This is a hefty first-year essential guide on preparing for arrival of baby which comes with a YouTube Video. So grab your favourite beverage, watch the video alongside reading the article and enjoy this extensive guide to your baby’s first year.

Congratulations, you’re pregnant! Now what?

Whether you’re preparing for first baby or your fifth, every baby comes with baggage and a whole heap of preparation. I had my fourth baby two years ago and my lounge still looks like a baby has thrown up all over it. Yet, I still didn’t buy half as much baby gear as I did twelve years ago when I had my first.

But, there seems to be a rite of passage that everyone goes through – buy all the unnecessary stuff until you realise what really is necessary. You don’t have to go through that rite of passage anymore as I’m here to help (check out my top tools here!).

So, I present to you my first-year essential guide on how to prepare for a baby and what to expect in the first year. If I miss anything out please comment below as I plan to regularly update this guide.

Don’t overspend! I have the top tools you need right here!

Check out the full video on what to do when preparing for a baby below!

https://youtu.be/90muIYBraJc

When to start preparing for your baby’s arrival – Your third trimester!

Preparing for your new baby starts when you’re pregnant (and even before getting pregnant and the dreaded argument that comes with picking baby names) because once labour begins time is of the essence until your little miracle joins you.

And, ideally, you want to be ready for when that time comes, whenever that will be. Preparing for labour and birth can be a mammoth task on its own and there are a number of things you should have in your hospital bag before you meet your baby. Here are some of the essentials:

What to learn more about pain-free labour? Find out here!

Need natural ways to bring on labour? Check out some tips here

Check out our hypnobirthing series for more positive labour and birth here

Preparing for arrival of baby – Get your hospital bag ready – Baby stuff you’ll want ready to go on day

Contrary to what you think (and what I end up doing), you need not pack the kitchen sink. I would suggest investing in a good changing bag and using that as your hospital bag, so you can transition from packing for birth to packing for the baby once he/she arrives.

Check out my guide on what to pack for your hospital bag below:

How to prepare for arrival of baby – The changing bag

Essentially you can use any bag you want, as long as it’s big enough to carry all the items you need. Personally, I like using a bag that’s big enough to carry my laptop, as well as having lots of compartments to organise all the bits and bobs I would need for a typical day. I found the perfect changing bag during my search – one that doesn’t look like carry-on luggage or a soulless black suitcase. I present to you, the Mia Tui Berry Jennie Travel Changing Bag!*

It looks like a stylish tote bag, but with tons of cute compartments – perfect for me.

The Jennie bag in Berry contains a changing bag accessory kit and is perfect for busy mums who have many feathers in their hats and who need to carry their lives in a bag. Plus it’s totally vegan! The Mia Tui Berry Jennie Changing Bag includes:

1. Gem Organiser Bag
2. Travel Changing Mat
3. Clutch Bag with X-Body Strap
4. Clips for Keys
5. Clear Bag for Baby Bits
6. Two Insulated Bottle Holders
7. Buggy Clips
8. Waterproof Inside and Out
9. Large Mobile Phone Pocket

The bag also comes in a tote bag of its own which doubles up as a great bag for carrying other bits like groceries etc.

Other great hospital bags that you can buy from Amazon are:

So, what do you need in your hospital bag/future changing bag?

For mum

You will be in the hospital for up to three days (more if you require special attention but that’s not common), so think less is more. In fact, the less you pack, the less overwhelmed you’ll feel when the baby comes. So here is a list of things you will need to pack for yourself:

Your maternity notes

Don’t forget your maternity notes as these notes contain your medical history and pregnancy journey. Midwives and doctors who will be on hand during the birth will consult your maternity notes for special medication or equipment required during labour and birth. Your maternity notes should also contain your birth plan which you created during your pregnancy.

Births rarely go to plan, but it would be a great idea to at least write a skeleton birth plan so you know what you’d like to happen. Do you want pain medication? Would you like to be upright during birth? Is there anything you won’t do, like push or get an epidural? Write all these down in your birth plan. If you need some help or something ready-made that you can work from, I have a printable for you in my pregnancy welcome pack, which you can subscribe to here.  

2 x nighties and a dressing gown

Pack two light nighties (one for birth and one for after) and a dressing gown to walk around in (if you can walk, that is!) as it will be very hot in the hospital. Newborns cannot regulate their body temperature, so hospitals crank the heat up very high, which means you won’t be wearing much else than the thinnest nightie you can find.

I didn’t even wear my nightie on the first day, I ended up covering myself in a thin blanket provided by the hospital because I was so hot most of the time, and only because I didn’t want to scare people with my wobbly post-baby body! The sweat from the heat coupled with the excessive itching from the epidural and anaesthesia meant I had never felt so uncomfortable in my whole life. I was at the hospital for two days and towards the end, I ended up wearing a very loose-fitting dress. That’s it.

Dressing gown/nightie sets you can get from Amazon:

Slippers

The hospital gives you compression socks to help circulate the blood as you’ll be stuck in bed. But, once the wires are disconnected the midwives will prompt you to try walking. I had a vaginal birth but I was prepared for theatre as I had two previous caesareans. During the VBAC, I had an epidural at 7cm, which meant I wasn’t able to push and the last stage of labour was prolonged.

I ended up pushing my baby girl out but not without a second-degree tear and an episiotomy (they snipped me to allow for the baby to come through). So, walking was difficult.

However, I wasn’t allowed to head to the postnatal ward unless I was on my feet, so I was glad I bought very soft, but breathable slippers to help me take my first few steps. I would suggest getting slippers that are airy, thin and comfortable. Don’t forget it’s hot, so fir lined ugg-style slippers won’t work here.

Here are some slippers I found on Amazon:

Maternity Pads

Whether you have a c section or vaginal birth, the outcome is the same – you will bleed a lot. And, if you’ve had a vaginal birth, even if it was a straightforward birth, then your front bottom will be sore. So when investing in maternity pads, think about comfort and size. I went with super-sized Abena Premium Maternity Pads which felt very protective, even though they looked and felt like miniature planes.

I hardly leaked for the first four weeks, but once the bleeding died down a bit, I transferred to the Always Ultra Thin Pads which worked just as well. I wasn’t a fan of Boots’ own maternity pads for the first few weeks as they didn’t have wings and I leaked when using them. I think it’s worth investing more money to protect yourself from leakage, which brings me to my next point.   

I would invest in around three packs, maybe more. So, it may be worth buying in bulk, i.e. 12 packs of 14 which costs much less per pad:

Disposable knickers

Whichever pad you choose, I would suggest wearing only disposable knickers for the first couple of weeks at least. I have used the same brand for all of my four kids (spanning twelve years), the Emma Jane disposable briefs.

You get seven different coloured and patterned disposable knickers, and I found them very comfortable to use, especially after my c section scars, as they went above the scar rather than on top of it which is what I found with other disposable briefs.

I would also recommend getting a size up to what you think you’ll need. I was around a size 12 when I gave birth to my third so I went for 14/16 and they fit perfectly. Don’t forget you still have a bump after birth and you won’t want to wear anything tight around your bottom area.

Toiletries

I barely used my toiletries as I had to keep my front bottom free from chemicals and external bacteria to prevent infection. So I could only wash with water. But I would still suggest bringing your bare essentials, i.e. shampoo, conditioner and body wash. I also brought my moisturiser, coconut oil and a hairband for my thick curly hair which I wore scrunched up at the top or in a dutch braid.

When you can wash with a body wash, I would recommend the Sanex body wash, as it’s kinder to the skin and free of harsh chemicals. I even wash with baby soap because I know that it will be the most gentle on my skin. Also, don’t forget your toothbrush and toothpaste so you can feel fresh in the mouth when you don’t feel fresh elsewhere.

I have added face wipes, massage oil, water spray and razors in my infographic above, but I didn’t use any of those, except for my Olay facial wipes to wash my face. They’re brilliant! It’s up to you if you want to bring these. Also, don’t forget your glasses and/or contact lenses if you’re a wearer like me.

Breast pads and nursing bras

You may or may not want to breastfeed, but either way, you may experience some leakage. Breast pads are great to help with leaking, even if you are formula feeding. I didn’t use them this time around, though, because my milk didn’t come in until day three. But with my previous pregnancies, I experienced some leaking and wished I had brought some breast pads with me.

Nipple cream

Depending on how you get on, you might invest in some nipple cream, especially if you’re a new mum. I experienced very cracked raw nipples during my first because I had a traumatic c section, which I think delayed my milk coming in. Breastfeeding my first felt like my nipples were being cut by razor blades on fire.

With my second I experienced a little discomfort (most likely because I had breastfed my first up to the day before I gave birth and I had probably lost all feeling in my nipples). But, with my third, I didn’t experience any pain at all. So I haven’t touched my nipple cream. But, you never know. Bring it just in case.

A cold compress for downstairs

This birth experience was the first time I had a vaginal birth and I had no idea how sore my downstairs would be. I wished I had bought a cold compress for downstairs. My friend had kindly given me a Multi-Gyn Compress which I had forgotten all about until the second week at home. and, boy, was it soothing!

This particular compress has 2QR-complex gel which helps to treat the swelling and it sits comfortably on the pad. I loved the cooling effect and I think it helped me to heal. So I urge you, bring one of these packets with you – you’ll be thankful you did if you need it.

Snacks and water

Most hospitals offer breakfast and lunch. But, I would suggest you bring some snacks in between until dinner. You might want to snack on something if you have long labour too and bring a bottle of water or two to keep you going as you don’t want to keep disturbing the midwives to refill your jug of water when you’re not able to move from the bed.

Something to do

There’s a lot of downtime and babies sleep a lot so you may find yourself unable to sleep, and not having anything to do. I brought my laptop and thought I’d blog and write notes, but I was too tired to stare into a screen. The problem was, I had brought nothing else with me. So I asked hubby to get me some magazines, puzzle books and regular books to keep me occupied.

I would recommend trying to sleep first, but if you can’t then at least you’ll have something to do. I didn’t listen to music or watch anything as I was too concerned I wouldn’t be able to hear my baby. But, you can pass the time with screen time if you think it’d help you get through the first few days.

Comfortable going-home clothes

You will be sore, you will have a wobbly belly and you will feel pretty rubbish after you come down from the high of giving birth. So you may not want to dress up in anything too fancy or wear tight clothing when you go home. Leggings are great for all-day wear and baggy jumpers cover up the belly and fat pad sticking out of your bottom. Long flowy dresses, depending on the weather work well as they loosely fit over c-section scars and leaves the bottom part free to breathe.

For baby

How to take care of your newborn baby – tips here!

Newborn nappies

Depending on your baby’s size, you may require Size 0 nappies (from 1.5-2.5kg / 3.6lbs) or Size 1 nappies (2-5kg / 4-11lbs). You may even require Size 2 nappies (3-6kg / 7-14lbs), but your safe bet is only to buy a small pack first as you can’t predict what size your baby will be when he/she is she graces you with their presence. I had big babies – my first was 8lbs 9oz / 3.89kg and my second was even bigger, at 9lbs 8oz / 4.5kg). My third baby was smaller at 7lbs 7oz / 3.5kg) so I needed Size 1 and 2 nappies, to begin with!

First, decide whether you want to go disposable or reusable (i.e. you can wash and re-use your nappies). I have always gone with Pampers, which are disposable because I have enough laundry to do, but it’s worth considering going reusable for the sake of the environment. 

I like Asda’s Little Angels disposable brand as they feel softer on the skin. But, so far, I’ve found Pampers soak up wet nappies quicker and keep my baby’s bottom drier, so we have fewer nappy rash incidents. The choice is up to you though, I’d try them all and find one that works for you.

Cotton wool

To begin with, you will want to use cooled boiled water and cotton wool to clean your baby’s bottom, for at least the first four weeks. This gives your baby’s skin time to get used to external toxins and the environment around them.

Then you can transition to baby wipes. We waited until around four weeks, but in the meantime we found cotton wool balls to be the best for cleaning baby’s bottom. The first poo is like black tar, meconium, and that’s difficult to clean off. But, after a few days, you’ll find that your baby’s poo will turn yellow and they’ll get easier to clean after that. More on your baby’s poo later!

Baby wipes

I wouldn’t recommend using baby wipes on your baby just yet, but baby wipes are fantastic inventions, which you can use for so much more during the last trimester/labour/birth/new baby phase. Baby wipes are great for taking off makeup, refreshing your face, cleaning marks/stains, giving things a general wipe, and refreshing yourself if you can’t get to a shower.

We have tried many baby wipes, but I found Water Wipes to be the best as they are made from 99.9% water and a drop of fruit extract. So they’re the kindest on the skin and perfect for baby when s/he’s ready to have his/her bum wiped.

Changing mat

You’ll need a good changing mat to place over surfaces when you change your baby’s bottom. Most changing mats come with the changing bag, but if you don’t have any to hand, a simple towel will work as they’re large enough and they’re soft on the baby’s skin. Just remember to put them in the wash and not use them anywhere else on your baby! We have a great sturdy changing mat that came with the MoKee cot at home, which I’ll talk about later below.

Hats, scratch mittens, booties, socks

It is essential to pack hats, as mentioned above, babies cannot regulate their own body temperature, and a lot of body heat escapes from their heads, so make sure you pack a couple. The hospital gave us one too: this pretty pink and blue hat (below), which I thought was a very sweet gesture. We still have that hat and have kept it for sentimental value. It reminds us of our positive time in the hospital.

Here are some newborn / hospital hats I found from Amazon:

Scratch mitts are important too because they stop the baby scratching themselves (you’d be surprised at how quickly their nails grow!). Booties are not essential but very cute. And if it’s super cold outside, then booties can add extra heat protection to their feet. Generally, feet should be free for the first year until they walk assisted.

Then you can look at the baby’s first shoes, which are soft and malleable, so the baby feels protected but can still use their own weight to walk. I have these very cute pink booties from Bobux*, but Ayla has only worn them from three months old. Socks can work from birth onwards.

Nappy sacks

Nappy sacks will probably become obsolete as they’re not great for the environment. But, they’re very handy when you’re out and about and your baby does a number two in an inopportune moment. You can get fragranced nappy sacks which help to keep the smell contained. They’re very cheap and you get hundreds in a pack. I still haven’t bought another pack and it has been almost four months!

Snowsuit if cold

Snowsuits are great. They cover the baby from head to toe and some even come with gloves too. Ayla was born in September so she didn’t need a snowsuit until she hit around two months old. She now has four snowsuits, two pink ones (see images below), a grey snowsuit passed down from the boys and a white snowsuit that makes her look like a yeti. They are so useful because they are fleece-lined, which means you only need a baby vest and a Babygro underneath the snowsuit when you’re going out. 

Here are some cute snowsuits I found from Amazon:

Cellular blankets

Cellular blankets are fab because you can use them both during winter and summer and they are light enough to carry around everywhere. We have sooo many cellular blankets that some have still never been used, but our favourites are the cream and pink cellular blankets from Bloomsbury Mill because they’re super soft, 100% cotton and machine washable at 40 degrees.

So, keep around four or five in your cupboard and one in your changing bag, then you can bring them out when needed. Cellular blankets are designed with a clever ‘cell’ construction, so they trap the air to keep the baby cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Also, they’re safer to use during sleep than regular blankets because the holes can allow the baby to still breathe if they accidentally come over the baby’s face. It’s safer to use Sleepsacks though, which I will talk more about below.

Baby vests/bodysuits/sleepsuits/baby grows

You only need a couple in your hospital bag and they can be short-sleeved or long-sleeved, depending on the weather. The baby vests or bodysuits go underneath the sleepsuits or baby grows, which can also be long-sleeved or short-sleeved.

As this was our first baby girl and we knew the gender before birth, we packed some very cute pink baby vests and baby grows, but you can always go for white, yellow, pink or even leopard print – whatever floats your boat! Just make sure they’re 100% cotton and washed in suitable detergent. We use Fairy Non-Bio as that seems the gentlest on baby’s skin.

Here are some great newborn babygrows, body vests and sleepsuits I found on Amazon:

Muslin squares, swaddles and blankets

Muslin squares* are small cloths that are used when you breastfeed or bottle-feed a baby. They’re great for cleaning spit-ups (when the baby throws up a bit of milk), excess milk and other bodily functions when you’re out and about. You also place these cloths over your shoulder or your hand when you’re burping your baby during winding, as that’s when babies spit up. So pack a few muslin squares in case your baby is one of those who like to ‘share their food’. 

Muslin swaddles* and blankets are used for swaddling babies, i.e. wrapping babies in blankets which are believed to help them sleep. They are usually made from thin, breathable muslin fabric to help moderate temperature. They can also be used as extra protection for wiping sick and even as a nappy changing mat if you don’t have another to spare. They’re quite multi-purposeful and come in various sizes and patterns. I have some very cute muslins from Bloomsbury Mill, which you’ll be able to see in action in my video below:

https://youtu.be/90muIYBraJc

You should take care of your muslins, so they continue to be fresh and soft for your baby. Place in the wash before you use and wash with similar colours to prevent fading. Also, avoid washing with anything that could snag your muslin, like zips and Velcro and use a soft detergent like the Fairy Non-Bio I’ve talked about above.

If you have stains that can’t be removed from washing alone (make way for the bright yellow staining breastfeeding poo!), fill a basin/sink with cold water and bleach-free detergent. Then soak your muslin for at least one hour – rinse then repeat if needed. Also, keep your muslins away from fire and other sources of direct heat. Cold, not hot! Heat sets the stain and makes it almost impossible for the stain to come out.

You should have full care instructions on your muslin’s label, but it’s worth keeping them pretty and soft. You’ll take them everywhere and they’ll be the items you’ll most likely use.

A cute outfit to go home in (not essential, but cute nonetheless!)

Of course, it’s not an essential part of going home, but a cute going home outfit will perk you up once the highs of birth and having a new baby drop and you witness that postnatal crash. I didn’t actually have a cute baby outfit because the one we bought was too small ☹ But below is a picture of my firstborn’s going home outfit twelve years ago. It was freezing and we were snowed in, but I still think he looked cute in his winter hat and blanket 😊

All items need to be packed and ready by 37 weeks to account for the early onset of labour.

You can also bring lots of really cute stuff that you may not need but would love to have as keepsakes because it’s a monumental time – you’re taking baby home! I love this Ultimate Luxury Hamper for Girls*  which was the perfect hamper to bring with me to my birth as it contained all the lovely items you’ll need for a new baby. It comes in such a lovely box too so it makes for a perfect gift for a friend or family who is due to welcome a baby.

The Ultimate Luxury Hamper for Girls includes:

	Lovely Mini Person Baby Memories Scrapbook
	Lamaze Trotter the Pony Sensory Baby Toy – Pink
	Toby Tiger Girl’s Horse Applique Rompersuit
	Aden & Anais Lovebird Musy Muslin Square – Single
	Knotted Hat, White, 100% Cotton
	Bandana Bib, White
	Baby Bunting Grey Star Print Unisex Bodysuit
	Sock Ons, Pale Pink
	Organic Monkey Hello Mellow Baby Massage Oil 125ml
	The Baby Hamper Company Relax Candle Tin
	The Baby Hamper Company Relax Lip Balm Tin

Preparing your home for baby’s arrival – Get the nursery ready

Where is the baby going to sleep when s/he arrives? Are they sleeping in your room for the first year or are they going to have their own room straight away? Even if you transition them from your room to their room within the first year, you will need to figure it out and ideally before the baby gets here. But, if you’re like us and move when you’re seven months pregnant then you may have to prepare a lot more than just the nursery!

which then transitioned to this…

Now baby sleeps with us while we look for our forever home, so we have most of the nursery stuff in the lounge.

So, first things first. Select the room which will become your nursery and then clear out the area to make way for the baby stuff. Get all those baby essentials early, so you can decorate the nursery however you choose. But there are some baby essentials and some not so essential, yet lovely to have items that should go into a nursery. These are:

The bed

If the baby is sleeping with you, then a co-sleeper or pod like a Snuzpod will work well. We had a Snuzpod next to our bed until Ayla was four months old and it helped me to breastfeed her lying down and then roll her back into her bed.

I try to avoid co-sleeping as much as possible and always put her back into her bed, but sometimes I’m so tired and find I’ve fallen asleep for a few minutes while feeding. So, at least, this way, I’m just gliding her rather than lifting her up and placing her. It makes a huge difference. Sadly she’s grown out of the Snuzpod now and transitioned to the cot, which has taken its place.

You can find the all-new UK’s best-selling bedside crib,/./ the SnuzPod⁴ here!

Watch this space for an extensive SnuzPod⁴ review coming soon!

All my kids had a Moses Basket and it was my favourite bed for them to use right at the very beginning as it felt like their little cocoon. Each child loved their Moses Basket too and slept very well in it, but they grew out of them very quickly. Sadly, even my fourth baby has already grown out of hers, but I’d thoroughly recommend getting one.

Ayla slept in the Clair De Lune Limited Edition Cotton Bubbles Moses Basket* during the day until three months old, which isn’t available anymore. The set didn’t come with the stand, so we got that separately, but it did come with the mattress, bedding, hood and coverlet. It’s such a lovely little set and I would definitely recommend checking out Clair de Lune’s products as they’re really good quality and so, so pretty!

Check out our top list of pregnancy must-haves for pregnant mums here!

Plus you can move the Moses Basket around with you everywhere. I had the Moses Basket with me in the lounge next to the couch while I was recovering from birth or getting ready to go out.

Here is a great Moses Basket I found on Amazon:

Finally, once your little one is not so little anymore, you can then transition them into a proper cot, preferably one which doubles up as a bed later.

We have a MoKee Mini Cot in Ivory Plum* which is a gorgeous cot that comes complete with a MoKee Cot Changer* (more on that later). It’s a perfect size and you can remove the panels to transform the cot into a toddler bed later because even though it’s mini it is still large enough to cater up to three years old.        

Buy the MoKee cot here: BUY NOW

Buy the MoKee Cot Changer here: BUY NOW

We also have a beautiful pink Baby Nest from Kally Sleep* which we placed in the cot to help with the transition from Snuzpod/Moses Basket to MoKee cot and it worked well for a few months. The Kally Baby Nest is a multi-functional cocoon that is designed to keep the baby safe and comfortable during supervised naps and tummy time. T

The Baby Nest comes with a pillow and pillow cover, and a lovely blanket too. Ayla slept very well in the Baby Nest during nap time and enjoyed viewing her world from the nest too. I would recommend buying a Baby Nest from Kally Sleep because it is very soft and firm while keeping the baby safe and comfortable during sleep and playtimes.

Unfortunately, Ayla grew out of the Baby Nest at four months, and transitioned to the cot.

Bumpers and protection for the cot

There has been some backlash about cot bumpers and other additional protective equipment for the cot lately, with some resources saying they are hazardous and can lead to cot death. But, like anything, as long as you ensure ties remain securely fastened to the cot and remove cot bumpers when the baby is unaided then you should be ok.

When children get older they use cot bumpers as a climbing frame which may lead to falling out of the cot. So once they get to this stage it’s better to remove them entirely. Check bumpers regularly too to ensure they are secure and stop using them when you see signs of damage.

Mamas & Papas kindly gifted us a bumper*, coverlet cot bed* and cot bar bumpers* as part of the pretty 6-piece Lilybelle bundle piece set and I felt they complimented the lovely ivory plum MoKee cot very well. They come in reusable plastic bags, which are very handy to store items in.

The Lilybelle set provides a beautiful and decorative touch to the cot with a gorgeous hand-quilted floral design. It’s so nice to have such a pretty bed after two alpha male boy beds!

Bedding

The bedding you have depends on the bed you have. We were given lovely 4-piece bedding set from Clair de Lune* in white, specifically for our Moses Basket, which included a Cotton Cellular Blanket, a very soft Fleece Blanket, Cotton Flat Sheet and a Cotton Fitted Sheet. The set creates a quality finish and Ayla seems to love the feel of the bedding on her skin.

You’ll need a bedding set for the cot and the world is your oyster when choosing a particular style. We are saving our Magic Unicorn Set from Bloomsbury Mill* for when Ayla is a little older and transitioning to using a duvet and pillow. I can’t wait, the bedsheets are so pretty!

Are you pregnant? Grab your free pregnancy pack now – details inside!

Blankets

Each boy had a favourite blanket, one which they fell asleep with very quickly. This time, Ayla has her favourite grey blanket (well it’s my favourite blanket) and she goes to sleep in it instantly. It’s a beautiful 100% Cotton Knitted Blanket in Grey from Clair de Lune* and it goes everywhere with Ayla, with a lovely breathable material that is a heavyweight knit so it provides very good insulation and natural comfort and warmth. The blanket has such a cute design and it was the Silver winner of the Mumii Best of Baby and Toddler Gear 2016 in the Blanket category. So it’s worth getting one of these – plus it makes for a great gift for winter babies!

Air purifier

An air purifier is a must-have first year baby essential in the nursery because it removes up to 99% of airborne particles as small as 0.1 microns in size. People spend most of their time indoors, yet indoor air is up to five times more polluted than outdoor air.

This is because of pollen and car exhaust fumes entering buildings, chemicals in paint, furniture, clothing and cleaning detergents, mould and dust. Breathing in fine dust or PM2.5 (also known as fine particulate matter) contributes to asthma, heart and lung problems and a host of other diseases.

We were gifted the Blueair Blue Pure 411* which is a whisper-silent, energy-efficient air purifier with one-button speed control for the nursery. The air purifier is very compact and is perfect for smaller rooms. The Blue Pure 411 is easy to assemble, and, depending on where you need it,  you can move it around too. When you need to replace the filter, just twist the lid, replace the filter and then cover it back up.

Baby monitor

During the first year of birth, your baby will sleep a lot and not always at night. Sometimes you need to get on with daily tasks or other duties while you let your baby sleep, but, you want to make sure that when you put them down, they’re safe in their beds and you can monitor them from wherever you are.

We have tested some good quality baby monitors over the years, both audio and video, and I think we have found the best of the best. We have the Nanit Plus Camera* which is the most advanced baby monitor ever introduced into the nursery. Nanit combines learning algorithms with advanced smart technology to provide in-depth data about your baby’s sleep patterns, quality and more. In fact, 94% of Nanit parents say they sleep better using Nanit’s products, so we gave it a shot ourselves!

You get two different baby monitors, the Nanit and Nanit Plus Camera. The Nanit Plus does everything the Nanit does except it has extra features, including one year of Nanit insights for free, which offers video history, sleep tracking and coaching. You can buy the Nanit Plus with a Wall Mount (which needs to be drilled to the wall), or a Floor Stand, which allows you to place the Nanit Plus anywhere in the house. You can also buy a Multi-Stand travel mount that makes your baby monitor a Nanit on-the-go or a nanny cam. 

We got the floor stand so we could move the Nanit between Ayla’s three beds, but we ended up keeping the Nanit upstairs where Ayla slept during the night. To use, you assemble the Nanit Plus using the instructions provided and then you pair the monitor with its app via your phone.

Your phone then connects wirelessly to the camera and the app takes you to initial settings where you configure the Nanit monitor and position the camera view on the phone. Once set up, you can view your baby and the crib both with natural lighting and infrared lighting.

The camera view is excellent and there are so many additional features that make the Nanit the best out of all the ones we’ve tried so far. When away from your baby, Nanit will continue to work in the background on your phone or Alexa Show.

The Nanit will alert you on the phone or Alexa Show if there are any movements or sounds, and if your baby wakes, you can talk to them through the two-way microphone/audio and/or play bird noises, wind noises or white noise to help settle them back to sleep. The dashboard allows you to catch up on your baby’s sleep with data showing everything from how long they slept to how many times you visited or helped them.

But, the real pièce de résistance is that the built-in Insights will help you understand your baby’s sleep patterns and offer personalised Sleep Tips related to your baby and their surroundings. You also get a Night Timelapse every night to show you what happened during the night while you’re asleep, which is available every morning and eventually, you’ll see how your baby is becoming a better sleeper as time goes on.

If you’re struggling with a certain aspect of your baby’s bedtime routine you can consult a team of parenting experts who will provide you with advice that will help you to achieve a bedtime routine that suits everyone.

The Sleeping Bags are designed to be worn over pyjamas. It comes in three sizes to fit babies aged three to 24 months, allowing you to use Breathing Wear as your little one grows.

Nanit also has a built-in night light so if you’re settling your little one to sleep when everyone else is asleep you can see what you’re doing and not startle your baby awake with harsh light.

Nanit launched a ‘Memories’ tab which captures those special moments automatically so parents never miss out, like the first time baby sleeps through the night or the first time you put the baby in their bed and they go to sleep by themselves (we’re trying to do this at the moment). It’s such a great way to record your baby’s special memories and share them with loved ones digitally, especially if the extended family can’t always get to see the baby as much as they hoped.

“Now more than ever, technology is critical in keeping people connected. Sadly many grandparents and loved ones are currently separated from new members of the family,  however, with the launch of Memories, we hope to make it easier for parents and other loved ones to never miss a moment as their baby grows.”

Sarah Dorsett, CEO of Nanit. 

You can find out more about the Nanit Plus Video Monitor in my video below.

https://youtu.be/90muIYBraJc

Other baby monitors

Night light

If you don’t have a Nanit then you would need to purchase a separate night light. We had a Gro Light but we found it to be too dark and I ended up using my phone’s torchlight which was too strong.

We love the Lumie Bug which both of our boys use. You can fully adjust the lighting, especially for bedtime and the low blue-white light avoids stimulation during the bedtime routine, allowing your baby to wind down ready for sleep. The sunset with a realistic colour change means that the light can gradually fade off to naturally promote sleepiness and settle your baby.

You also have two light intensities and a non-alerting orange light which doesn’t trigger wakefulness. Perfect for night-time feeds, when the whole world is sleeping – except for you and your baby.

You can buy the Lumie Bug from Amazon here:

Somewhere to sit and feed

This is not essential but unless your baby’s bed is right next to yours, then you may need to find somewhere calm and comfortable for you to sit and feed, like a nursing chair or a couch. I used to have a lovely comfy nursing chair (which you can see in the image of our old nursery above) but now I just use my bed as my baby’s bed is right next to me.

During the nightly feeds, make sure you are sitting comfortably as feeding time could take a while. Try not to fall asleep during feeds too. I normally look at my phone on the brightest light which helps me to stay up during feeds and prevents any risk of falling asleep with the baby in my arms.

Check out this article on What do you really need for your new baby by Katherine Norman.

Cupboard/drawers for clothes

You will need a nice set of drawers and cupboards to hold your baby’s clothes and other bits and bobs. We currently have a tall set of drawers with five compartments and Ayla’s items are separated into the following:

• Socks, bib, hats, mitts etc
• Baby vests and babygrows, sleepsacks
• Blankets and hooded towels
• Baby slings, car seat cushions etc
• Clothes which are too big

Sleepsacks

A quick note about Sleepsacks. These are very important during the night as one rule of safe sleep is to make sure you eliminate any possibility of your baby pulling the blanket over their face and potentially suffocating. Sleepsacks are great to protect the baby and keep them warm but with the added protection of being secure so it doesn’t move around when they sleep.

They look like pillowcases but with zips on either side and you have different sized togs, one for summer and one for winter. You can also get long or short-sleeved sleepsacks, depending on the temperature.

Here are some lovely sleepsacks I found on Amazon:

More on baby clothes later.

Baskets and organisers for other bits and bobs

You will accumulate quite a lot of stuff during the first year, so it’s a good idea to get things organised from the get-go. Little wicker baskets are cute and very useful for small items, while shelving will help to house larger items out of the way and out of reach of wandering hands too!

Prepare for sleeptime Fun!

If you managed to get in eight hours of sleep every night before the baby arrives then prepare for one big culture shock! “Sleeping like a baby” doesn’t actually apply to newborns, much less to babies. You may be one of the rare few and birth a baby that sleeps through the night from six weeks old but that’s rare – very rare!

Four tips to sleep better at night here

Newborns should get around eight hours or three naps during the day and then around eight and a half hours of sleep at night, but, they will not get these hours in all in one go. Generally, they will sleep at two to three-hour stretches until their little tummies get bigger, then at one month, this should change to around six to seven hours or three naps during the day and then eight to nine hours during the night.

The daytime naps should drop gradually and sleep should increase at night until babies get to around twelve months when they should get around two and a half hours of sleep during the day and eleven hours sleep at night.

This sleeping pattern can fluctuate but it’s important to ensure that they are sleeping enough. Once your baby is around three to four months you can follow a set pattern every night and by six months establish a night routine that works for you and the family. Check out my article on how to help your kids sleep better at night here.

How to prepare for birth of baby – Prepare your changing area

Why do you need a changing area? Because your baby will poo a ridiculous number of times a day and you can’t just stick them on the loo and wipe their bum with tissue (we hope that’ll happen around two to three years old). You need wipes, nappy sacks, nappy cream if the bum gets a bit sore and of course nappies. So, a great way to save yourself some time and hassle is to create a changing area.

MoKee cot changer*

The MoKee cot changing mat sits on top of the MoKee Mini Cot and saves space in your nursery. The ergonomic design means it sits comfortably on top while the wedge shape keeps the baby on the changing mat. We use the changing mat for most of the nappy changes, and it has been a great time saver for us.

But, make sure you don’t knock the changing mat off with your arm or hand as it can come off and drop into the cot – with baby in it! It has happened to us a couple of times as the changing mat isn’t attached. This is so you can take it off and put it away when you’re done.

Apart from the nappies, baby wipes, cotton wool and nappy sacks, there are a few extras that will need to sit in your changing area for ease of access. These are:

Nappy bin

A nappy bin is not 100% essential but it is time-saving and more hygienic than throwing used nappies straight into the main bin. We have the Tommee Tippee Sangenic Nappy Bin along with the bin refills next to our changing area so we can wrap up our nappies in a fragranced nappy sack and then dispose of them in the cleverly designed nappy bin.

It’s quite simple to use, you place the nappy in the system and then you twist and click so the nappy is encased in the nappy bins’ fragrance film. Once the bin is full, you use the blade on the underside of the bin to tear open the end and then knot together before you throw it in the main disposable bin.

Nappy bin accessories

Nappy cream

If you leave a soiled nappy on for too long or your baby starts teething (more on that below) and the body produces more acidic poo then your baby may end up with a nappy rash. There are a few major brands in the market that everyone uses, these are Bepanthen, Sudocrem and Metanium.

Out of all three, I think Metanium is by far the best, as it heals the rash and protects the area. You need a microscopic amount to thinly cover the rash and within hours the nappy rash has improved. The Bepanthen and Sudocrem act more like a barrier cream to prevent nappy rash and can be used two to three times a week. But, to be honest, I leave my baby’s bum open so her skin gets used to its environment. 

Be prepared for lots of poo during your first year that you’ll become obsessed with it! Are they pooing enough? Are they pooing too much? Are the breastfeeding poos too yellow? Why is poo green? What’s with the smell? Why is the poo so black? Just remember, if the baby is happy they are probably fine, but if you’re worried, never be too ashamed to consult your healthcare provider – you are not wasting their time. Better safe than sorry.

Towels or muslins

Hooded towels and extra muslins are great to have in your changing area because if there is an accident you can mop it up pretty quickly. I love the Bloomsbury Mill muslins as mentioned above, but you can find muslins from pretty much anywhere. Hooded towels are great for when it’s cold and you’re wrapping your baby up before and after bathtime. You can find hooded towels from anywhere too.

Extra set of clothes

Inevitably your baby will poo up their back, thanks to runny poo, either from teething or from digesting new foods. Keep an extra set of clothes handy for when this unpleasant surprise happens and make sure you soak the stained clothes in cold water before throwing them into the wash. I made the mistake of thinking hot water will boil the stain away but instead, it sets the stain and now I have beautiful items of clothing with bright yellow breastfeeding poo stains on them! ☹

Entertainment

It’s good to have some entertainment for baby as they get older and use their arms and legs. More on how to entertain your baby below, but from birth, you can add black and white patterns to the changing area to encourage their brain and eye development.

Going home time

You’ve had your birth, you’ve welcomed baby (or babies!) into the world and now you get to take the baby home. It can be daunting to go from the comfort of hospital care to going it alone with your partner.  But you’re not alone.

So, what do you need?

Ring cushion after vaginal birth

So I had two caesareans before I had my vaginal birth and I was expecting the recovery to be easier. Boy, was I wrong! I had a forceps delivery with a second-degree tear and an episiotomy which meant I had to have stitches and I suffered a minor prolapse too. The result was that I could not sit on my bum for about four weeks and even the ring cushion for the first two.

The only way I got through it was to bring a rolled-up towel everywhere with me, which I could manipulate to help me take the pressure off my front bottom and then transition to a ring cushion afterwards. Essentially what a ring cushion does is that it allows you to sit down so there is no impact or pressure on the sore area until you can sit on it again. I would thoroughly recommend a ring cushion if you have a sore bottom.

Medication

And after birth, if the delivery didn’t go quite as planned you will likely end up taking home some painkillers – and added extras like I had to after this birth. This time around, I came home with Co-dydramol, Ibruprofen, iron tablets (as I lost 1.5 litres of blood during birth) Lactulose (to counteract the iron tablets) and Enoxaparin which my husband needed to inject into my belly to help prevent blood clots like thrombosis.

My haemoglobin levels were inevitably very low and I was offered a blood transfusion but I refused, opting for the iron tablets instead. I have since taken another blood test and my levels are almost back to normal but the doctor has advised I eat an iron-enriched diet, so I can bring my iron levels up even further.

Postnatal supplements

Your doctor advised you to take prenatal supplements during pregnancy to get that all-important folic acid and the A to Z of minerals and vitamins. Well, taking your supplement is just as important after birth, especially after the trauma your body went through. You can continue to take your prenatal vitamins after the baby is born but postnatal vitamins have added nutrients to support you during breastfeeding. Postnatal vitamins should include Vitamin D, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 to keep mum and baby healthy. 

My U.S. friends, you can find out if you are deficient in any vitamins by undertaking nutrition testing. Healthlabs is offering a 15% discount to Motherhood Diaries readers here, so please take advantage!

Car seat

Hospitals will not allow you to go home after birth if you don’t have a car seat so make sure you have one sorted straight away. But picking any car seat won’t do. Find the one that is the right fit for your child’s weight, not age – this is the key factor when choosing something that is suitable and safe.

By law, all children under 135cm must have their own car seat and they should continue to be in a rear-facing car seat until they are 15 months old for maximum protection against any forceful impact. Check the table below for the right sized seat (from John Lewis’ website):

Group	Child’s weight*	Approx. age of child	Child’s height¹
0	Birth – 10kg/22lb	Birth to 6 – 9 months	40 – 85cm
0+	Birth – 13kg/29lb	Birth to 12 – 15 months	40 – 85cm
0+ and 1	Birth – 18kg/40lb	Birth to 4 years	40 – 105cm
0+, 1, 2 and 3	Birth – 36kg/79lb	Birth to 12 years	40 – 150cm
1	9 – 18kg/20 – 40lb	9 months to 4 years	85 – 105cm
1 and 2	9 – 25kg/20 – 55lb	9 months to 6 years	85 – 150cm
2	15 – 25kg/33 – 55lb	4 to 6 years	105 – 150cm
1, 2 and 3	9 – 36kg/20 – 79lb	9 months to 12 years	85 – 150cm
2 and 3	15 – 36kg/33 – 79lb	4 to 12 years	105 – 150cm
	*Applies to R44.04 seats		¹Applies to iSize seats

So you’re looking to get a Group 0+ car seat because they are rear-facing and the safest way for babies to travel. I would recommend getting one with an Isofix so you need not use a seatbelt. Group 0+ car seats also have a carry handle useful for transporting baby when they’re asleep. They also have a curved base for gentle rocking. These kinds of car seats also have comfort extras like cushions, head huggers and padded straps which can be removed as the baby gets bigger.

As your child grows you will transition to the Group 1, 2 and 3 car seats accordingly. We used the Nuna Car Seat gifted by my best friend and the BeSafe car seat which came with our UppaBaby Vista 2019 Travel System. The Nuna has an Isofix but we have to use the seatbelt with the BeSafe because we don’t have the right Isofix. It makes me appreciate Isofix so much more!

Car seats can be expensive so check out Kiddies Kingdom’s child car seats for sale – every little bit helps!

Added protection for winter babies       

KURA Organics gifted us a beautiful KURA Organic Wrap in Sorbet* which keeps baby warm when they are in the car seat and pushchair. The outer fabric is a five gauge reverse jersey knit in a two-colour striped design and has a chunky knit alongside the organic cotton yarn. The lining fabric is soft and non-toxic so it keeps the baby safe and warm. The poppers ensure quick and easy fastening without disturbing the baby when you want to keep them either warm or cool.

You can machine wash this blanket in 30-degree wash and it fits babies up to six months old. It’s very easy to use, you open up the blanket and feed the car seat straps through the blanket’s holes. Then with the blanket open, you place the baby into the car seat and then wrap them around with the blanket, fastening at the button. It’s -2 outside at the moment, so we are definitely using the KURA blanket during car and stroller trips. I also use it as a handy blanket when I’m out and about as well.

Preparing for arrival of baby – Pack your changing bag

You’ll have all of the stuff you added to your hospital bag above, but you’ll need a few extras for your daily changing bag. These are:

• Hand sanitiser for cleaning up hands after diaper changes
• Bottles of formula or expressed breastmilk if bottle-feeding
• A breastfeeding shawl
• Snacks for babies/toddlers depending on your child’s age. This includes a jar of baby food and a spoon, or finger foods
• Bibs to wipe up the drool from teething, food from feeding and spit up for after
• Extra muslin blanket for all sorts of things, including covering your baby, using it as a changing mat, nursing cover or for spit ups
• Sippy cup of milk, water or juice
• Extra clothes for accidents
• Dummy if your child uses them
• Teddy or soft toy comforter
• Suncream, sunglasses and a hat for sun protection
• Emergency information just in case anything happens. This should include the phone numbers of your emergency contacts and doctor. 
• Nail clippers – this is great for when your little one takes a nap and you have time to trim those nails
• Baby sling for carrying the baby – if you have a large enough bag you should bring a baby sling so you can shift from using your pram to being a hands-free carrier
• Toys, activity/board books and crayons depending on your child’s age. This is great for entertaining your child while out.
• First-aid kit which can include plasters, alcohol-free cleansing wipes, https://geni.us/iT2xSE8thermometer and painkillers like infant Calpol or Ibruprofen.
• Don’t forget your wallet, keys, phone, sunglasses, a diary/notebook and pen, snacks and a bottle of water for yourself!

Preparing for arrival of baby – Prepare your outfits

If you’re one of the lucky ones you may wear your pre-pregnancy clothes sooner than you think. But, if you’re like me and the fat likes to stay around your belly and bum area then you’re likely to continue wearing your maternity clothes. I’m living in my maternity leggings at the moment and wearing breastfeeding tops under baggy tops. This way, if I forget my breastfeeding shawl, the top on top of my tops acts as a cover. 😊

21 fashionable and affordable work clothes for women – find out more here

I also have a different array of nursing bras and have had to change the size twice since my daughter was born. Now that breastfeeding has been established I have to change my bra size again! If you can’t get to a shop to measure your bra, I use a fantastic website called Boob or Bust which has a Boob or Bust Bra Calculator that you can use to measure at home.

They also have a very supportive Facebook group where you can ask questions if you’re struggling to work out how to measure your bra. I was always a 34D until I used the calculator and found out I was a 32G! I was shocked and didn’t think it was right, but lo and behold, the bra fitted me perfectly. It’s well worth giving it a shot if you find it difficult to get to the shops.

Quick and simple fashion tips for busy mums this winter – find out more here

I love my super supportive Black High Waisted Leggings* which is designed to be comfortable when running up and down doing my daily mummy tasks, plus they’re high waisted and not see-through, so no one has to see my wobbly bits!

I have a couple of cardigans that double up as breastfeeding shawls and blankets because of the extra-long panels. These are great, especially in the winter. Also, I have long shawls which I use as scarves and they also work as breastfeeding shawls too. Think about comfort but also about how easy it will be to whip out your boob and feed your child if you’re breastfeeding. If you’re healing from a c section scar then keep that area loose and make sure the waist of the trouser goes over your scar rather than under to prevent irritation.

Preparing for arrival of baby – Figure out your feeding – and your feeding area

Breastfeeding

I breastfed all three of my babies, and I’ve had all sorts of experiences with nursing. With my first, I absolutely hated it until my baby was one month old and then all of a sudden it all clicked into place and I ended up feeding him for 15 months, the day before my second was born. Feeding the second time was slightly painful but I ended up having an oversupply and breastfed my second for 2 ½ years. I produced so much that I donated over one litre of breastmilk to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

The third time around I found breastfeeding the easiest even though Ayla was clicking for the first few months and ended up quite windy. I ended up stopping at 16 months because my milk dried up, but that could have been down to the pregnancy. All experiences are unique, so if you’re struggling, I would thoroughly recommend seeing a breastfeeding counsellor.

I was lucky to meet one at the local weigh-in clinic and she helped me to latch Ayla on properly. Even though this was my third time breastfeeding, it was Ayla’s first time so both of us needed to learn together. Whether you’re experienced or not it doesn’t matter, if the baby isn’t latching on properly it will bloody hurt and the baby won’t get milk. So if you want to persevere then get professional help, I can’t advocate this enough.

After two weeks with my first, I was dead set on giving up because I was in so much pain, I had panic attacks from the trauma of birth and I just felt rubbish all of the time. And then I had to stick a baby on my boob every two hours when all I wanted to do was sleep! But, if it wasn’t for my mum then I would have given up.

I wrote an article on how to ensure a proper latch when breastfeeding, which may help. For more information on breastfeeding visit my breastfeeding pages (link below). There are tons of personal stories and factual information over there so you should be able to get an idea of whether breastfeeding is for you.

Breastfeeding archives

I want to show you what helped me (apart from mum) to get through breastfeeding. I saw the below table on the wall at one of the hospitals and it resonated with me after suffering from bleeding nipples and wanting to throw myself off the balcony.

These are just some of the ways that breastfeeding makes a difference to both mothers and babies

Time Breastfeeding	For Baby	For Mother
First feed	Helps to stabilise baby’s blood sugars and protect baby’s gut.	A great opportunity for the first skin to skin cuddle.
1 day	The antibodies in your colostrum provide natural immunity from infection.	Helps womb to contract towards normal size.
2-3 days	Sticky black meconium is cleared more readily from the baby’s bowel.	Instant relief for hot, swollen breasts when your milk comes in.
1 week	Transition to the world outside the womb is eased.	Frequent feeds mean time to sit or lie down and for you and your baby to get to know each other.
2 weeks	Food and drink always ready at the right temperature, adapting to the baby’s needs.	Hormones help you get back to sleep after night feeds.
4 weeks	For premature babies lower risk factors for heart disease in later life.	Saves time sterilising and making up bottles.
6 weeks	Half the risk of chest infections now and up to seven years old.	Breastfeeding likely to be easier and you can go out and about without bottle-feeding equipment.
2 months	Lower risk of food allergy at three years old if breastfed only.	Reduced risk of ovarian cancer in later life for mother.
3 months	Five times less likely to get diarrhoea now and a reduced risk for the whole year.	Fewer visits to the GP as a baby is less often ill.
4 months	Half the risk of ear infections. Reduced risk of asthma now and protection continues up to six years.	Feeling of empowerment at having been solely responsible for growing your baby to four months.
5 months	Five times lower risk of urinary tract infections.	A lovely way to reconnect with your baby if you go back to work.
6 months	Lower risk of eczema now and up to six years old.	Less risk of osteoporosis in the long term for mother.
1 year	Three times less risk of becoming obese by age six and a lower risk of heart disease as an adult.	No need to buy formula milk at all, saving at least £450 this year.
2 years	Likely to have higher than average scores on intelligence tests.	Expect fewer visits to the orthodontist when your baby is a teenager. Risk of breast cancer reduced by eight per cent for mother.

Some people find breastfeeding easy, but most people don’t. Try not to compare your experience to others, and remember every baby is different and your mental health is more important. If you’ve tried everything and breastfeeding still isn’t working, then it’s important to note that FED IS BEST.

As long as you have a happy healthy baby who has a happy, healthy mother, then that’s the most important thing. I used to judge women who bottle-fed before I even had kids myself. Now I have kids of my own, I know that anything related to parenting is rarely that black and white and we’re all trying to do our best for our babies – so no judgement!

Find your way to get through it, regardless of the outcome because baby needs to eat whether that’s from your breast or from the bottle.

Pumping

If you have continued to breastfeed and your baby has an established latched, then you may want to consider introducing a bottle. I didn’t introduce a bottle with my two boys until they were way past 12 months and my first accepted a bottle straight away and naturally weaned onto cow’s milk from 15 months without any fuss whatsoever.

My second was like a vampire. For him, it was all about the breasts and for a good 18 months after that, I tried everything to get him off my boobs. It didn’t work and I had to stay overnight at a friend’s house to finally wean him. After that he was fine! But, during that time I kept giving my eldest a bottle of my breastmilk because I was donating milk to the local hospital at the time and I had tons of milk leftover. I thought I’d find it super difficult but it wasn’t at all.

Breastpumps

I’ve had my fair share of breast pumps, both manual and electric and I’ve had quite a tumultuous relationship with both styles. I was gifted the MAM 2 in 1 Breast Pump* and this is legit the breast pump I have used to date. I haven’t used the manual pump yet as the electric pump is so efficient in getting my milk out in record time. I managed to pump over 160ml (size of a newborn bottle) in less than the recommended pumping time of 15 minutes.

The pump has a two-phase expression process which begins with the stimulation mode, to stimulate the milk to flow (there are nine levels) and then once the milk is flowing you switch to expression mode, again with nine different levels, depending on the strength of the vacuum in the pump.

Research shows that pumping is more efficient at a maximum vacuum level during the expression phase, and I saw that by how quickly my milk came out and filled the bottle – and some of the storage cups too! You can find more information on how to use the pump in my video below. Watch this space for an article dedicated to breast pumping coming soon!

https://youtu.be/90muIYBraJc

Ayla was six weeks old when I introduced the bottle and she took to bottle-feeding like a duck to water! No child of mine refuses food, no matter how it is presented (well except for my middle one who is still fussy at eleven years old). 😉

Other breast pumps

Which milk bottles do you go for?

The MAM Breast Pump supplied us with two Easy Start anti-colic bottles and Ayla only struggled a little bit with the slightly bigger bottle but she got the hang of it quickly afterwards. It may be worth going for a range of bottles and then finding the one that suits your baby. We were happy with the bottles MAM provided us and even though we need a bigger size now, Ayla mostly breastfed anyway so we didn’t use bottles that often. If you bottle-feed, you’ll likely need a few to hand and in the changing bag to keep up with demand.  

Storing breastmilk

The MAM breast pump comes with storage pots to store milk, but some pumps offer storage bags that you can pump directly into and which come already pre-sterilised so you can just pop them in the freezer afterwards. To store breastmilk using a storage bag, lay flat on top with a sheet of kitchen roll in between to prevent sticking to the freezer or to another storage bag.

Freezing the milk flat allows breastmilk to defrost quicker too. When you need to use the milk, let the bag thaw in the fridge or at room temperature. You can also place the bag in warm water or hold it under cool running water, gradually increasing the warmth of the water to increase the temperature of the milk.

The rule of thumb is untouched breastmilk is safe for your baby if it has been sitting at room temperature for four hours or less. If you know you will not use it within four hours then stick the milk on the bottom shelf at the back of the fridge where it can stay for up to eight days, but it’s best used within four.

Breastmilk can stay in an insulated cooler with an ice pack for up to 24 hours but if you will not use it for longer than eight days then stick it in the freezer within twenty-four hours of pumping or four days from the fridge and it will be good for around nine months  If you have a deep freezer or a chest freezer you should be able to freeze milk for up to one year.

Some storage bags to try

Compress for your breasts

I had an unfortunate experience with self-diagnosed mastitis where my left boob was warm to the touch and painful when feeding because I wasn’t emptying my boob properly. I thought I had the flu as my body temperature was out of whack and I was shivering. But I had read somewhere that the more you feed off the affected breast the better you feel, and I did start to feel better.

I also cooled my breast down with a hot/cold Lansinoh Therapearl 3-in-1 Breast Therapypack for Breastfeeding Mums, which helped to cool my boobs down while I was unclogging the blocked tube.

It turns out that mastitis that goes away on its own with no antibiotics is a mild form of mastitis, which means… what the heck does full mastitis feel like!?

Baby soothers/dummies/comforters

My babies have never taken dummies or soothers before, nor did they have comforters – they just didn’t want to know. They were much happier using my breast as a comforter until they were old enough to use bottles. Parents use dummies to help soothe and calm their babies, but sometimes it gets to a point where they aren’t able to get through the day without using a dummy. Some parents strongly disapprove of using them.

I have no judgement towards them and if my kids had used dummies I probably would have controlled the time my babies would have used them, i.e. only at night or only after feeding etc. And, in fact, my third baby sucked her thumb which I think is worse because you can take a dummy away but you can’t take their thumb away.

Sterilise your equipment

It’s important to sterilise all of your baby’s feeding equipment, including dummies, and milk bottles until they are at least 12 months old to prevent your baby from infections like diarrhoea and vomiting.

Clean your equipment with hot, soapy water first and as soon as possible after feeds before you sterilise. I used the Tommee Tippee Steriliser which is very simple to use. I placed all my feeding equipment, including my breast pump into the dishwasher and once the cycle was over, I placed the items in the steriliser, added 80ml of water and then turned it on. It will take around five minutes to sterilise. I left it to stand for one minute and then the items were ready to use.

Prepare for the moving and weaning stage

Between 4 and 6 months, your baby will start to become much more active. You’ll find that they are more comfortable on their tummy and they’ll work towards doing mini push-ups, holding their head steady and strengthening their core muscles. Tummy time is important from the first few weeks, as it helps babies to build strength in the neck, back and abdomen. Rolling is an important milestone for most parents who have been wondering what to expect at 5 months. It’s common for babies to roll from their tummies to their backs first. As they become more confident, they’ll learn to roll back. At five months, they might also be able to sit briefly with your help and they’ll be more aware of sounds and noises. 

Depending on your baby, you will also think about weaning them onto food. My eldest was almost seven months when he started nibbling on food for the first time and he was built like the Michelin man and my middle one was on three-course meals plus breastmilk by six months and he was built like a rake!

This is where instinct and following the baby’s lead comes into play. If they’re reaching for your food and sticking it in their mouth, they’re most likely ready. There are two ways you can start them on food, either pureeing everything and adding water or breastmilk/formula or following the Baby Led Weaning route, i.e. leaving sticks of food on their tray and allowing them to touch, feel and taste the food themselves.

I followed the baby-led weaning route with all four kids. But variety is the spice of life so I also introduced pureed foods using my super-duper Babymoov Nutribaby+ which is a steamer and blender in one. It’s the perfect size for little homemade meals.

Be prepared for all the food mess though!

Using a highchair

Before you use a high chair make sure your baby is ready to sit up on their own first – usually around six months. Then finding the right highchair is paramount to having a pleasant experience during meal times.

Make sure the model you use is safe, durable and easy to clean. Get recommendations from friends and family to see if there is a running favourite or look online for reviews. Look for functionality, i.e. can you operate the tray with one hand? Does the highchair lock into place when in use? Is it space-saving and easy to fold up? And can it grow with your baby? Does it have a five-point safety harness and is it comfortable for your baby?

Preparing for arrival of baby – Prepare your bathing area

I love bath time – it’s a soothing, calming, relaxing and clean way to bond with your baby. At first, you only need to bathe them once or twice a week. After that, and when they attend playgroup or classes, then you may want to bathe them every other day or every day. It’s great to get into a routine of bathing every night before bed so the baby gets the trigger that bedtime is coming. 

Baby bath

From newborn to around three months you can use a baby bath or a top and tail designed to keep the baby safe while you bath him/her. From three months onwards you can use a normal bath.  Click here for more information on how to bath your baby.

Bath toys and entertainment

Bath toys are a great way to entertain your baby and distract them when you’re washing their hair and cleaning their bits. There’s not much a baby can do at the beginning than watch, so toys that are bright, flashy and colourful to begin with would work. Singing to your baby is also a great way to bond and play with them.

Then around four months, you can encourage them to pick up bath toys that float in the bath and then make noise when they’re rattled. Water operated toys are good too as they encourage your baby to follow the toy as they whizz around in the bath. When they are a bit older teach them the alphabet with floating letters and numbers.

They may not understand now, but soon they will spell out words and messages to you with the letters. There are lots of educational and interactive toys available for babies so it’s worth shopping around and having a look.  Use my top tools list to help you pick the best ones – these are tried and tested with four babies!

Baby shampoo and oil

You should not use any oils or lotion until your baby is at least one month old and, to be honest, there isn’t any need to bath your baby in anything other than water for the first four weeks, as they’re not exposed to too much dirt. After four weeks you can introduce baby shampoo and sunflower oil or coconut oil during and after the bath and when you’re doing your baby massage.

Try these highly sought after baby shampoos for baby when you’re ready to transition from water to soap:

Baby massage

Baby massages are great after the bath to soothe your baby to sleep. Baby massages can also help to improve weight gain and aid digestion, as well as improve circulation and ease teething pain. Watch this space for an article soon on how to do an effective baby massage. I did it with all four and I could see huge benefits.

Recognising the problems – sensitivity in your newborn – find out more here

Prepare for your baby’s health

Your baby is a blank canvas, so be prepared for your little one to pick up all sorts of bugs from the outside world. There’s nothing you can do to stop this from happening but you can prepare them as much as possible and offer them the best fighting chance to protect themselves against the nasty bugs.

Keeping your baby warm when it’s cold, ensuring you are eating a good diet if you’re breastfeeding, protecting them against unnecessary germs, i.e. not allowing others to kiss them on the lips or sick people to come near them, will help to protect your baby as much as possible. Make sure their vaccinations are up to date and you and everyone around baby get their flu shots every winter, so that baby is protected against the flu virus and other deadly diseases like measles.

From three months babies can have infant Calpol, from the time they have their first jabs. And when they have teething pain, Calpol helps to soothe their gums. But, there are some ailments that you may need to prepare for regardless of how protective you are of your baby. 

Colic

If you’re unfortunate enough to have a baby with colic, then you’ll likely not be sleeping at night and the sound of your baby crying will make you want to reach into your ear and pull out your eardrums. Colic is defined as when your baby cries a lot but there isn’t an obvious reason why. Of course, all babies cry but a baby with colic will cry for more than three hours a day, three times a week for at least one week.

You may find that it’s really hard to soothe them when they’re red in the face and they clench their fists. It’s a horrible sight to witness, and your health visitor or doctor will advise you to hold or cuddle your baby when they’re crying, sit or hold them upright during feeds, wind your baby afterwards and gently rock them either over your shoulder or in their bed.

Coping with colic – tips here!

Bathing your baby in a warm bath may help too and try things like white noise or TV in the background to distract them. You can get anti-colic drops or herbal supplements which may help but make sure you obtain medical advice first and consult your GP if you’re worried and nothing seems to be working. You should also seek medical advice if you’re finding it hard to cope too.

Reflux

I have never experienced colicky babies, but I have had babies with reflux – not the same I know.

There are tons of information online on how to deal with babies with reflux, i.e. food from the stomach returns back up to the food pipe which causes heartburn. In babies, you’ll find them spitting up milk or being sick shortly after feeding, and they will cough or hiccup when feeding.

They may even become unsettled and cry due to the pain. All of my four had reflux at varying levels. My eldest was the worst and had silent reflux (meaning he didn’t bring up milk or be sick). Sometimes we would have to rock him at 3 am to get him to sleep after a feed and it could take hours. The doctor prescribed us Infacol which we were convinced made no difference, but after about three months he got much better.

My second would bring up everything he ate, but he was a happy baby and the reflux didn’t seem to affect him. My third one sits somewhere in between. She spits up occasionally and as she used to click during feeding in the first couple of months, she would swallow a lot of wind and then we would spend a good ten minutes rubbing her back to burp her. She was a little burpy but she seemed to just get on with it.

Remember that it’s important that if your baby has reflux, you don’t change your diet during breastfeeding, that you do not raise the head of their cot or Moses basket and you ask your health visitor for advice and support. Hold your baby upright during feeding and for as long as possible after feeding and consult your doctor if symptoms don’t improve after trying to ease reflux, your child gets reflux for the first time after six months old, they’re older than one and still have reflux or they’re losing or not gaining weight.

Organic vs non-organic baby skin care products? Find out more here

Cradle cap/eczema/milk rash

Cradle cap is very common, all four of my babies had it. It is a harmless skin condition that usually clears up on its own. There are things that you can do to make it better. You can wash your baby’s hair regularly with baby shampoo and gently loosen the flakes with a soft baby brush and you can also gently rub coconut oil to soften the crusts.

My eldest had eczema too and even though we were advised to use a cream, we ended up leaving it and it cleared by itself. Sometimes it’s worth leaving cradle cap and mild eczema to clear up by themselves. But if you’re concerned or it’s getting worse, contact your GP for advice. Sometimes you will find your baby has a milk rash, especially after feeding. This could be an allergy, so it would be worth speaking to your GP about the cmpa rash too.

Items you should have to hand

Healthcare set

A healthcare set will contain all the items you need to get you through the first year at least for optimum baby care. A general healthcare set will include:

• Digital oral thermometer
• Nasal aspirator – to decongest your baby’s nose as they can’t clear the mucus on their own
• Toothbrush
• Emery board for filing nails
• Nail clippers
• Scissors
• Brush
• Comb

Painkillers

Make sure you have infant Calpol to hand and then later Ibruprofen if your baby has a fever or is in pain from teething or other ailments.

Vitamin D Drops

Vitamin D drops are really important to boost your baby’s immunity and if you’re in a country that doesn’t see much sun then you and your baby may be deficient in vitamin D and there is even more reason to take vitamin D drops.

Prepare for the jabs!

The dreaded jabs! Unfortunately, we have to go through them and even though they are gruesome, first immunisations are one of the best ways to protect your baby against diseases like measles, tetanus and meningitis. Your baby will have injections at eight weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks and then one year and the first one is nasty (3 jabs and 1 oral!) Your baby will get the following:

8 weeks

• 6-in-1 vaccine
• RV (rotavirus) vaccine
• MenB vaccine

12 weeks

• 6-in-1 vaccine – 2^nd dose
• PCV (pneumococcal) vaccine
• RV (Rotavirus) vaccine – 2^nd dose

16 weeks

• 6-in-1 vaccine – 3^rd dose
• MenB vaccine – 2^nd dose

1 year:

• Hib/MenC vaccine given as a single jab containing vaccines against meningitis C (1^st dose) and Hib (4^th dose)
• MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella), given as a single jab
• PCV (pneumococcal) – 2^nd dose
• MenB vaccine – 3^rd dose

Bring Calpol and lots of cuddles – you and your baby will need it!

Prepare for teething

Teething can be the bane of parents’ lives and it seems to go on forever when the process starts, which is generally between as young as two months and 24 months. You’ll find when teething starts the baby will become irritable and their gums will be swollen and tender. Babies will want to put objects and fingers in their mouths to reduce the discomfort and their cheeks may become red. You may even find that they will have more nappy rash because their poos become acidic and they have a slight fever and/or diarrhoea.

Help, my baby’s teething! What do to here

There’s nothing you can do but ride the process and help the baby get through it until their teeth come through. Increased drooling means they will need a bib, so make sure you have some to hand wherever you go. Calpol is great to reduce the temperature when their fever runs high and teething toys can help to soothe their gums.

All three of my kids starting teething very early so I gave them teething rattles which worked well and then Bonjela or Ashton and Parsons from six months. When they got older I used to freeze fruit and place them in protective nets for them to suck on which they enjoyed. Plus it helped soothe their gums and worked well for Baby Led Weaning too!

Accessories to help with teething

Look after yourself

So, you’re looking after the baby, and you’re looking after the whole family but you forget to look after yourself! This is normal but needs to be rectified ASAP. Don’t forget that you’ve also gone through trauma so it’s important to take time for yourself too to nurse your mind and body back to health. Take it from me, a mother’s mental health is so vitally important otherwise your baby cannot flourish and grow. Welcoming a new baby to the family is exhausting, but there are coping strategies. Ask for help, accept offers of help if friends and family members want to muck in and try to rest while your baby sleeps.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COffqC7l3kb

Check out my article on how to take care of your post-baby body here.

Start the process by taking the time to heal after birth. Don’t rush the recovery and listen to your body. Surround yourself with your support network and get help when you need it. Then when you are ready you can focus on your post-baby body.

Here are some other tips to help you be kinder to yourself:

• Start a beauty ritual (face masks are amazing like this Burt’s Bees Hydrating Overnight Mask)
• Be kind to yourself during breastfeeding if that’s the path you take because it’s hard (see my Instagram post above). Remember you are more than a milk machine!
• If you smoked before and stopped during pregnancy, please do not start again! Consider other alternatives. CBDfx is committed to using 100% organic, non-GMO, hemp plants. Meaning this is a cleaner, more discreet, alternative, that will keep you on track toward your health goals.
• Stay hydrated. I’ve since bought a sports bottle which encourages me to chug because it looks so cool. You can try this customizable Yeti bottle to help you drink throughout the day.

Exercise is important

I had my baby in September, so I gave myself Christmas to enjoy and indulge in the Christmas food and then in the New Year, I would start my diet and exercise and get my life back to normal. It’s February and I’ve worked out a total of three times! You may find you won’t have time to hit the gym so home workouts are good or you can find classes where you can incorporate baby into new postnatal exercises.

There are tons to choose from on YouTube alone, but my favourite is still Shaun T Beachbody.com and the new Jericho Matthews 100 workouts which I have been working through – I am so unfit at the moment but it will come 😊 When I change the pram to a stroller I will start to run in the park which I am really excited about, as that’s a great way to exercise too plus baby gets some outside space.

Pelvic floor exercises in pregnancy – do them now here!

You’ll naturally exercise when you’re picking your baby up and down so you may end up with a bad back if you’re not using the correct stance. Percko gifted me an innovative posture t-shirt that uses explosive elastic to remind me not to slouch and ultimately solve my lower back pain, which has grown over the years because of slouching when picking up and putting down heavy kids.

The design uses a patented ‘TENSOR technology’ to signal me when I’m hunching by applying light pressure on the lower back and shoulders when needed which naturally pulls me back into a more supportive posture. The Lyne Up* comes in black and nude and is a stylish undershirt that fits under any top.

How to be an active mum – find out here!

The right exercise outfits will help

Your bits will be wobbly so it’s important to be protected and wear the right clothing to help you exercise. The Lyne Fit* works just like the Lyne Up but offers extra protection from harmful shocks while exercising to readjust the spine.

The top also frees up the diaphragm for healthier and easier breathing and slows down muscle fatigue thanks to better blood circulation. Check out the image below of me exhausted but feeling very supported with the Lyne Fit top. You’ll have to take the whole top off to breastfeed though!

Fully supportive workout trousers are a must and my favourite at the moment is my Love Leggings Focus Full-Length Mulberry Plum Sports Leggings* which are flexible enough for me to stretch during yoga. They’re supportive too, so I can feel my waist is cinched in when I’m doing ab work.

They’re also breathable so I stay cool and dry when sweating through my cardio exercises. Check out my super cool leggings in thunder thighs in the image above. I plan to get back to my Size 8 figure this lifetime, although I haven’t started yet. So, I better get a move on!

It’s worth investing in proper clothing to work out as you’ll feel more supported and comfortable, which means you won’t shy away from exercise the next time.

Prepare for hair loss!

I have very thick curly hair, which was thinning just before I got pregnant with my third baby. Then when I got pregnant again, my hair became really thick and glossy again. Now Ayla is four months old, I have noticed that my hair is falling out again and I’m upset because I loved how voluminous it got. My hair is still thick, but at the rate, it’s falling out, my hair will soon become thin and straggly again.

Thankfully I was gifted a beautiful set of Pure Diamonds Line Espresso Black Clip in hair extensions from Rubin Extensions*, to cover up the shortfall! I will be publishing a video shortly on how to get your hair from curly mop to super thick straight hair using the clip-in extensions very soon so please watch this space!

Look out for signs of postpartum depression

First year with baby is the hardest. Having a baby with kids is hard. First year with baby is hard on marriage. So when you’re feeling down in the dumps and sleep-deprived soon after birth, especially when you feel you’re by yourself. it’s normal to feel overwhelmed at your impending new normality as a new parent.

But, if the ‘baby blues’ don’t seem to be fading away and you feel down in the dumps for longer than two weeks then you may need to seek further help for postnatal depression (PND). PND can be mild or severe and affect you in different ways.  You may feel constantly low and/or lose interest in the world around you. You may feel tired all the time or not be able to sleep. You may even feel like you don’t want to or can’t look after your baby, and you have scary thoughts, perhaps about hurting your baby or considering suicide or self-harm.

After my eldest’s birth, I suffered from panic attacks for about six weeks afterwards and had horrible thoughts about someone stealing my son or him falling off our balcony. Unrealistic as it sounds they seemed very real to me and the thoughts would linger and result in panic attacks.

I remember unlocking and locking the balcony door and front door and going around to make sure all the windows were locked to minimise any chance of Aron falling or being stolen and then when I went to bed I would think about how he may climb out of his cot (at four weeks (!)) and fall on a knife by accident. I suffered in silence for about six weeks until I consulted a very close friend of mine and she said;

“Well, I suppose you’re probably just being a protective mother, right? You’re trying to cover all bases. But it’s unlikely that will happen you do know that?”

It was then I realised that something may have been wrong with me. However, my friend’s words also resonated with me. “A good and protective mother, but what I’m thinking is unrealistic” That was nine years ago and I never sought help for my thoughts. I somehow managed them and they faded over time.

And nine years ago, neither myself nor my friend knew anything about PND. So, very occasionally, when I’m down for the night and my head hits the pillow I will have a sudden nasty thought that takes a while to cloud over with thoughts of something more positive like work, or going out somewhere with friends and family. But, I do know that I should have sought help. Don’t make the same mistake. Go see your doctor.

Prepare for entertainment

Right! Onto more fun topics, like entertainment. Entertainment is a huge part of play and baby development and I would strongly suggest that if you’re going to spend your money on what I call unnecessary necessary things, spend it on educational toys or entertainment that will make your baby happy. Not all toys are unnecessary though. Here are some items that I think your baby shouldn’t live without:

Musical mobile

Whether you’re changing your baby’s nappy or you’re settling baby to sleep, a musical mobile is a lovely way to introduce music into their lives while offering a visual stimulation too. Listening to music can help your baby grow in every possible way and it can contribute to your child’s cognitive and sensory development.

We have a Tippy Toes Musical Mobile from Clair de Lune* which Ayla loves to follow when I’m changing her nappy. When she wakes up from her nap, she also likes to stare at the pretty pink hearts and ballerina. It plays a soft lullaby to help her drift off to sleep too.

Black and white patterns

Babies see in black and white, to begin with, and from about four to six weeks they start to see other colours. But, developing their eyes can allow them to appreciate colour sooner. The visual contrast between black and white will also encourage babies to explore different textures and patterns and provide a multi-sensory experience, as well as helps to focus their attention and enhance their levels of concentration.

Skip hop activity gym

Tummy time should start from when your baby is a newborn, even if for a few minutes at a time. Placing babies on their front encourages their muscles and neck to develop and get stronger and eventually by about four months your baby should be able to lift their chest off the floor and lean on their elbows. But tummy time can be enhanced with some visual patterns on the floor and above to encourage them to look upwards.

Activity gyms work for this reason. They improve hand-eye coordination, stimulate the baby’s senses, boost cognitive development and encourage freedom and movement. We have a lovely activity gym from Skip Hop* where Ayla regularly likes to chat to the animals, especially the fox who moves his head when he hears Ayla babble.

With this gym, you have three modes of use; babies on their back, tummy time and sitting up. You attach the arch above for overhead play, then bring it down for tummy time or to a seated floor activity centre. There are 20 developmental activities you can do to entertain your baby and you can even slip your phone behind the mirror to record the fun. The sound-activated dancing fox seems to be Ayla’s favourite though.

Other baby gyms

Sensory toys and books

I always try to go for toys which are educational and sensory-based, i.e. they have lots of different shapes, textures and colours to expand the baby’s mind. Lamaze make some great toys – the boys used to enjoy playing on the Lamaze Space Symphony Activity Gym, which covered all aspects of development – the black and white patterns, the motion of the arches, the different smiley animals and lots of things to grab and pull.

The activity gym grew with the boys and eventually, we took off the items and they carried them around like toys. We also loved soft sensory books that have tags made of different materials for smashing, squashing and eating. We landed onto normal books but the kids enjoyed being interactive with their toys.

Rattles are great to start off with as they can double up as teething rings too. Things that make noise are great for introducing music and sound. Ayla loves her Lamaze caterpillar and teething rattle, as well as her array of soft playbooks which I read regularly to her. She seems to love me reading her “That’s not my unicorn” book where there is a different texture for her to feel on every page.

I read a lot to the boys and my eldest started reading from age three. My middle one started speaking very early as he learned a lot from his older brother. Stimulation, interaction and continued surrounding change all helps to develop the mind. Expose your babies to new things all the time and invoke all of their senses, then see how they grow.

Dens/Play area

To expand on enhancing their development I always wanted to provide the boys with a den because the one in their old playgroup was amazing. It was a large dark sensory tent which contained lava lamps, flashing lights and soft music. It was so soothing that I never wanted to leave that place, so, I decided to create my own 😊 I plan to do the same with Ayla too, so watch this space!

Bouncer

We have had a bouncer for all three kids as we believe that bouncers are a great way to strengthen, stretch and build a baby’s legs in preparation for crawling and walking. It also gives them a sense of balance and it’s a great exercise for them too. A bouncer seat is great to use from day one as the seat can be a great place to lay your newborn so you can free your hands.

I bring my Chicco Swing Relax&Play* into the bathroom when I shower as I know Ayla is protected by the three-point safety harness, entertained by the music and the hanging animals in the arch and soothed by the gentle rocking motion of the seat. There are five different speeds and you can choose the rhythm in which your baby rocks by how fast or slow they sway.

Bumbo

Ayla has just started using the Bumbo at four months for a few minutes at a time, but I’m on the fence about using a Bumbo so early. The Bumbo is designed to help babies as young as four months learning how to sit, but I think that sitting upright at this time may be a bit immature and cause unnecessary strain on their pelvic area. And, in fact, I found this review from Kidspot which confirmed my concerns. Having said all of that there is no reason why you can’t use the Bumbo for a short period. At least you get some free time for three minutes!

Prepare for travel

Onto travel! Because inevitably you’re going to travel with your little one, whether that be to the shops, to baby classes, to school runs or for a walk. I find that the more alternative methods you have for travelling with your baby, the more likely you’ll stay out – and venturing outdoors is far more beneficial than being cooped up indoors all day. So, first things first. You’ll need a good travel system!

My top ten tips for travelling with tiring toddlers here!

I have the Uppababy Vista 2019 travel system kindly gifted by my sister and which includes a carrycot for use with a newborn up to around four months, a stroller for use after four months, a car seat and other accessories like a rain cover and a cup holder (thanks sis!)

The Uppababy is a bit of a beast and looks like a large high-quality palace for your baby. But you may be better off getting something smaller. I absolutely loved my boys’ Phil and Teds Sports double buggy and should have gone for the single version instead as it was so nimble. I may consider getting it for my new running buggy sport, but let’s see how the Vista fares in the park when running first!

Baby carriers

I didn’t use baby carriers nearly enough with the boys and I sooo missed out. I reviewed the Lifft Baby Sling for MadeforMums from when Ayla was about two weeks old and I fell in love with it.

It was a bit of a learning curve to create the wrap but once I got the hang of it, it was pretty much wrap and go. Plus the sling looked like a t-shirt. Sadly Ayla has grown out of the baby sling now as she’s massive and I’ve gone back to my super-duper Babybjorn Baby Carrier One* which I used to use on the boys from when they were six months old.

The one I have now is a Babybjorn Baby Carrier One* and it’s awesome! It’s ergonomically designed so you don’t feel the weight of the baby when you’re walking around. In fact, I travelled to Winter Wonderland by tube with the family using the Baby Carrier One and I walked around, got back on the tube and headed back home all with the baby carrier on and Ayla asleep the whole time. The journey took around five hours and I didn’t feel any back pain or discomfort.

The clips may be a little tricky to slot into place, but other than that, it’s the best baby carrier by far. I still use it to walk Ayla in the school run and find it a lot easier to travel hands-free. And as we’re deep in the throes of winter, I have an awesome 3 in 1 maternity coat by Seraphine which has an attachment that is built entirely for going over the baby carrier, so Ayla is even more protected than when she is in the pram.

Other baby carriers

Other things to think about

How to prepare for a baby financially

We parents spend over £900 (£944.47 to be precise) on baby products!

I won’t go into it in too much detail here, but you need to think what to buy before your baby arrives. It may not feel you spend that much on your baby at the very beginning, but once you factor in the above equipment, the expense could hit the thousands. I have written an article on how to plan your baby budget before birth and have an archive of money topics that will help you to understand what your costs are before you spend.

Check out our money saving archives here!

Prepare your relationship with your partner

Four way to to make date night at home here

Whether you like it or not, your relationship with your partner is going to change. You’ll have less time for each other and your nerves will be frayed from lack of sleep and too much going on, so you’re also going to argue more.

It’s important to understand that you are in it together and you make a team, even when you don’t feel like it. Try to spend some time with each other when the baby is asleep and get back that intimacy because your relationship shouldn’t change towards each other. Here are some things to discuss before your baby arrives:

Preparing for the arrival of a baby involves open communication and aligning your expectations with each other. Here are some things to talk about before baby arrives:

Parenting styles and values

Your parenting styles may differ so it’s important to discuss what it looks like to you when raising your baby. Talk about things like discipline, routines and the important values you want to instil in your child.

How will you divide your responsibilities?

How will you share your childcare duties? Who takes care of the household chores and who’s responsible for financial matters?

Talk about how you will support each other and work as a team during this new chapter. Think about incorporating self care too and who you will seek support from when you take that time for self care.

Parental leave and work arrangements

What do the parental leave options look like for both of you and how will you manage work and childcare responsibilities around this?

Explore any flexible work arrangements that can benefit you both during this transition period.

Plan your finances

Review your finances and discuss any expensive adjustments that come with the baby – the baby comes with baggage! Think about childcare costs, medical expenses if you’re going private, schooling and savings for the future.

When it comes to childcare, think about whether you will hire a nanny, childminder or place your child into nursery. What aligns with your finances and your parenting values?

Work on your relationship

Like I mentioned before, your relationships dynamics will change after the baby comes. You will no longer be each other’s priority so you will need to make time to send together and support each other emotionally. Think about how you will balance couple time with families time so you can nurture your relationship.

The postpartum period will be tough

Talk to each other about your expectations and concerns during the fourth trimester. How will you support each other? Factor in self-care and mental health.

Nothing is set in stone, so the important point to note is to maintain an open and honest line of communication with each other. This is a tough period so support each other and show understanding. You are on the same team, even though sometimes it may not feel like it…

Prepare your relationship with your kids

Either your baby will slot right in or you’ll receive one heck of a culture shock. I found it way harder to go from one to two rather than two to three, but that may be down to age. I had my first two almost back to back (15 months) so I had two babies to look after for a while.

I had my third when my boys were seven and eight so they had more independence and they were also at school for most of the day, so most of the time I felt like I had only one. But, there are some other unforeseen issues that you may want to prepare for, like repeating the same sentences over and over again:

Making the most of maternity leave – find out more here

Don’t shout in her ear!

Stop putting your fingers in her mouth!

Stop kissing her on the mouth!

Stop picking her up as soon as she’s made a noise!

Don’t wake her, she’s sleeping!

Please stop shouting, she’s sleeping!

No, she doesn’t need another bath!

SHE’S SLEEPING!

Here’s how to babyproof your home when your baby starts crawling/walking!

But, truth be told, my boys are amazing at looking after their sisters. My eldest is very loving and my middle one is very protective. In fact, during the boys’ school fair, I had to collect some alcohol that my boys had won for me (#modelparenting) and I left my baby girl with a good friend whom I trusted. When I went to collect my daughter my friend pulled me over and said:

“Your son stared me down for a full five minutes while you were gone and when I asked why he was staring at me like that, he replied with, ‘Why do you have my sister?’ I mentioned that I was babysitting her until mummy came back and he nodded in agreement but continued to stare at me with daggers in his eyes.”

A friend

What more can a mother ask for than thoughtful protective older brothers like them?

The trick is – and you will get days when there will be fighting, especially as baby gets older and is less ‘cute’ in front of their eyes – involve them in everything you do, whether it be changing the nappies, reading a book at bedtime and/or bathing them and changing their clothes.

These everyday routines will make them feel as if they’re responsible for another human and it helps them to grow into very thoughtful and caring young people. I know my boys love their sisters more than anything so they are happy to help. Sometimes this may not always be the case in your family. If you find that there isn’t a relationship between the siblings, try and build one. Mention how amazing an older sibling they are and how their youngest sibling will grow up idolising them. They need to feel needed to respond accordingly.

Prepare for the noise

Having said all of that, prepare for a whole heap of noise coming your way! My boys play the piano, violin and guitar and they like to sing at the top of their lungs, even when their sister is sleeping. They also like to play loudly through roleplay and fight loudly too. Nothing you can do about it.

I keep shushing them and they keep apologising but the truth is, they’re kids and hopefully their sister will eventually be able to sleep through the chaos. In fact, I don’t think she can sleep if there isn’t any noise at all! Hmm… this may be where I’m going wrong at night… Maybe I just need one of the boys to shout repeatedly in her ear during the night to help her sleep… Or maybe I should just get a white noise machine, that might be better for my mental health – and hers.

Prepare for the lack of time to yourself

Do you watch your second cup of undrunk coffee get cold? Did you forget to eat or shower… or go to the toilet? Yep, as a mother of four, I’ve experienced all of this, including forgetting to sleep! It’s normal because babies are demanding. Life is demanding. My husband is demanding. Be prepared to hold everyone’s hands but find that your hands are empty. Be prepared to drop everything at the drop of a hat, but mould your timetable towards your family’s.

Just roll with the punches, kids get older and they become more independent. And believe me, at eleven and twelve my boys need fewer cuddles and less mummy time and it hurts my heart sometimes. I’m thankful that I have a toddler and a baby who takes the love I want to give because once they get older you’ll wish you could hold their hand instead of drinking your hot cup of coffee. Kids grow up too fast. ☹

How to be more productive at home – find out how here!

Prepare for lots of new experiences

“New babies come with suitcases.”

My dad.

What my dad meant is that new babies, especially your first baby comes with all heaps of new experiences and rewards.

You probably won’t foresee this but you’ll end up learning a lot about yourself and revisiting memories from your own childhood. The first time I went to visit Santa with my eldest, it reminded me of the time when I went to see Santa and how much I loved Christmas when I was young.

It’s going to be one of the times in your life when your inner child will take over. I love going to soft play with my boys and crashing into the soft mats and singing at the top of my lungs to Disney songs and playing with rattles and musical toys. Utilise this time with your kids to be a kid yourself. It feels amazing!

Making memories – how to preserve memories of childhood here

Also if you’re the first one in your friendship group to have kids, then you’ll find that your priorities have changed. Make some friends with mums of kids of similar ages and use this as an opportunity to broaden your social circle. But, remember who you were before you had kids. Having a child should only enhance your character, not change it – or define it.

Preparing for baby – things to do before giving birth – Prepare your camera for lots and lots of pictures and videos!

A picture is a thousand words but a video is worth a million. I used to take a lot of pictures of my boys and frequently ordered editing newborn photos services until someone said to me that taking a video will capture their character forever, so now I take millions and millions of pictures and videos! 

Make sure you back them up safely. I use Dropbox as it is safely stored in a cloud and then I back up the pictures in Google Photos and then my own PC harddrive. So if I lose a file from one place, I have it in another place. I constantly look back over when my boys were young and it’s so nice to reflect on not only how much they’ve grown but how much you’ve grown as a parent too.

Also, it’d be a nice addition to get a baby’s first year scrapbook or a journal to record a baby’s first year milestones. They make for such nice keepsakes and you can show them to baby’s first boyfriend or girlfriend, when they get older as leverage 🙂

Preparing for your baby’s arrival – It will be the most adventurous time in your life

I haven’t talked about baby-proofing the apartment, the dreaded mum guilt if you’re going back to work or deciding to stay at home, or the opinions you’ll get from everyone and their mum on how to raise your own baby! I also haven’t talked about all the presents you’ll get for your baby, but not always necessary for you – in fact, you may hardly receive any presents for yourself as people will think a present for a baby is a present for you! Yup. You no longer exist.

But, forget all that for a moment.

How to have a happy child and parent relationship – find out how here!

The cuddles you will get from your baby during the first year is indescribable and incomparable to anything else you will have experienced in your life. It makes the uncomfortable pregnancy, the painful birth, the cabin fever, the sleep deprivation, the nappy changing and the feeling of uselessness all disappear when your baby first smiles at you, laughs at your jokes and gives you the biggest cuddles. Then you’ll know why you did all of this in the first place. You are a parent now and it’s the best job in the world! Go enjoy it 😊

So that was my very extensive guide on how to prepare for your baby arrival. I hoped this guide on how to survive first year with baby was useful. Well done if you made it all the way through all the milestones! Please share it around with new parents and write in the comments below if I’ve missed something. I’d like to make this guide interactive and comprehensive so please share your thoughts on what to expect for the first year.

Congratulations and I hope the first year goes well for you. Coffee helps 😊

Check out the full video below!

https://youtu.be/90muIYBraJc

FAQ

What is the best thing you ever did when preparing for your newborn’s arrival?

Preparation is key! Try to set up your support network and your newborn station, i.e. changing station, portable bed like a moses basket and lots of snacks and water so you can get relaxed in one station while you feed and change the baby and, of course, while you recover.

What were some of the unnecessary items you’ve bought while preparing for your baby’s arrival?

We have bought too many unnecessary items over the years. Some of which are toys that your baby can’t use until they’re at least 6 months. Leave those purchases for when they are ready to use them.

Are there any unique concerns that first time fathers should be aware of when preparing for the arrival of their child?

Fathers are unsung heroes during this time and can provide the most amazing support for mum and baby. Check out the article below from a dad of four on how he managed a baby and work at the same time.

Grab some tips for managing work and fatherhood from a dad of four here!

What are legal things to do before baby is born?

Before your baby is born in the UK, there are several legal matters and administrative tasks you should consider. Here are some important legal things to do before arrival of a baby:

Registering the birth

Registering the birth actually happens after your baby is born, where you must register their birth within 42 days at the local register office.

To register, you’ll need to pick up a birth registration form from the register office and provide necessary information, such as the date and place of birth.

Arranging parental leave and pay

You should get your entitlement to parental leave sorted through your employer or government schemes while you’re pregnant, to make sure entitlement starts as soon as baby is born.

Familiarise yourself with the eligibility criteria, notice requirements, and any necessary documentation.

Applying for child benefits

Consider applying for child benefits, such as Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit. You can apply online through the government’s official website or request an application form from the Child Benefit Office.

Understanding parental rights and responsibilities

Make sure you know what your legal rights and responsibilities are as a parent in the UK. This includes custody, guardianship, child maintenance and financial obligations.

Investigating childcare options

Think about potential childcare providers, such as nurseries or childminders, you’d like to use if you need to go back to work. Learn about the regulations and requirements they have in your area.

Considering life insurance and protection policies

Review existing life insurance policies and consider increasing coverage or obtaining additional protection for your growing family. Consult with insurance providers or financial advisors for guidance.

Understanding employment rights

Familiarise yourself with employment rights and entitlements related to maternity or paternity leave, flexible working arrangements, and parental rights in the workplace. Contact Citizens Advice for more information.

How can parents prepare themselves physically and emotionally for their baby’s arrival during pregnancy and before childbirth begins?

Other questions asked were:

• How do I prepare for my first baby?
• My partner and I are pregnant with our first child What are some things we should do to prepare for the baby’s arrival?

Preparing both physically and emotionally for your baby’s arrival is crucial during pregnancy. Here are some suggestions to help you prepare yourself for your beautiful bundle of joy:

Physically:

1. Attend regular prenatal check-ups with your midwife/doctor to monitor your health and the baby’s development. You can discuss any concerns or questions you may have too.
2. Eat a healthy diet and focus on nutritious foods to support your own health and the development of your baby. Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy products. Stay hydrated and discuss any dietary restrictions or specific needs with your midwife.
3. Exercise regularly and safely, but make sure you consult with your midwife/doctor about suitable exercises, such as walking, swimming, prenatal yoga, or gentle stretching. Exercise can help maintain strength, flexibility, and overall well-being during pregnancy.
4. Get enough rest because pregnancy can be physically demanding. So make sure you prioritise rest and sleep. Listen to your body and rest whenever you can.
5. Attend antenatal classes that cover topics such as labour, delivery, and newborn care. These classes provide valuable information and techniques to help you feel more prepared for childbirth and parenting.

Emotionally:

1. Learn about the stages of labour, different birthing options, pain management techniques, and potential complications. Understanding the process can help alleviate anxiety and empower you to make informed decisions.
2. Maintain open and honest communication with your partner throughout the pregnancy. Share your feelings, concerns, and expectations, and work together to create a support system for each other.
3. Reach out to friends, family, or support groups for emotional support. Connect with other parents-to-be who can relate to your experiences. Consider joining prenatal yoga classes or support groups to meet others going through similar journeys.
4. Identify the people who will be your support system during and after childbirth. Discuss your birth plan with them, and make sure they are aware of what you’re planning
5. Practice self-care to help you relax and recharge. This may include taking warm baths, practicing meditation or deep breathing exercises, engaging in hobbies, or receiving prenatal massages. Self-care is essential for emotional wellbeing during pregnancy.
6. Recognise that the postpartum period can bring a range of emotions. Prepare for this transition by arranging postpartum support, such as help with household jobs, meal preparation, or childcare. Knowing you have support in place can reduce stress and allow you to focus on bonding with your baby.

What to do a month before baby arrives?

Other questions asked were:

• When to start preparing for baby arrival?
• when should you start preparing for baby arrival?
• When to start preparing for baby arrival?
• How do you prepare for a newborn’s arrival into the world?
• My wife and I are expecting to have our first baby in 6 months. How do I plan and prepare for it?
• When should you start to prepare for a baby?

In the month leading up to your baby’s arrival, there are several things you can do. Here’s a preparing for birth checklist:

Get the nursery ready

• Set up the baby’s cot, changing table, and other furniture.
• Wash and organise baby clothes, bedding, and blankets.
• Stock up on nappies, wipes, and other essential baby supplies.

Pack your hospital bag

• Pack your hospital bag with essentials for you and your baby.
• Include items such as comfortable clothing, toiletries, nursing bras, and baby clothes.
• Don’t forget your maternity notes!

Think about your birth plan

• Finalise your birth plan and make sure your healthcare provider knows about it
• Review and make any necessary adjustments

Attend antenatal classes

• If you haven’t done so yet, it’s a good idea to attend antenatal classes as they teach you all about labour, pain management and newborn care

Get your support network and childcare ready

• Make sure your chosen birth partner or support person is aware of their role and responsibilities.
• Arrange for childcare for older children if necessary, both during labour and for subsequent hospital stays.

Install and check the car seat works

• Ensure you know how to fix and take out your car seat as you’ll need it when the hospital discharges baby from hospital
• Practice taking it out and putting it back in. Use IsoFix fastening where possible as they offer more security.

Set up postnatal support

• Make sure you are available for all health visitor checks ups after birth
• Attend local groups for new parents to make friends and get back out there
• Lean on your support network for help when things get too much – it takes a village!
• Prepare frozen meals in advance or stock up on easy-to-prepare dishes – cooking may become a challenge after the baby arrives. If people ask how they can help, request food!

Plan for the fourth trimester

• Gather necessary supplies like maternity pads, nipple cream and comfortable clothing
• Consider breastfeeding essentials too like breast pumps or nursing pillows
• If formula feeding, stock up on formula and newborn bottles

Practice self-care and relaxation techniques

• Take time to practice self-care like resting and recharging before baby arrives
• Try meditation, deep breathing or prenatal yoga to help manage stress and anxiety

How much should I save before my baby arrives?

The amount of money you save depends on your financial situation, location and personal preferences as as well as any support systems you have available like the bank of mum and dad.

Some things to think about are:

1. The cost of basic necessities like nappies, wipes, clothing, feeding supplies, cot, car seat and stroller
2. Childcare costs like a childminder or a nursery if you need to go back to work.
3. Parental leave, so calculate how much income you may lose during this period and plan accordingly
4. Childcare costs: If you plan to use a nursery or hire a nanny, research the costs in your area. Childcare expenses can vary significantly, so factor them into your savings plan.
5. Parental leave: Determine if you or your partner will take time off work after the baby’s arrival. Calculate how much income you may lose during this period and plan accordingly to cover your expenses during that time.
6. Emergency fund: It’s always wise to have an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses that may arise during your baby’s first few months. Aim to have at least three to six months’ worth of living expenses saved in case of unforeseen circumstances, if this is possible! We are living in a crisis at the moment so that can be super tough.
7. Future planning: Consider long-term financial planning, such as saving for your child’s education or setting up trust fund. While this may not be an immediate concern, having a plan in place can help you save gradually over time.

Fun things I do with husband before baby arrives?

Other questions asked were:

• What is the most effective way for a couple to prepare for the arrival of a baby?

Before your baby arrives, take this time to spend it with your husband and strengthen your bond. Here are some fun things to do before the baby arrives:

Take a babymoon holiday!

If you can, try and take a babymoon holiday, even if it’s a short weekend, to relax and enjoy each other’s company before the baby comes and you are never alone again!

Choose non-baby activities, like sight seeing, beach relaxation or spa treatments, because heaven knows when you’ll be able to do those things again! I’m still waiting and my youngest is two…

Enjoy date night!

Make the most of your time as a couple and go on regular date nights. Explore new restaurants, watch movies, attend concerts and just have fun!

Or you can plan a special dinner at home. Cook a romantic meal together at home or surprise each other with your favourite dishes.

Take walks or go hiking

Enjoy the great outdoors by going on leisurely walks or hikes in nature because you have to lug a baby carrier or a buggy with you! Try to use this time to get some exercise and have meaningful conversations.

Attend antenatal classes together

This is a great way gain knowledge bond through this new chapter and prepare for your baby.

Consider a maternity photoshoot

A great way to capture the time together before baby arrives is during a maternity photoshoot. It’s your special time together before you share it with baby.

Things to buy before giving birth?

Other questions asked were:

• Things to buy for baby arrival?
• Things to have for baby arrival?
• Things to prepare for baby before delivery?
• What should I do to prepare for my baby’s arrival?
• Things to decide before baby is born?

How can I prepare for my baby’s arrival when I have no money?

Preparing for arrival of baby is challenging when you’re short of money. But there are still ways you can look after your baby when you have limited financial resources:

1. Create a budget: Take the time to create a budget that outlines your income, expenses, and savings. Prioritise essential items for your baby and allocate funds accordingly. This will help you make informed decisions and ensure you’re using your available resources effectively.
2. Seek help from programs: Research and explore local government or community assistance programs that provide support for low-income families. These programs may offer assistance with baby essentials such as nappies, formula, clothing, and even furniture. Contact social service organisations or community centres in your area for information and resources.
3. Borrow or accept hand-me-downs: Reach out to friends, family, or local parenting groups to see if they have any baby items they no longer need. Many people are willing to donate or lend items such as cobs, prams, clothing, and toys. This can significantly reduce your expenses.
4. Focus on essential items: Identify the essential items your baby will need, such as a safe place to sleep (cot or bassinet), clothing, nappies, and feeding supplies. Prioritise these items and try to find affordable options or alternatives. Remember that babies grow quickly, so you may not need to invest in a large wardrobe right away.
5. DIY and repurpose: Get creative and consider do-it-yourself (DIY) projects or repurposing items you already have. For example, you can create simple decorations for the nursery or repurpose furniture for storage. Look for DIY tutorials online or seek inspiration from parenting blogs or forums.
6. Attend parenting classes: Many communities offer free or low-cost parenting classes that provide valuable information on baby care, safety, and budgeting. These classes can help you prepare for your baby’s arrival and connect you with other parents who may share resources or tips.
7. Build a support network: Reach out to family, friends, or local support groups to build a network of people who can provide emotional support and guidance during this time. They may also offer practical help or assistance with acquiring baby essentials.
8. Focus on the essentials: Remember that your baby’s well-being and love are more important than material possessions. Create a nurturing and loving environment by providing your baby with attention, care, and affection. Focus on creating a strong bond and meeting their basic needs.
9. Plan for the future: While it may be challenging to think about long-term financial planning when you’re already limited, consider setting small savings goals for your baby’s future. Every little bit counts, and having a long-term perspective can help you prioritise your spending and make informed financial decisions.

How do I prepare my toddler 3 years for the arrival of a new baby?

Other questions asked were:

• What should you do to prepare a young toddler 15-18 months for the arrival of a new baby?
• How do you prepare for another baby when you have a toddler?

Preparing your toddler for the arrival of a new baby is essential to help them adjust to the changes and promote a positive sibling relationship. Here are some tips to help you prepare your 3-year-old toddler:

1. Talk about the baby with your toddler well in advance. Talk about how babies are small, need extra care, and will be a part of the family. Use age-appropriate books or videos about new siblings to help them understand.
2. Involve your toddler and encourage them to talk to the baby, sing songs, or help choose items for the nursery. You can also let them feel the baby’s movements in your belly, if possible.
3. Show pictures and videos of when they were a baby. Talk about how you took care of them and how they have grown. This can help them understand that they were once a baby too and that the new baby will need similar care. Use simple and positive language to describe babies, such as “tiny,” “gentle,” or “needing lots of love”.
4. Role-play where your toddler can take on the role of a big brother or sister. Use dolls or stuffed animals to practice gentle and loving interactions with a baby. This can help them develop a positive attitude towards the baby’s arrival.
5. Read books about siblings and discuss the stories with your toddler. This can help them understand what to expect and learn about the joys of being a big brother or sister.
6. Visit friends with babies. This can give your toddler a chance to observe how babies are cared for and get familiar with their needs.
7. Establish routines and gradually introduce any new routines or adjustments well in advance to help them adapt more smoothly.
8. Reinforce their role as a helper and encourage them to help with age-appropriate tasks related to the baby. It can be simple things like fetching nappies or choosing a toy for the baby. This involvement will make them feel valued and responsible.
9. Spend quality time with them and engage in activities they enjoy, read books together, or have special outings. This dedicated time can reassure them of your love and attention, even after the baby arrives.
10. Set up a baby doll station and create a pretend play area with baby dolls, a small cot or bassinet, and age-appropriate baby accessories. Encourage your toddler to care for their baby doll, imitating behaviours they will see with the new baby, such as feeding, nappy changes, and comforting.
11. Demonstrate gentle behaviour and teach your toddler how to be gentle and kind to babies. Use dolls or stuffed animals to demonstrate gentle touches, hugging, or rocking motions. Praise and encourage their gentle behaviour to reinforce positive interactions with the baby.
12. Be patient and understanding that your toddler may experience a range of emotions, including jealousy or regression, after the baby’s arrival. Offer reassurance and extra affection during this transition period. Acknowledge their feelings and help them express themselves in a positive way.

How can I prepare my dog for the arrival of my baby?

Other questions asked were:

• What can be done to prepare 4 inside dogs for the arrival of a new baby in the home?
• My baby is due in two months and we have a rambunctious golden retriever How can we prepare our dog for the new arrival?

Preparing your dog for the arrival of your baby is important to make sure there’s a smooth transition and a safe and harmonious environment for everyone. Here are some tips to help you prepare your dog:

1. Gradual Exposure: Introduce your dog to baby-related sights, sounds, and smells gradually before the baby’s arrival. Play recordings of baby sounds, use baby products such as lotions or powders, and allow your dog to explore baby items like cots and strollers.
2. Obedience Training: Make sure your dog understands and responds to basic commands such as sit, stay, and leave it. Training your dog helps establish boundaries and reinforces their behaviour around the baby.
3. Establish New Rules: Determine the new rules and boundaries that will be in place once the baby arrives. For example, decide if your dog will be allowed in the nursery or certain areas of the house. Start implementing these changes gradually to avoid sudden adjustments.
4. Desensitisation: If your dog has never been around infants, gradually expose them to babies or young children. Arrange controlled interactions with friends or family who have infants, ensuring the safety and comfort of both the dog and the baby.
5. Changes in Routine: Gradually adjust your dog’s routine to reflect the upcoming changes once the baby arrives. For example, if your dog’s exercise or feeding times will be modified, start making those changes in advance.
6. Positive Reinforcement: Reward your dog with praise, treats, and affection when they show calm and appropriate behaviour around baby-related items. This positive reinforcement helps them associate positive experiences with the baby’s presence.
7. Baby Smells: Introduce your dog to the scent of the baby before bringing them home. Bring home a blanket or an article of clothing that carries the baby’s scent and allow your dog to sniff and become familiar with it.
8. Controlled Introductions: When the baby arrives, make controlled and supervised introductions. Keep your dog on a leash during the initial meetings and reward them for calm and gentle behaviour. Gradually increase the duration and proximity of the interactions based on your dog’s comfort level.
9. Attention and Exercise: Ensure your dog continues to receive attention, exercise, and mental stimulation. Set aside specific time for quality interaction and playtime with your dog, even with the demands of a newborn.
10. Seek Professional Help if Needed: If you have concerns about your dog’s behaviour or if your dog shows signs of anxiety or aggression towards the baby, consult with a professional dog trainer or animal behaviourist for guidance and support.

What are some good ideas for preparing a baby nursery for a newborn baby’s arrival?

Preparing a baby nursery for a newborn’s arrival is an exciting and creative process. Here are some ideas to consider when setting up a baby nursery:

1. Choose a Theme or Colour Scheme that reflects your style and preferences. Common themes include nature, animals, space, princesses, or a simple and elegant design. Use the chosen theme or colour scheme as a guide for selecting furniture, decor, and accessories.
2. Start with essential furniture items such as a cot, changing table, and storage options like a dresser or shelves. Look for furniture that meets safety standards and is durable. Consider the size of the nursery and choose furniture that fits comfortably without overcrowding the space.
3. Select a safe and comfortable cot that meets safety standards. Choose a mattress that is firm and fits properly within the cot. Decorate the cot with fitted sheets, a soft blanket, and a cot skirt that match your chosen theme or colour scheme. Avoid using bumpers, as they can pose a safety risk.
4. Install soft and adjustable lighting options in the nursery. Consider using a combination of overhead lights, dimmers, and task lighting. A nightlight can be helpful for nighttime feedings and diaper changes.
5. Install curtains or blinds to control the amount of natural light entering the nursery. Choose window treatments that provide both privacy and the ability to darken the room for nap times.
6. Utilise storage options such as shelves, baskets, or bins to keep baby essentials organised. Have designated spaces for nappies, clothing, toys, and other baby items. This will help keep the nursery clutter-free and make it easier to find things when needed.
7. Add personal touches to the nursery with wall decals, artwork, or framed pictures. Consider using removable wall decals to create a themed or customized look. Hang a mobile above the cot to provide visual stimulation for the baby. Place a comfortable chair or rocking chair in the nursery to create a cosy space for feeding and bonding.
8. Include soft furnishings like a rug or carpet to create a warm and comfortable environment. Opt for baby-friendly materials that are easy to clean and maintain.
9. Make sure the nursery is safe for the baby by securing furniture to the walls, covering electrical outlets, and removing any potential hazards. Install safety gates if necessary.

seek advice when needed, and enjoy the journey of welcoming your baby boy into the world.

When to pack hospital bag and install car seat?

Other questions asked were:

• How do you prepare a hospital bag for baby delivery?

It’s a good idea to have your hospital bag packed and your car seat installed well in advance of your due date. Here are some general guidelines:

Hospital bag

Have you hospital bag ready by 37 weeks to allow you to be prepared in case your baby decides to arrive earlier than expected. Packing your bag in advance gives you peace of mind and ensures you have everything you need for your hospital stay. Scroll up for essential items you need in your hospital bag.

Car seat

Installing the car seat before your due date is important to ensure your baby’s safety and to be ready for the journey home from the hospital. Here are a few points to consider:

1. Select a car seat appropriate for your baby’s age, weight, and height. Make sure it meets safety standards and is installed correctly according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Familiarise yourself with the car seat’s installation process. Read the manual, watch instructional videos, or seek help from a certified car seat technician if needed. Proper installation is crucial for your baby’s safety.
3. Install it in advance: Aim to have the car seat installed in your vehicle around the 35th to 37th week of pregnancy, so you have ample time to make adjustments, seek help if required, and become comfortable with using the car seat.
4. Consider having your car seat installation inspected by a certified technician. They can verify that the seat is properly installed and provide guidance if adjustments are needed.

How to prepare for birth of big baby?

Preparing for the birth of a big baby involves taking certain precautions and making necessary arrangements to ensure a safe and comfortable delivery. Here are some steps you can consider:

1. Regular prenatal care: Attend all scheduled prenatal check-ups to monitor the baby’s growth and overall health. Your healthcare provider will be able to assess the baby’s size and provide guidance accordingly.
2. Discuss with your healthcare provider: Talk to your doctor or midwife about your concerns regarding the baby’s size. They can offer insights and advice based on your specific situation.
3. Blood sugar management: If you have gestational diabetes or a history of it, it’s crucial to closely manage your blood sugar levels during pregnancy. High blood sugar can contribute to excessive foetal growth.
4. Stay active: Engage in regular physical activity unless advised otherwise by your healthcare provider. Exercise can help maintain a healthy weight gain and promote overall well-being.
5. Healthy diet: Focus on a balanced diet with nutrient-rich foods. Consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian for personalised dietary recommendations.
6. Birth plan discussion: Discuss your concerns about having a big baby with your healthcare provider and develop a birth plan that addresses any potential complications or interventions that may arise.
7. Consider a specialist consultation: In some cases, healthcare providers may recommend consulting with a maternal-foetal medicine specialist or an obstetrician experienced in managing high-risk pregnancies to ensure appropriate care.
8. Support during labour: Ensure that you have a support person or a doula present during labour who can provide physical and emotional support. They can assist with various techniques to help manage pain and discomfort, but they can’t provide medical advice.
9. Be prepared for interventions: In the case of a suspected big baby, your healthcare provider may recommend an induction or a scheduled caesarean section. Understand the potential risks and benefits associated with these interventions and discuss them with your provider.

Do you have a preparing for labour and delivery checklist?

I will create an infographic, but for now, you can use the following basic checklist when preparing for arrival of baby:

Antenatal care

• Make sure to attend all scheduled antenatal appointments and follow your healthcare provider’s advice
• Discuss your birth plan, any concerns, and preferences with your midwife.

Maternity notes

• Keep your maternity notes up to date and easily accessible.
• Familiarise yourself with the information contained in your notes.

Birth plan

• Create a birth plan that outlines your preferences for pain relief, labour positions, and any specific requests.
• Discuss your birth plan with your midwife and include it in your maternity notes.

Hospital bag

• Prepare a hospital bag in advance with essential items such as comfortable clothing, toiletries, and personal items for yourself and your baby.
• Include items like nursing bras, maternity pads, and comfortable nightwear.

Birth partner/support person

• Choose and inform your birth partner or support person who will accompany you during labour and delivery.
• Discuss their role and responsibilities, and ensure they are aware of your preferences.

Childcare arrangements

• If you have older children, make childcare arrangements for when you go into labour and during your hospital stay.

Transport to the hospital

• Plan how you will get to the hospital or birthing centre.
• Have a backup plan in case your chosen mode of transport is unavailable.

Pain relief options

• Familiarise yourself with the pain relief options available to you during labour, such as gas and air, epidural, or TENS machine.
• Discuss these options with your midwife and consider your preferences.

Education and preparation

• Attend antenatal classes or workshops to learn about labour, pain management techniques, and newborn care.
• Read books or access online resources about labour and childbirth.

NHS resources

• Read up on the resources provided by the (NHS) regarding labour and childbirth.
• Visit the NHS website or speak with your midwife for information on local maternity services.

Birth registration

• Understand the process of birth registration in the UK and gather the necessary documents required for registration.

Postnatal care

• Learn about the postnatal care services available in your area, including breastfeeding support and community midwife visits.

*Some photos by Tomas Preston Photography

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