I’m pregnant and I have started a list of things to do. This list grows and grows and I’m starting to get overwhelmed. I stop and ask myself, do I need all these things? And here I am, in a world of consumerism that keeps telling me to buy, buy buy.
I sit down and think about the things that give me peace and how a peaceful environment is what I really want to offer to my child and family.
After my two children came into my life, I can see now how the most important things I needed before my baby was born were not really the stuff I can just buy and get delivered with one click, but things I can get prepared for and learn about plus tools and resources I can access when needed.
Here are top 4 things to start thinking about before your baby comes:
- Feeding. You might already have a preference between breastfeeding or formula to feed your baby. I breastfeed each of my two kids for over two years and I loved it, but I had challenges, especially at the beginning. I got help from a breastfeeding consultant and it was a life saver. I also needed to feed my second child formula on his second day of life and then my milk came. So whether you have a preference, be open, ask for help and remember you are doing your best!
- Sleeping. Having a baby will definitely change your sleeping patterns and routine. My advice, sleep whenever you can! :) You will hear people asking “is your baby sleeping through the night?” and you might get furious thinking about how sleep deprived you are. Again, trust your instincts and you will have your baby sleeping through the night….eventually!!
- Clothing. People love to give clothes, and you could end up with more clothes for your baby than what you and your partner have together! One helpful advice is to ask for gender neutral clothing if you are planning to have more than one child. Look for 100% cotton or other natural fibers and choose organic when possible. Second-hand stores are great but take precautions during the pandemic.
- Diapering! Now we are at the tipping point. Cloth v. disposable diapers. There are way more advantages for using cloth diapers than disposable diapers.
