Preparing & Cleaning for a new baby
Whether you’re a first-time mom or a repeat offender of 8, it never fails to start worrying before the baby comes if your house is clean enough, organized enough, do you have everything, what can you do to make it safer, cleaner, and more organized for the baby.
SHOES ARE LEFT OUTSIDE OF THE FRONT DOOR. NO EXCEPTIONS.
CLOVE OIL IS BETTER FOR MOLD REMOVAL THAN BLEACH… AND NATURAL.
HEPA FILTER FOR YOUR VACUUM IS A MUST.
PLANTS HELP FILTER OUT TOXINS. PUT ONE IN EVERY ROOM.
DIY CLEANERS WITH REAL FRUIT OR ESSENTIAL OILS. LEMON PEELS ARE A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO PLEDGE!
LOVE CANDLES? BEESWAX CANDLES ARE A GREAT ALTERNATIVE
HONEST COMPANY, METHOD, & SEVENTH GENERATION OFFERS AMAZING PRE-MADE AND BABY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS.
Safety
Most importantly, you need to make sure your home is safe. Obviously, it’s not an immediate thing, but babies eventually crawl and climb… and having cabinets full of toxins (chemicals, cleaning products…etc) need to be locked away, or put out of baby’s reach. It’s much easier to do it now than when you do have a mobile baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that cleaning products (including laundry and dish-washing pods) and all medications should always be stored to where the baby cannot reach, or even see them… and that cabinet should still be locked. You can use magnetic locks on any and all cabinets that baby can reach. Another safety check… guns! If you have any type of gun in your home, it’s extremely important to remove ammunition and put it separately from the gun… then hide the keys separately from both.
Do you have gas heat? Gas water heater? Gas anything? You’ll need a carbon monoxide detector. A few security systems actually offer carbon monoxide detection as part of their packages now. Don’t forget about smoke detectors, too!
Visitors
Prepare for visitors. Especially those who plan on staying overnight. Go ahead and get together spare sheets, towels, toilet paper, toothpaste, soaps etc so that you (or them) aren’t rushing around when your contractions are 5 minutes apart preparing for those guests.
Sanitize
Sanitize those areas that you typically don’t think about… those that are touched every day out of pure need or habit. Light switches, refrigerator handles, door knobs, counter tops, kitchen sinks, stoves, faucets, cutting boards…. Then have your significant other wipe (or Lysol/Clorox spray) down everything once more before you and the baby come home… and buy hand sanitizer bottles for every room.
Organization & Cleaning
Clean out a kitchen drawer for breast pump supplies, spare pacifiers, baby spoons, bottle nipples… whatever else you may need. De-clutter the rest of your space. Do you really need a tortilla maker on the counter top?
Make sure you have space in your refrigerator. You’ll need room to store breast-milk (or formula). Food that family and friends bring over to help your adjustment period a bit easier. Sterilize the inside of the refrigerator, too!
Laundry seems like a never ending task. Especially if you plan on cloth diapering and washing all of the new clothes before the baby gets here. Go ahead and start as soon as the little sleepers and onesies are purchased. Stay ahead of the game.
Most importantly. Don’t stress. Bringing home a baby should be the happiest time of your life!
