things to do before baby comes...

• Wash all baby clothes, blankets, burp cloths, etc…Many recommend using Dreft for the first few months. It is fragrance free and is supposed to help in case of skin allergies. I think I did this for a few weeks with my first baby...do I think it is necessary?...not for me. My kids never had skin sensitive issues.

• Have the nursery set up so that it is ready for baby. Have diapers ready and accessible. When you are still getting used to changing a diaper it is nice to have packages already opened and ready to use. Same with wipes.

• Have announcements ready for quick mail out.

• Be prepared to stay in the house for the first few days. Not because you have to, but because you really don’t feel like going anywhere. Try to go grocery shopping just before the birth, so you have everything you need. Also, it is nice to type up a list of stuff that might run out fast so it is easy to send out a spouse or a family member for groceries.

• If you want it is nice to make up some casseroles and freeze them ahead of time. So all you have to do is just pull them out let them thaw and bake. I like to assemble the casserole and freeze before you bake for the first time. So when you thaw and bake it is baking for the first time. I think it tastes fresher that way. Also, a casserole recipe that cooks in a 9x13 in pan can be made into two 8x8in foil cake pan sizes. That way one meal really makes two. It also cuts down on your cleaning. You just throw the pan away!

Things to have ready for Mom:

• Nursing bra
• 2 boxes of nursing pads
• 1 tube of lanolin cream (This is a must for me as a newly nursing mom. It is kinda like Vaseline, but much better. It helps sooth soreness and helps things heal faster. You can usually find it in the baby section by the bottle and pacifier stuff. Usually by the nursing pads.)
• Lots and lots of maxi pads. (Most new moms don’t really think about all the bleeding that happens after and you need to be prepared because a package goes very fast. I always forget and end up running out to the store the day after I am home.)

packing a diaper bag...

• 4-5 diapers (newborns poop A LOT!)
• diaper cream
• changing pad
  
• a complete change of clothes for baby including a onsie
• burp cloth
• pacifier
• 2 nursing breast pads
• 1 maxi pad
  

As the baby gets older you can add:

• rattles/toys
• container with cherrios or small food
  

I also like to have an extra set of clothes, pacifier and some diapers in the trunk of the car...just in case you forget your diaper bag...which WILL happen when your not used to remembering, or in case you run out of diapers in your diaper bag. This happens to me all the time...even with my 5th baby...

getting a nursery ready...

Furniture:

• Crib
• Crib Set: bumper, sheet, quilt
• Rocker (one with a foot stool is great for late night feedings)
  
• Changing table
  
• Dresser (You can get dressers that are also a changing table, or buy a changing table and use the shelves underneath to hold clothes and diapers in little bins)
  
• Lamp
• Night light (This is nice to have on all night long. Especially for the night time feedings. Then you don't feel like you have to turn on a light. I like to put it by the rocker.)

Clothes:

• 10-12 white onsies (great of under just about any outfit or sleeper)
• 8-10 sleepers (honestly my babies usually stay in sleepers until they are a few months old...occasionally I will put on an outfit, but sleepers are the easiest and most comfortable!)
  
• 3 snug fitting hats
• jacket/or infant snow suit if it is cold out
  
• mittens (to keep them from scratching their face)

Other:

• Boppy pillow (probably the best baby purchase I ever made)
• 8-10 burp cloths
• 4-5 light blankets (good for swaddling)
• Balmex diaper cream (my personal favorite brand. It doesn't stink and it isn't greasy.)
• 200 new born diapers (I buy the huge boxes at Costco)
• 1 package of size 1 diapers (I LOVE Huggies...if your baby is anything like mine they out grow the newborn size around 3 weeks old and are into size ones by 1 month old)
• Several packages of wipes (I love the Huggies brand wipes too)
  
• several pacifiers (I love Nuk brand)
  

packing a hospital bag...

Here is my hospital bag packing list:

medium sized bag

For you:

• 3-4 pairs of underclothing
• nursing bra
• 3-4 maxi pads
• 4 nursing breast pads
• Lanolin cream
• toiletries
• body lotion
• 1 pair of maternity pants
• 1 maternity shirt (I usually just wear the out fit home what I wore to the hospital)
• camera/camcorder
• cell phone and phone numbers
• movies/books
  

For the baby:

• 1 onsie
• 1 outfit
• 1 blanket
• 1 pacifier