How to prepare for another baby while having other kiddos.
Preparing for a baby can be daunting all by itself but preparing for a baby when you already have other kids. So what should you do??
Truly preparing for your second, third, fourth, or more children isn’t as scary as it seems. Here are some tips on what you should prepare for your next baby.
Create a list:
Writing down what you need to do will free up much needed mental space. It also gives you a visual of what you need to do before you little one arrives.
Having a nice list that you can cross off will also make you feel accomplished when preparing for baby! This will help you keep track of what you need while also managing everything you need to do for your other children.
Pull out all the newborn things:
Have your older kids help you pull out and sort anything and everything you saved for future little people.
If you didn’t save anything from previous children don’t worry about this step obviously. But if you do have things from your other kiddos making sure you sort through it and pull out what you need right after baby will help.
Having your other kiddos help you sort and talking about how this is something you used for them can be fun. Bring up memories of them as babies and have some fun.
Set up baby stations:
Setting up baby stations, where you have some diapers, wipes, a change of clothes or anything else you need from around the house will help you. You won’t have to get up and find what you need, you will have them at certain stations in your house.
I like to have one by our bed and by the couch since those are where I frequent. Again you can have your other kiddos help out with setting them up. Maybe even have them pick out a toy that they can leave in there to play with when they want.
Include the kids:
Including your other children will help decrease jealous and boost the sibling bond. Kids want to be included in your life and they will enjoy being included.
Include them in planning for what needs to be done for baby, the tasks you need to complete for baby. I let my girls fold their little brothers laundry and set up the baby stations so they are excited for when we get to use them.
Ask them what they think you should do to prepare for baby and really make them a piece of this family puzzle!
Laundry:
Man oh man the chore that never ends. But having babies’ laundry washed and put away (or at least washed and organized by size). Laundry can be the bane of my existence but it is such a weight off your shoulders to have it done before your little one makes their arrival.
Folding all those little clothes is so exciting preparing and imagining putting them in the cute outfits. Putting the laundry away and preparing that space for baby is a great nesting thing to do.
Talk to the kids about baby on the way:
Don’t skirt around the baby when it comes to talking to your kids. Even if your kids are super young, communicating is very important. We are expecting our 4th baby, our oldest is 5 and our youngest is 1, I talk about the baby in my belly just as much with our 1 yr old as I do with my 5 yr old.
Why the younger kids may not understand, it makes it a smoother transition to talk about the baby in your belly and then when baby comes home to say look here is your baby from mommy’s belly!
If you are doing a special task to prepare for baby (like their laundry or setting up the crib) explain to them what you are doing and why. Kids are curious and may have lots of questions or want to help.
Find a care plan for your kids when you’re in labor:
Lining up where your other kiddos are going is very important. Or if they are in school making sure that the person the kids will be staying with are on the list for pick up or emergency contact.
Will you keep your kids home and have a home birth, will they go to a grandparents house while you are in the hospital? How many nights will they be staying and if you go into labor in the middle of the night do they go to grandmas or does grandma come to your home?
There is a ton to work out and plan for who is watching the kids and what that looks like. Sit down with your husband and work out the details.
Freezer prep:
Not having to worry about dinner or snacks ready to go is amazing. If you have some dinners stashed into the freezer for after baby it will help. You don’t have to worry, it just needs to be thawed.
Having some crockpot meals in the freezer is my favorite thing to do. I will make a crockpot meal and double it and freeze the other portion for when we are postpartum. This way you don’t have to take a whole day to prep and plan meals but already have meals you know the family will eat!
Prepare postpartum care kit:
Preparing some things for you postpartum. A little stash of pads, padsicles (if you do that, I personally don’t do this but I have friends who swear by it), peri bottle, mom diapers, good comfy underwear, witch hazel, nipple cream, nursing pads, maybe some numbing spray or a sitz bath soak are all good ideas for some things for you postpartum.
You will need some extra care after having a baby and having it all set and ready to go is a helpful tip. This a major thing no matter what number baby this is and you deserve to be taken care of.
Stock up on snacks for you and kids:
Snacks are the corner stone of a child’s life I am certain of it. I don’t know about you by my kids are in need of a snack every 45 mins if not more frequently.
I like to have a stash of their favorites and my favorites postpartum so that I don’t worry about running out of them. It eases the mind to know we have another box of Goldfish in the pantry and in the snack drawer.
If you plan on breastfeeding, you will be hungry that is for sure, and having some good go to snacks prepared will always be a win.