Top 10 Tips for New Moms Who are Bringing Baby Home

My oldest daughter only three week's ago brought home her first child.  It was such a memorable moment watching my baby bring home her baby.  It's also a little strange since I'm 42 and have a three and a seven year old at home as well.  The joy of baby is always a great experience but also preparing for their arrival is paramount for not just the safety of the newborn but also to help mom in easing in after what could have been a rough delivery.  Lysol with TwitterMoms has put out another great blogging contest challenging bloggers to list their top 10 tips for bringing home baby.

There are so many different things that have to be done or should be done pending your priorities.  

1. Have all the baby's clothing and bedding washed and ready to wear.  One of the concerns I had with washing too soon was dust accumulation.  We have a very dusty house so the use of Space Bags helped to keep them clean and dust free.
2. Disinfecting the various surfaces is always a good idea.  The most important areas to disinfect are the counter surfaces especially where the bottles or where the breast pump will be.  Germs hide out everywhere and in the kitchen, they are plentiful in my house.
3. Getting rest while in the hospital is also a good idea considering the lack of rest that the new mom will get at home.  I know for myself it was hard to allow the baby to go back to the nursery as I wanted to keep her with me the whole time.  My daughter had more sense than I and did allow this on the first second night.
4. If you live with others or not, having a disinfectant hand sanitizer is always a good idea for those quick fixes against germs.  Of course hand washing is ideal but when it's impossible, a bottle on hand is ideal.  Given the various sizes of the bottles, it makes it convenient to carry in anything like a diaper bag or even on a key ring.
5. Make sure mom and dad both understand how the car seat works.  Those things can be tricky but learning how to use it ahead of time will save on aggravation and will ensure you buckle the newborn bundle up appropriately.
6. After an exhausting labor, let others help the new mom.  It's easy to be the one who keeps wanting to everything but after leaving the hospital, arrange to have mom or a sibling there to help out.  The extra help will also help with the healing process.
7. We also have tubs of Lysol Disinfectant Wipes all over our house.  These handy tubs can be placed in many places and are great for quick clean ups like baby spitting up and it hits the floor.  Having sanitary conditions is important and this is another way of ensuring good health.
8. If bringing the new baby home and there are siblings, allow time for each sibling to enjoy the new addition.  If the other siblings are young, explain to them about how fragile they are and help them understand how to handle the baby.  Nothing is more scarier than seeing a three year old holding a newborn.  Taking this extra time will help them to understand.
9. Baby's sometimes get cranky and don't want to sleep.  A nice soothing bath with a lavender fragrant wash can sometimes help.  Baby's like to feel that warmth and while a snuggle is good, don't warm them up too much.  I like the swaddle blankets since I know they are getting the right amount of coverage without worrying about them having warm, fluffy blankets to be smothered.
10. My final tip for the new mom, take time to pamper yourself.  It's easy to get caught up with all the things we have to do but you cannot let yourself go.  Try to get rest, eat healthy and accept help.  Go get your hair done or your nails polished as we still need to be us in spite of our new responsibilities.  A happy mom makes everyone happy.

There is just so much that needs to be done before a baby arrives home.  The key to easing the newness is preparation.  If you have what you can in order and clean, it will take loads off your mind.  I have three children and two have chronic medical conditions so having cleaning products that are convenient on hand helps me tremendously. 

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Lysol® Wee Wisdom blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.