Getting Ready for Delivery
You have successfully completed all trimesters and are almost on the verge of delivery. The due date can come anytime and you and your partner are all hyped up for the delivery. Here are a few things that you could do to prepare yourself for delivery and to be ready for the arrival of your little one:
Table of Contents
1. Maternity Leave
If you are a working woman, it is advisable to start your maternity leave at least two weeks prior to the due date. This will give you enough time to get ready for the baby plus you need more rest closer to the due date.
2. Emergency Number
You need to keep the number of your partner (or someone who will assist you through delivery) handy. Keep the number written down on a sheet of paper in your handbag and also keep it on speed dial on your phone. In case your water breaks at an unexpected time and you need assistance reaching the hospital, the emergency number will come into use.
3. Align Delivery with Your Doctor
Make sure you have visited your doctor a week or two before the delivery to ensure that everything is on track and that there are no complications. Furthermore, it is important for your doctor to be alerted about your due date and for the doctor and you to be on the same page about the delivery.
4. Make Plan of Delivery
Plan in advance what you would do once labor pains set in or once your water breaks. Everyone involved e.g. your spouse should know what they would be doing once the time arrives. You may want to check into the hospital when your due date is expected or you may want to wait till the contractions start and are close to each other. Who is going to drive you to the hospital is one of the prime questions that need to be answered beforehand.
5. Prepare Baby Bag
It is a good idea to prepare a baby bag in which you can keep necessary items for yourself and your baby. Preparing the bag in advance is useful because when you will have to rush to the hospital, you will not need to run around trying to get things ready at the last minute. Some of the things you will need are diapers and baby clothes for the baby to be clothed in soon after birth. You can also keep a feeder and breast pumps in case you are unable to breast feed your baby right after delivery, also keep a blanket in the baby bag even though the weather may not be cold; babies need to be kept warm.
6. Baby’s Car Seat
A necessary item that you must purchase before the birth of your baby is a car seat. You may also want to take the baby’s car seat along with you when it is time for delivery. This will ensure that the baby’s first car ride (which will be the journey home from the hospital) is a safe journey.
7. Baby’s Nursery
You might want to set up another room and prepare a very cute and comfortable nursery for the baby. If you already know the gender of your baby then you may want to decorate the nursery in either pink or blue depending on the gender. It is essential to have a crib in the nursery.
Some parents may not want the baby to sleep in a separate room or may not have a separate room in the house to make into a nursery. In that case, the baby would either be co-sleeping with the parents or else be sleeping in a crib in the same room as the parents. That’s okay too as each child gets what he needs.
8. Baby Monitor
If your baby is going to be sleeping in a separate room it is important to have a baby monitor for you to be able to hear your baby cry even if you are in another room. Baby monitors are one of the most important devices to have in the house as they have been known to prevent accidents and to forestall incidents related to the baby’s health.
9. Prepare Elder Siblings
Under the circumstance that you are not giving birth to your first child it is essential to mentally prepare your other children about the arrival of a new family member. Talk to your other children about how they feel about the idea of having a new sibling join them. Discuss with them how they would treat the new baby and tell them how much fun it will be to have a baby in the house. Talk to them about how they can be helpful once the new baby has arrived, also instill in them that they will be elder to the baby and therefore have a responsibility of being caring and protective towards the baby.
10. Find Domestic Help for After Baby is Born
It is not always possible for a new mom to manage the baby as well as the household singlehandedly. It may be necessary to find domestic help before the baby is born so as the new mom is not overburdened with taking care of more than what she can handle. When looking for help, be sure to tell the lady you employ that you are employing her for help with a new baby. You may not be seeking the help of a professional nanny but are looking for someone to help around the house. Even still so it is important to seek help that will be useful with the baby too.
Once you have taken care of all these elements, you are ready for delivery and are just waiting for the big day to arrive. Once Labor pains set in everything else will become irrelevant as the only thing on your mind will be your baby and the prayers that everything goes smoothly without any complications. Wishing you a safe delivery!