With just seven days left until my official due date (though we have a feeling Baby P might make us wait a bit longer), we’ve started the final sprint to get ready for her arrival.
We’ve already finished the nursery reveal, but this phase of preparation is more practical — the things that will help when labor starts and we actually bring our daughter home. Ever since we learned I was pregnant, we slowly adjusted to the idea that our family would grow. As my belly expanded with every baked potato and chocolate milk craving, the reality of becoming parents began to sink in.
I’ve even been humming a riff on an old Beyoncé line: “I don’t think you’re ready for this belly.” It’s only recently that the fact we actually created a person fully hit home. We made a person who will someday walk, talk, go to school, have a job and—most likely—be mortified by her dorky parents who always have paint in their hair. That is such a massive truth that it takes months to truly register, which might be nature’s way of giving us time to be ready.
Now that we’ve embraced the idea that we’re about to be parents, here are the practical and sentimental steps we’ve taken to prepare for Baby P:
1. Practical protection: My fear of my water breaking on the bed or couch led us to buy a waterproof mattress cover and a smaller waterproof blanket for the sofa or the car seat. They’re not as stiff as I expected and together cost about $23 at Bed Bath & Beyond, where coupons saved us a bundle. Protecting our organic mattress, the sofa, and the car seat felt worth it—especially since my mom’s water broke in bed with every kid. (Side note: I secretly hope my water breaks in Target or Home Depot because I’d find that hilarious.)
2. DIY baby book: John suggested we create our own fabric-covered baby album as a birthday gift idea back in March. We bought an 8.5 x 8.5″ fabric-covered album and a pad of 8 x 8″ patterned paper from Michael’s with coupons, keeping the whole project to about $15. We’ll add hospital keepsakes like her bracelet and going-home hat, inked footprints on cardstock, photos, and prompts like “First Week Was…” and “First Word.” We even included a playful page of future predictions—hair color, first word, favorite subject, even career guesses—so Baby P can laugh at our wild guesses someday. It’s sentimental, personal, and looks adorable in the nursery.
Making the book allowed us to include quirky personal touches and keepsakes that standard books don’t always accommodate, and we’re excited to fill it with memories from her earliest days.
3. Preparing Burger (our dog): We read up on easing the transition between pets and a new baby. A common tip is bringing home a gift for the dog when you bring the baby home so the pet associates the new arrival with something positive. We’ll also let Burger sniff a baby blanket beforehand. Inspired by John’s childhood story about getting a toy when his sibling arrived, we bought Burger a few treats and a new chew toy to help him feel included and excited.
4. Blog coverage: On the practical side, we stocked the blog with extra posts to cover those early, unpredictable weeks at home with a newborn. We worked ahead on Reader Redesigns, Look & Learns, Email Answers, Burning Questions, tutorials, and a special House Crashing post. That way the site keeps its regular rhythm while we adjust to diapers, feedings, and lack of sleep.
5. Diapers and sustainability: We invested in BumGenius one-size organic snap cloth diapers from a local shop we love. Cloth diapers will save money over time and reduce the number of disposables heading to landfills—an average baby uses thousands of diapers in early years. Our Energy Star front-loading washer and dryer should keep energy and water use efficient while handling diaper loads. We chose neutral colors so the diapers can be reused for future children.
6. Washing baby clothes: I read that washing new non-organic baby clothes and bedding with a cup and a half of vinegar helps remove chemical residues and dyes. I’ve been washing everything—onesies, socks, covers—so Baby P’s clothes feel as clean and gentle as possible. They don’t smell like vinegar afterward, which is a relief. I did have a small incident where hot pink leggings accidentally dyed a bunch of whites pink, but I’ve chosen to embrace the result and practice going with the flow.
7. A pretty pillowcase for delivery: A reader suggested bringing a pretty pillowcase for labor photos to draw attention away from postpartum puffiness. The idea resonated—my face does swell—so I hunted down a pretty pillowcase (and John’s family gifted me two). They’ll brighten the hospital photos and later make cheerful accents in the guest room.
8. A space-saving sound and light solution: Friends recommended a white noise machine and a light machine to help a newborn sleep, but the nursery has limited outlets and surfaces. We found an iHome dock for our iPod that doubles as a music player, a white noise source (we bought a white-noise CD from iTunes), and a color-changing light. For the price, it replaces multiple gadgets and gives us flexibility as Baby P grows.
While preparing, we came across a quote that really moved us:
“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.” -Anonymous
We can’t wait to meet our little one. We’d love to hear what you did to prepare for a new arrival—whether it was a baby, a pet, a roommate, or weekend guests. How did you get your home ready for new company?