You can be a bundle of nerves or bursting with excitement. Or a bit of both. The last month of pregnancy is an important period as your baby’s expected due date is finally approaching after months of eager anticipation.
As you await the delivery of your family’s new addition, the following is a checklist to ease you through the last month knowing that you are well prepared:
Enjoy couple time
This seems insignificant as you and your spouse welcome a new life. But once your baby is born, the both of you will be spending more time taking your care of your baby or simply resting when you can afford to. Spend some time in the month leading to your baby’s birth to watch late-night movies if that is something you and your spouse enjoy. Meet up with friends and families at chic restaurants or bars because social gatherings may never be the same again.
Wash baby clothes
Remove price tags from new baby clothes and wash them together with hand-me-down clothing from family and friends. A baby’s skin can be very sensitive at birth. Giving new and old clothes a good wash and some drying under the sun is important. Get such mundane tasks out of the way so that there is no need to fret about it later.
Buy the older sibling a gift
If you believe in gifting the older sibling a present when your newborn is due, the last month will be a great time to shop for that ideal gift. It need not be something big, expensive or indulgent. Instead, the present can be a little something that expresses your love towards him or her. It can serve as a reminder that he or she is always precious to you.
Hand over work to colleagues
Before you go on maternity leave, this is the time you can start to assign work responsibilities to your colleagues. Ensure a proper and thorough handover so that disturbances from office will be minimal during your confinement month. It will also ensure a better transition for your colleagues.
Pack your labour bag
Some things are better done yourself. Prepare your labour bag as early as four weeks before your baby expected due date to avoid a last-minute scramble. Prepare essentials for your stay during the hospital. Also pack post-delivery diapers or adult diapers as hospitals charge for these additional items, and often pricier.
Purchase all baby items
Is there a stroller you have not yet decided on? Or is there a breast pump that you were waiting to buy during a sale? This could be a good time to pick up baby items that you will need in the first few months of your baby’s birth. But if you are thinking of stocking up on diapers, consider again. After delivery, you will be given diaper samples from assorted brands. Try them out on your baby at home before eventually deciding on a brand. Meanwhile, you can just prepare a bag or two so that you do not run out of diapers in the first week.
Preparing for parenthood also means taking care of your family finances. Speak with a professional to find out more.
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