Thank you to Guardian Storage for sponsoring this post on ways to prepare your home and life for a new baby. #GuardianStorage
While it may seem like you’re pregnant for forever it tends to go by pretty quickly and before you know it your new little one is in your arms, keeping you up all night, and turning you into a person you don’t even recognize anymore. As a mom of 4 I can tell you that it is all worth it when your kids melt your heart with their handmade drawings, give hugs with arms wrapped around your neck, and the unexpected “I love you” coming from their tiny little voice. During your pregnancy is a great time to prepare for your baby and the new journey you’ll be taking in life.
Preparing for a baby can be stressful, but I am here to share some tips on how to prepare for a baby that helped me over the years. Things like making sure you’re eating, you have the necessary items, and your home is organized.
1. Food – One of the most important things you will need and need to do is eat. Making sure you are eating enough is really important in helping with your energy, milk supply (if you’re breastfeeding), and overall well being. When your due date is nearing make sure your house is stocked with a variety of drinks and snacks for convenient eating. Things like nuts, fruit, string cheese, granola bars, or any of your favorite snacks and quick meals. Prepping with a freezer stocked full of freezer meals is also a great idea because you’ll have a home cooked meal that just needs to be tossed into the oven. You could even ask for freezer meals or gift cards to local restaurants as baby shower gifts.
2. The Necessities – When it comes to having a baby you can ask 10 moms their must have necessary items and get 10 different answers, but at the end of the day all you really need is a car seat, stroller or baby wearing device, diapers and wipes, formula or breast milk, clothes, and somewhere for baby to sleep. If I had to pick one must have item it would be the rock n’ play by fisher-price. It was a total life saver for getting my little ones to sleep for the first several months and perfect when I needed to free my arms. Make sure you are stocked with the necessities so that when you come home you can rest, recover, and enjoy your baby.
3. Take Care of You – This one is really important. Make sure you have everything you’ll need for when you come home. Pads, nursing or sports bras, lose & comfortable clothing, nipple cream (if you plan to breastfeed), a comfortable place to sit and feed baby, and line-up help for after baby is born. You need to be your best you so that you can be the best mom for your new baby.
4. Organize – This is where nesting comes into place and I have a love hate relationship with it. Nesting is great because our home always looks great, but it also means I won’t be happy until it’s all done. This is the perfect time to purge through old items and figure out what is staying and what needs a new home or a trip to the trash. Maybe you need to clear out an extra bedroom and turn it into a nursery, store clothes and toys from older kids for your baby on the way, or just give your home a good overhaul when it comes to storage and organization.
To help organize your home you can store the items you want to keep, like decorations, store kid’s toys, and seasonal items in a storage unit at Guardian storage. This allows you to get the items out of your home and free up some space, but you don’t have to get rid of them forever. Guardian Storage has 5 locations in Colorado that are beautiful, clean, dry, and protected by state-of-the-art security systems so you can store your items and feel good about doing so.
5. Prepare Financially – Figure out how much time you’re going to take off, how you’ll supplement your income during that time, what you’ll do for daycare and the cost, and budget in monthly diapers, wipes, and formula (if needed).
6. Get a plan in place for birth – I want to start off by saying that when you have a baby not a lot goes according to plan, so when you make your plan try to remember that things can change and go in with an open mind. Decide if anyone will be at the birth with you and who, what your birth plan will be, who you will call, where you will deliver, what items you’ll be bringing, how you will get to and from the hospital, pick out a pediatrician or office, if you have other kids or pets – who you will care for them when the time comes, and breathe. You have 9 months to figure it all out, so take your time, research, and do what is best for you, and your baby.
7. Clear your schedule – When I had my kids all I wanted to do was go home and recover in my own bed. I made sure work was tied up, didn’t make any plans for the first couple weeks, and took the time to relax and bond with my new little one. If we didn’t want visitors, we told them no. We spent time at home and just chilled. I feel like it helped to make adjusting easier. I recommend this to everyone. Take a few days or weeks and do nothing but snuggle your new little one.
About Guardian Storage
Established in Pittsburgh in 1987, Guardian Storage has grown to be the market leader of storage services. With a strong focus on customer service, Guardian prides itself on its variety
of solutions, amenities and security. Guardian currently has 17 locations in the greater Pittsburgh area, as well as 5 Colorado locations. In addition, they just opened a new location in Forest Hills and will be opening a location in Bethel Park in 2018. You can visit www.guardianstorage.com for more information.
With a strong focus on customer peace of mind, Guardian Storage prides itself on its immaculate, modern properties, comprehensive list of amenities, state-of-the art security features and excellent customer service. Guardian Storage believes in giving back to the communities in which they live and work. Currently, all stores collectively volunteer time and resources to support 40+
community events and non-profit organizations, such as The Education Partnership, Toys for Tots, Bethlehem Haven, Habitat for Humanity, local food banks and more.