3 Things I Wish I Did Before Coming Home with a Newborn

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Fathers love and hold their babies near and dear to them.

Coming home with my first child was a whirlwind. My husband and I did a ton of research and thought we were prepared for our newborn. As much as a prepared, there were some things I wish I had done before coming home with my newborn. 

Wash and Sanitize Bottles (No Matter Your Feeding Plan)

Everyone told me you can go into labor and delivery with a plan — but be prepared for the plan to go out the window. That is the reason I didn’t even go in with a birth plan. My only plan was a healthy baby and mom. I should have realized this also applied to how I was going to feed my baby. 

My feeding plan was to nurse my baby. I didn’t even think that this plan could go sideways. My baby was born at four pounds and had trouble latching. In the hospital, I was told to pump and give a bottle to make sure she was getting enough food. Pumping worked for me.

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The morning we were getting ready to be discharged, I realized I did not have any bottles sanitized and ready to go. I called my mom in a panic and asked if she could sanitize and wash bottles for when we got home. Thankfully, she did.

This next time around, I am going to try nursing again. Even though I am going to try nursing, I will have my bottles washed and sanitized.

Freezer Meals

Raise your hand if you love meal planning and meal prepping. Confession: I definitely do not.

Meal planning and meal prepping are difficult while having a newborn. Between feeding all of the time and lack of sleep, the last thing on your mind is food for yourself. Prepping freezer meals beforehand, is a lifesaver. All you have to do is pull it out of the freezer and throw it in the oven or slow cooker. You don’t have to think about it or worry what is for dinner that night.

Plan meals for dinner.

Freezer meals can last up to three months! I’ve found that by three months, you have a rhythm and schedule with your baby. There are some great “prepping for a newborn freezer meal” articles on Pinterest. It is all planned out, even with a grocery list. That makes it easier on you with everything else you are preparing for.

These are some of the freezer meal articles that I will be using to prepare for my newborn:

Visitor Game Plan

The people in your life, just like you, have waited in anticipation for your bundle of joy to arrive. They want to meet your baby as soon as possible.

During our time in the hospital, we had people drop in without letting us know they were coming. My breasts would be out trying to breastfeed my baby because I didn’t know people were coming. My husband and I really wanted just our parents and family to visit us in the hospital, but we didn’t make that clear with friends and coworkers.

Looking back, we would make it clear to who we wanted to visit us in the hospital, so we could adjust to being parents. Now with COVID restrictions, most hospitals will only allow one person to be with me, so it will just be my husband and me. 

My husband and I didn’t really discuss visitors at home with our first one. We were exhausted and getting used to being parents. Usually when people come to visit at our house, I like to look presentable with the house clean. After baby arrived, our house definitely was not clean (and I couldn’t tell you the last time I showered). Looking back, my husband and I should have set a schedule for when visitors could come. 

Especially now, in anticipation with our second baby, COVID is game changer with visitors to our house. The last thing we want is a newborn who gets sick. My husband and I are having a lot of discussion about visitors coming to our home.

What are some things that you wish you did before you brought home your newborn?

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