Welcome back to 6 Simple Steps to Prepare Your Home for Your Newborn’s Arrival. Need to read the first part on how to prepare your home for your newborn? You can go to Part 1 here.

I’m hoping you came to part 2 because you enjoyed reading the first half, or you just want to see what else I have to say. To continue from part 1, let’s start on step 4!

4. Put Together a Baby Care Basket

A baby care basket, also known as a ‘downstairs’, or as I like to call it, ‘living room’ basket is a major lifesaver for those first few weeks at home with your new baby.

Most times, if you’re like me, you will stay in one area with your newborn for most of the day and end up being ‘trapped’ under a sleeping baby without the items you need.

I know you may be thinking, but I can just get up or have my partner grab it. And what if you can’t? I know trying to get up from the couch the first few weeks was extremely painful. A baby care basket can solve this for you.

So what is a baby care basket? Essentially, it’s a container you can keep in each room of the house, or bring along with you, that has all the essentials for your little one so you’re not having to go from room to room to grab everything.

What does it include? It usually has items such as diapers, wipes, burp cloths, extra clothing, pacifiers, and other items you will need frequently. This can also include things for mom, like nipple cream, breast pads, Chapstick, breast pumps, etc.

Not only do you not have to worry about running from room to room, a baby care basket will help you keep the house clutter free and keep you organized.

Let me go ahead and tell you how mine helped. Mine wasn’t really a baby care basket as mine came with my daughters bassinet, crib, changing table combo and was a three part holder for all of her items.

Due to sleeping and having everything in the living room (I couldn’t get in and out of my bed for the first month with how tall it was), I guess you could call it a baby care basket.

You’re probably wondering what I kept in it. I had a few pacifiers, some diapers for the day, wipes, and a burp cloth or two. So the essentials due to how small it was.

It was so helpful since I had everything there on my daughters bassinet/pack n’ play combo. I also didn’t have to worry about trying to find stuff with having to get up every two hours and being a tired parent.

If you’re wanting one, I’d recommend starting with the items I had above and adding there, if needed.

5. Light Your Home the Right Way

Although I’m a photographer, I didn’t even think about this at the time I had my daughter because we had a few lights on at night and the living room light on during the day.

However, proper lighting can help create a calm and comfortable atmosphere for you and the baby. You’ll want to look at the rooms you’ll spend the most time in (that’s usually the living room, kitchen, and bedroom). What kind of lighting do you want in each room based on what you already have?

• Do want a lamp option?
• Do you have under cabinet lights?
• Do you own a dimmer for your normal lights?
• What about a wall plug in light/ night light for the hallways at night (such as a Scentsy)?

The right lights can help an over stimulating situation feel much more calm and peaceful.

I know having an under the counter light in the kitchen helped during the middle of the night. I now own a Scentsy wall plug in for my hallway and it’s amazing with how much light it puts off while still being calming. Not to mention, it also gives the house a nice smell!

You will want to consider safety for when your baby starts to move around and crawl for things such as the wall light. Make sure all cords and outlets are tucked away or have a cover. This will help in preventing tripping and electrical hazards.

6. Prepare YOUR Wardrobe

I know this list is about preparing for your newborn, but don’t forget about yourself. I know when I get dressed in the morning, I feel like I’m ready to go and get things done!

Preparing YOUR wardrobe for the first few weeks can be helpful in getting ready for your newborns arrival. This is something I didn’t prepare for when I had my daughter and wish I had thought about it. It honestly probably would have been better than lounging in pajamas for the first month when I didn’t need to get up and go out anywhere.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to be comfortable at the least during this time! You’ll want to focus on loose-fitting, comfortable clothing that can allow for easy breastfeeding (if you plan to breastfeed).

Consider investing in a few nursing bras (or comfortable bras for pumping), loose-fitting pants (yoga pants are amazing!), and comfortable tops that are easy to pull up and/or down. Some women also find it helpful to have a couple of nursing-friendly shirts for a modest and easy opening. I personally loved having my jeans from Target that had the elastic in the waistband that weren’t over the belly such as these!

Another thing to keep in mind is that you’ll probably be bleeding for a couple of weeks after birth, so having comfortable underwear or postpartum pads on hand is a great idea.

Remember, the key to preparing your wardrobe postpartum is to prioritize comfort and practicality. By doing so, you can focus more on bonding with your newborn without worrying about your clothing or physical discomfort.

Did any of these tips help you? If so, which are you going to try out first? Did you learn anything new? Let me know in the comments section below!

Don’t forget to book a newborn photography session as well! You can view more of my newborn portfolio here.