We are roughly two months away from welcoming another BOY into our family. I wanted to share with you how I am preparing for Baby #6 arrival as I have been through this MANY times. Since ALL my boys have been late, I have learned that I have the full 40 weeks to prepare. However, I try to get most things done by 37 weeks and leave the miscellaneous for the last few weeks. Those tasks usually aren’t as crucial to get finished. Keep reading to see How I am Preparing for Baby #6.
Plan Time Off and Family Help
A few months out my husband and I will roughly plan out when and how much time he will take off when the baby arrives. Granted only God and Baby know when that day will come. We have learned that having a rough plan in place helps each of us with expectations. From there we ask my parents if they can begin helping for a week or so after Sam has returned to work. This does not mean that we don’t have visitors the first few weeks. This lets me know how much help I will have so I can properly rest before trying to get back into the swing of things and adjusting to life as a family of 8.
Set Up Baby Space
This time around Sam and I decided to paint our room a fun new color. A few months ago, we moved for another job transfer. This also happened to put us closer to my parents… woohoo! We quickly grew tired of the white walls in our apartment bedroom starting back at us. I also knew for the first few days postpartum I would be hanging out in our bedroom, so we decided to make the space more relaxing and our style.
If you are interested in what I am purchasing or gathering together for our 5th boy read My List of Must- Have Newborn Boy Essentials. Spoiler it is NOT a lot since we already have most of what we will need.
Purchase and Prepare Birthing Supplies
We are yet again planning a home birth so making sure to have everything on our Midwife’s Birthing Supplies List is our version of packing a Hospital Bag. I will also be purchasing any nursing items I may need such as Nursing Bras, Lactation Snacks, Magazines OR Books to read while nursing, etc.
Prepare Freezer Meals
I like to have roughly two weeks of meals prepared so Sam and the kids are all set those first few weeks. Then I can just enjoy cuddling a newborn. This time around, I will be doing a mixture of homemade meals as well as having some Frozen Pizzas, Hotdogs, fixings for Quesadillas, and a few other things on hand.
Miscellaneous Tasks
By 37 weeks I will have all of the above preparations completed. Below are the Miscellaneous Tasks I will get to IF I have time. Like I mentioned before ALL my boys have come late, so I will most likely be able to get these tasks completed as well.
- Wash Baby Clothes, Blankets, Burp Cloths, Nursing Cover, Wraps, etc.
- Deep clean the house. I walk the house and make a list of what needs to be cleaned. Or any odd jobs that need to be done. From there Sam and I will get a few of these items done each day until our list is completed.
- Take Iron Supplements and buy a Steak. This is a habit I began with Baby #3. Since birth is hard on your body it is smart to take extra iron beforehand. Also consider eating an iron rich meal postpartum to help your body recover. While I am resting after birth and our Midwife is tending to the Baby, Sam will go fix me a steak with some type of vegetable side. This helps to get my energy up post-delivery.
- Stick to a regular routine until Baby decides to come. I learned long ago my boys come late. Therefore, there is no point in clearing my schedule around my due date. I just keep going with the same old until labor starts. Once the baby is born then I go into cuddle/resting mode for 2 to 3 weeks. From there I try to start working my way back into a new flow. This usually comes for me around 5 to 8 weeks.
If you are curious to learn about my Motherhood journey from Baby #1 to Baby #6, then check out my Pregnancy + Home Birth page for all my Home Birth Stories.
How are you preparing for baby in your family?
Please share with us in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!
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