Returning Home From the Hospital

When you last left your house, you were a heavily pregnant woman, possibly in the throes of labour. Now you are about to walk into your house as a new mother, and introduce your newborn baby to his or her first home. The significance of this moment would be enough to have you in tears even without the post-partum hormonal sob fest, but what practical things should you have ready for your first days as a new parent?

  1. Food, glorious food – you don’t want to arrive home from the hospital to discover that the cupboards are bare. Make sure your freezer is stocked up with precooked meals in advance, so all you need to do is reheat and eat. If you plan on having visitors during the first week, ask them to bring a small selection of fresh fruit with them. It’s important to eat healthily and look after yourself so that you are able to look after your baby.
  2. Battle stations at the ready – well, changing stations anyway. You will arrive home from the hospital in a whirlwind of nappy changes, feeds and cuddles, so you won’t have time to hunt for nappy cream or diapers. Have your changing station set up before your due date, so that everything is where it should be for your first dirty nappy. In fact, consider having a couple of different ones – especially if your living quarters are two stories.
  3. Going off grid – unplug the house phone, turn your mobile phone to silent, let the email inbox pile up, and ignore the door. These first few days are the ideal bonding time for your new family. Of course, you should invite any guests you want round, but make sure that your private moments are uninterrupted. There is nothing worse than finally soothing your baby to sleep, only to have your hard work undone by a deafeningly loud phone ringing in the next room.
  4. Just in case – chances are, between childbirth and breastfeeding, you’re going to feel a little sore. You may not need them, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Have some breastfeeding safe over-the-counter painkillers in the house, as well as some heat and ice packs. If you’re planning to breastfeed, you may want to keep some soothing nipple cream in the house too, because your nipples may feel quite tender for the first couple of days. Even a bag of frozen peas might make a handy ice pack if you’re suffering from engorgement.
  5. Some baggies – you won’t be straight back into your skinny jeans, but you probably won’t need maternity wear anymore, either. Make sure you have lots of clean, comfy pyjamas to wear. Don’t forget, you’ll also want some clothes to wear for when visitors pop round, unless you don’t mind them seeing you in your pajamas.

The first few days as a new parent are exhausting, difficult and truly amazing all at the same time. Make sure you have the above items in the house, and if you discover any other useful must haves, be sure to share the advice in the comments below.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

5 Top Tips for Creating a Stylish Nursery on a Budget

The average cost to raise a child is thought to be around $250,000, but you’ll be relieved to hear you don’t need to spend all of that on the nursery. In fact, you can create a stylish nursery without blowing your budget. That’ll leave you plenty of money for the shiny red bicycles, family holidays and college tuition of the future. You may have had the nursery finished since before you even gave birth, but if you decided to wait until your baby was ready for his own room, these handy hints might come in useful. Here are five tips to help you create the nursery of your dreams without breaking the bank:

  1. Go timeless

The key to good decorating is longevity. If you choose a style that is timeless, you’ll get to enjoy it for longer and won’t be in any hurry to redecorate. In a nursery, this means choosing a design that will grow with your child. You might be surprised at just how quickly your child can outgrow cartoon animal decorations. One way round this is to use temporary decorations such as wall stickers which can be easily updated as and when you want a new look. Use wall stickers, decorative knobs and wall prints to add the details to your baby’s bedroom. These can be easily updated when necessary and you won’t have to strip wallpaper or repaint for a fresh look.

  1. Value practicality

There is an overwhelming urge to create the most beautiful nursery the world has ever seen, but you need to make sure it’s practical as well. While your Pinterest board may be filled with breath-taking nurseries, the rooms themselves may not really be the easiest to live in. During the design process, it’s important to imagine how the room will be used. If you’re planning to have your diaper station in there, you’ll need wipes, diapers and a diaper bin all within easy reach. If you’re planning to breastfeed in there, you’ll need a comfy chair and some form of entertainment at hand to keep you awake during those 3am feeds.

  1. Wait and see

With six months of parenting under your belt, you’re probably well acquainted with the fact that you don’t need to own every baby product on the market. In fact, you probably already have a cupboard full of seemingly pointless baby products you never quite got round to using. To avoid spending more money on pointless junk, take a wait and see approach to the nursery. Don’t buy the things you think you should buy, instead buy the things you actually need. Wait and see whether you really do need something before forking out your hard earned money on it.

  1. Shop second hand

Buying second hand items for the nursery can save you a small fortune. Many baby products are only used for a short time and so can be picked up second hand in really good condition. You can buy pretty much anything second hand, though there are certain baby products (such as car seats and cot mattresses) that need to be brand new for safety reasons. Look on local selling sites, in thrift stores and at car boot sales to see how much you could save. To save even more, try borrowing items from friends and family members. This way, you won’t have to spend any money and will be able to return the items when you’re done, saving you plenty of space in the loft!

  1. It’s all about organization

As you may be aware, kid’s bedrooms can get messy real quickly. While you may look at your adorable six month old baby and think that’s unlikely, it won’t be long until the baby grows into a toddler. And toddlers, you may have heard, are pretty good at wreaking havoc. They’re good at emptying drawers, tipping up toy baskets and throwing soft toys around the room. The key to preventing a disaster zone is organization. Make sure everything has a place and that everything is easy to tidy away. Toy baskets and storage buckets are good ideas for the nursery and will allow your child to find what she wants to play with.

Is your nursery primed and ready to go or are you still putting together the finishing touches?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.