that it seems fitting it takes roughly nine months for it to sink in. Maybe nature gives us time to prepare for such a life-changing moment instead of surprising us after a much shorter term. Now that the reality of becoming parents has settled in, here are the practical and sentimental things we’ve done to get ready for Baby P:
1. A practical purchase: I worried about my water breaking in bed or on the couch, so I convinced John to let me buy a waterproof mattress cover to protect our organic mattress, plus a smaller waterproof blanket we can use on the sofa or the car seat—just in case. They weren’t as noisy or diaper-like as I feared, and thanks to coupons they were affordable. Given how much I love our home, it felt worth the extra protection for the bed, sofa, and passenger seat of our new car—especially since my mom’s water broke in bed with every one of her kids. (Side note: I secretly hope my water breaks somewhere hilarious like Target or Home Depot, because that would be classic for us.)
2. A DIY keepsake: John had the idea to make our own baby book. For my birthday in March he suggested we put together a fabric-covered album and fill it with patterned paper, prompts like “The First Week Was…,” and slots for keepsakes like the hospital bracelet and the going-home hat. We plan to take cardstock to the hospital for inked footprints, too. With a coupon at the craft store we found a fabric-covered 8.5 x 8.5″ album and patterned paper, and the whole project cost around $15. It’s a simple, personal way to document many of Baby P’s firsts.
Because we made it ourselves, we added quirky touches like a page of “future predictions” where John and I guessed her hair and eye color, first word, favorite subject, and future profession. It will be fun for her to look back someday at our goofy guesses.
The album looks adorable in the nursery, which is an added bonus.
3. Preparing Burger (our dog): We’ve read a lot about introducing a dog to a newborn. One tip that kept coming up is bringing the dog a gift when the baby arrives so he associates the new arrival with positive things. We’ll also let him sniff a blanket that’s been with the baby beforehand. John mentioned how his mom once gave him a toy when his little sister came home, and that stuck with me. So we picked up some treats and a new chew toy for Burger—can’t wait to see his tail wag when he gets them.
4. Blog backup: Practically speaking, we’ve been stockpiling blog posts so the site can keep running smoothly during those first chaotic weeks with a newborn. We worked on extra Reader Redesigns, Look & Learns, Email Answers, Burning Questions, and a few tutorials to ensure the blog doesn’t stall while we learn the ropes of parenthood. You’ll still get the same content quality, even if our days become full of diapers, feedings, and sleepless nights.
5. Diapers: We bought several BumGenius one-size cloth diapers from a local shop we love. Cloth diapers are more convenient than people assume and can save a substantial amount of money over time. We chose neutral colors so they’ll work if we have a boy in the future. Our Energy Star front-loading washer and dryer will help keep water and electricity use low—important since babies generate a lot of laundry. Using cloth diapers also reduces landfill waste; estimates suggest disposable diaper costs for one child can reach a few thousand dollars, so cloth helps both the planet and our budget.
6. Washing new clothes: I read that washing non-organic baby clothes and removable covers with a cup and a half of vinegar can help remove chemicals and dyes. I’ve been washing any new clothing, socks, and bedding with vinegar to make them gentler for baby’s skin. They don’t retain a vinegar smell afterward, which is a relief. I did have one laundry mishap—tiny pink leggings went in with the whites and everything got a soft pink tint—but that little mistake taught me to relax about perfection.
7. A pretty pillowcase for delivery: A reader suggested bringing a pretty pillowcase to the hospital because it shows up in many photos and can draw attention away from anyone’s post-birth puffiness. I liked the idea and found a springy pillowcase I love; John’s family even gifted me two for my birthday. I’ll use them at the hospital and later in our guest bedroom—small, cheerful details can make a big difference in the memory of the day.
8. A space-saving, multipurpose solution: We’d heard that a white noise machine and a light machine are both helpful for getting a newborn to sleep, but the nursery has limited outlets and surface space. We found an iHome dock that doubles as a music player, a light machine with color-changing features, and—thanks to a downloaded white-noise track—serves as a white noise machine as well. For a small cost we eliminated the need for multiple devices and gained a versatile solution that can grow with Baby P.
While preparing, we came across a quote that resonated with us:
“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.” -Anonymous
We can’t wait to meet our little one. We’d love to hear what you did to prepare for a new arrival—whether it was a baby, a pet, a roommate, or weekend guests. How did you get your house ready for new company?