Roughly 3.7 million babies are born each year in the United States, and each one of them requires special newborn care in order to stay healthy, thrive, and grow. If you’re expecting a new family member, you might be wondering how you can optimize your home to suit your baby’s needs without disrupting your day-to-day routines.
At Nevada Pediatric Specialists in Henderson and Las Vegas, Nevada, our team is always on hand to help parents adjust to life with a newborn, and that includes identifying simple tips to get your home ready, too. Here, learn six simple changes in your own home that can make parenting a newborn just a little bit easier.
Newborns may be tiny, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have big needs. While your baby doesn’t need a huge number of items to be healthy and comfortable, it’s still important to keep what you do need organized and easily accessible.
Diapers, wipes, baby clothes, blankets, and toiletries need a dedicated place so they’re easy to get to whenever you need them. A traditional changing table with drawers is fine, but storage bins or a regular dresser can work just as well. If you live in a multilevel home, Keeping extra supplies upstairs and downstairs is a real convenience.
Of course, before you can get organized, you need to acquire the things your baby is going to need. This means clothes, bottles, and diapers, for sure, along with pacifiers, baby nail clippers, and other accessories you might not even know exist.
Having extra supplies on hand prevents last-minute trips to the store and keeps you and your baby happy and relaxed. Not sure what to buy for your new baby? This site offers a helpful list to get you started.
Sleep is important for everyone, but it’s especially critical for your growing baby. Set the stage for healthy sleep with a crib or bassinet that meets current safety standards. Keep blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals out of the crib or bassinet to prevent interference with breathing.
Placing the crib or bassinet in your room during the first few months makes nighttime feedings more convenient.
Like sleeping, feeding is another activity that’s going to occupy a lot of your baby’s time — and your time, too. Try to establish a quiet feeding area where you and your baby can relax during feeding times, and equip it with a chair that provides plenty of support for your back, neck, and arms.
Keep plenty of bottles, burp rags, and nipple cream on hand, along with access to dim lighting and soft music.
Setting up your baby’s nursery before their arrival can be a fun, exciting experience, and it also helps your baby adjust to their new home. Select soft colors for walls with bright splashes of colors on posters, mobiles, and other accessories for added stimulation. A bureau for clothing and accessories, a comfy chair, and adequate lighting make tasks like changing a lot easier.
It’ll be awhile before your baby starts crawling, but it’s still a good idea to start baby-proofing your home so you’re ready when the moment arrives. Baby gates, outlet covers, and cabinet locks are all important tools to keep your baby safe, and you should also find an inaccessible area to store hazardous household products and medicines, too, even with cabinet locks.
Secure heavy furniture that could tip over, and look out for furniture with sharp corners or edges, too.
Getting your home ready for your new baby is an exciting time, and with a little planning, it can also set the stage for a happy, relaxing experience for you, your new baby, and other family members, too.
To learn how we can help you prepare for your new arrival, book an appointment online or over the phone today with the team at Nevada Pediatric Specialists.
