Did you know that an average of 2,000 children die each year from home injuries in the United States?
Falls, burns, and choking are the major contributors to these deaths, which can typically be avoided.
If you want to protect your baby, there are certain steps that you need to take before they even arrive.
Continue reading to discover some of the most important projects to get done around the house before you bring your newborn baby home!
Declutter
One of the first home improvement projects to work on before your newborn baby comes home is to declutter.
Decluttering is important for several reasons. Not only does decluttering help open up more space for storage, but it also prevents you and the baby from getting hurt. A cluttered area could be difficult to move around in, especially if you are tripping over items and hoping that things don’t fall on top of you.
Walk around your home and find the most cluttered areas. Try to get rid of items that you no longer need.
You can also organize the house and put things away in the basement or garage. These spaces are generally good for storage because they are out of the way from your newborn infant.
Set up Nursery
Giving birth is exciting, but if you are wanting to focus on something fun while still pregnant, you can set up the nursery!
Many people recommend getting nursery ideas from Pinterest or other online sources. These sites offer a variety of styles and set-ups that are baby-friendly and perfect for your home. You will need to clear out closets to fit cute clothes, such as the ones from Hanna Andersson and Gerber.
Aside from getting the closet filled up with clothes, you will need to build a crib and changing table. It is also a good idea to put a rocking chair in the nursery so that you have somewhere comfortable to sit.
Take your time setting up the nursery, especially if you have time to work with it.
Do a Toxin Test
Loving parents think about their child’s safety beyond setting up rooms and getting things cleaned up.
If you want to ensure that your home is safe for your little one, you must do a toxin test. You can buy toxin tests for the home from many places at a reasonable cost. These tests will identify if your home has been exposed to lead, asbestos, and mold.
You should also install carbon monoxide detectors and ensure that the smoke detectors are working and have a full battery. Taking care of these issues in advance will allow you to fix any potential issues without your baby being exposed to the toxins.
Install Baby Monitors
Depending on what type of monitor system you get for the baby, you will need to install it.
Many people are using camera monitors that need to be drilled into the walls of the nursery. This installation won’t take long but is important to do before the baby arrives so that you can get the mess cleaned up and be ready to go.
If you are using sound monitors, you will have to find a good location for them in the nursery. Make sure that batteries are full in the monitors or that they have access to an outlet to work.
While you are installing baby monitors in your home, you should also download the applications for your monitor. Learning how to use these monitors before the baby’s arrival will save a lot of time and frustration.
Put up Baby Gates
Although your baby won’t be crawling or running around for quite some time, it can be helpful to put up baby gates.
Not only will the baby gates prevent your little one from exploring places that they shouldn’t, but they will also keep dogs and other pets away. Baby gates can be bought in a variety of styles, make sure that you get one that is easy to use and doesn’t lock up too tightly.
When your hands are full with the baby and other items, you want to be sure that your gate will open with ease. Most people install baby gates around staircases, kitchens, and in the nursery.
Build the Bassinet
For the first couple of weeks or months, your baby will likely be sleeping in your bedroom inside of a bassinet.
Make sure that you have cleared an area in your room to place the bassinet and build it. Having a bassinet in your room will make the adjustment easier after they are born. You will be waking up multiple times through the night to feed them and make sure that they are still breathing.
The closer the baby is to you at the beginning, the easier it is to get up and move around as well.
Organize the Kitchen
Another home improvement project to work on before the baby arrives is the kitchen.
Decluttering the kitchen is important because it will open up a storage area for baby bottles, food, and nursing supplies. It is also a good idea to get rid of old food that has been left in the freezer or is expired. This is because you want to have as little clutter as possible before you bring your baby home.
Organizing the kitchen will also be helpful so that you can start stocking up on formula, food, and breast milk if you plan to breastfeed.
Prepare for Your Newborn Baby
There are many things to take care of before your newborn baby comes home.
Smart parents start getting the house together long before the baby arrives so that they don’t have to worry at the last minute. As you work through this list, you might notice other small tasks that need to be done, and some of these projects can be more time-consuming.
Since your newborn won’t be crawling around for a little while, you don’t have to worry about locking cabinets and baby-proofing corners.
Be sure to check out our blog for more articles about giving birth and preparing for your little one to arrive!
