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Most parents tend to go over board with buying new things for their new baby, plus you get a ton of stuff from friends and family. But what do you really need for a newborn. What stuff should you definitely make sure you have on hand before you start buying all the other stuff.
Here’s a quick checklist of baby essentials (not including furniture)
- Lots of diapers, the average baby will go through 300 diapers a month
- Wipes and diaper rash cream
- Baby washcloths
- Crib sheets
- A bunch of onesies and sleepers
- Receiving blankets
- A pillow for breastfeeding
- Several bottles
- Formula if you will not be breastfeeding or need to supplement
- A baby thermometer
- Baby nail clippers
- A few hats
To name a few anyway. I found this great list at FitPregnancy.com, I hope it helps you plan for the arrival of your new bundle of joy. You will likely end up with way more stuff than you need anyway.
So you bought a bunch of pregnancy tests and the stick (or sticks as the case maybe) turned pink (or blue or said “pregnant” depending on the brand you used!!) so now what. Whether the pregnancy is planned or a complete surprise, there are bound to be a ton of emotions running through you. Everything from complete joy, to fear, to anxiety, to disbelief, the emotions are endless.
As you digest this news and deal with all the new feelings the question is what to do now. Now that the test says you’re going to have a baby, what things do you need to make sure you do, what changes should you make.
- First things first, call you your doctor or midwife to have the pregnancy confirmed by a professional and get checked out. Good prenatal care starts with early appointments with your doctor and making sure everything starts out as best as can be.
- If you are not already taking prenatal vitamins, start now. Your baby will make many developmental changes very early in your pregnancy. The vitamins and minerals in a prenatal vitamin are very important in those early days and weeks, especially folic acid which is proven to prevent neural tube defects.
- Now is the time to give up any of those vices such as alcohol, smoking, and illegal (or legal) drugs. All have been proven to impact fetal development when consumed during pregnancy so the earlier you give these up the better.
- If you are taking any drugs for chronic health problems talk to your doctor about whether they are safe to take during pregnancy or you need to make some changes.
- Start working on that healthy diet and exercise plan. Your doctor should be able to advise you on what foods you should make sure you have and those you should avoid, and can let you know what exercise is recommended for you early in pregnancy.
Most importantly, enjoy yourself during this very new and very exciting time 
.
On a personal note, I am very honored and pleased to announce that this is my 100th post here at Let’s Talk Babies. Thanks for all the visits, comments, and fun over the last several months. Here’s to the next 100 posts.
During pregnancy it can often seem like all the energy and attention is on your wife, after all she is the one carrying the baby and people notice that. However, dads play a very important role during pregnancy; they are there to support their wives and on a path to becoming a dad.
Pregnancy can be difficult, exhausting, and joyous all at the same time. For moms-to-be having the dad-to-be there going through the good spots and the rough spots with her can make all the difference. Mom maybe carrying the baby but you are going through this together. So what can you do to help share in the pregnancy and make sure your wife knows just how much you care.
Well, here are a few tips on how dads can share in the pregnancy.
- Probably one of the most important things and easiest things you can do is just pay attention. Talk about your wife’s growing belly and what that means to you, be an active participant in doctor’s visits, acknowledge your wife’s aches and pains. Anything you can think of to show your wife that you are paying attention, you see the changes, feel the changes, and want to be a part of it all.
- Go to the prenatal visits with your wife. If you work schedule allows you to, be sure to go along on all the visits. You will learn a lot, and you may have questions about the pregnancy that your wife doesn’t think to ask. (brownie point tip: don’t wait to be asked to go along, volunteer).
- Your wife is going to need to make some changes to her diet and activity level during pregnancy, especially if a healthy diet and exercise program weren’t part of the picture before. Try to make some changes with her, if she can’t eat a hamburger and fries, don’t eat them in front of her, and better yet, don’t eat them at all. This can be a great way for both of you to get healthier.
- Take the time to tell her that she is beautiful. A pregnant women who feels like she is too fat, not pretty, and no one notices anything except her growing belly will greatly appreciate being told she is beautiful.
- Take an active role in planning and shopping for the child’s nursery. Shopping might not be your favorite thing to do but it will give the two of you a chance to do something for the baby together.
- Be an active participant in the labor planning, and the labor itself. If you wife wants to go to birthing classes such as Lamaze, go with her. Talk about the fears you might have about the delivery with your wife (she has some too!). Figure out what your role in the delivery room will be and prepare for it.
There are many things you can do to share in the pregnancy with your wife, but the most important thing you can do is just be there, take an active role, and enjoy this time. Your wife is going through some major changes physically and emotionally, but so are you. Talk to her about what you are feeling, what you see changing in her, and what having a baby means to you. There are some great books out there for dads-to-be, pick one up, you will likely learn a whole lot about pregnancy and fatherhood that you had no idea about it.
If you are already a father, what things did you do when your wife was pregnant? How did you share in the pregnancy?