Disclosure: collaborative post
Preparing for a new baby is often a whole lot of fun. It can also create some of your most special memories. That said, there are a few more serious tasks you need to tackle. Here are three of them.
Sort out all your paperwork
Pregnancy can involve a surprising amount of paperwork. For example, you’ll need to update your will and your life insurance. This is a good opportunity to double-check that any other relevant paperwork is up to date. If you want to travel, you’ll typically need some form of ID. This means that you might want to renew your driver’s license if it’s at all close to expiring.
It may seem excessive but you might want to think about getting/renewing a passport. Even if you’ve no intention of going overseas any time soon (or any time ever) you’ll know it’s there if your plans change. You’ll also have a backup ID you can keep separate from your driver’s license. This means you’ll be able to identify yourself even if your license is lost/stolen.
If you have overseas connections then check the legalities both of traveling there and of staying there. You don’t necessarily need to spend money on a lawyer at this stage. Just check the internet for the type of visa you’ll need and the country (e.g. spouse visa UK). This should give you a decent idea of what documentation you’ll need and what the costs are likely to be.
Have contingency plans for being apart
Assume that you and your partner may have to spend time apart at some point and make appropriate plans. Then update these plans as you go through pregnancy. Remember that you’re going to slow down physically over the course of your pregnancy. This means that plans which are suitable for your first trimester may not be appropriate in your third.
Similarly, the arrival of your baby will bring a new set of challenges. Lack of sleep is probably going to be the biggest one. Never underestimate just how draining this can be. If your partner has to leave you to manage without them, then you need to make sure there is someone else to help you.
Walk around your home in the dark
You’re going to need to feed and change your baby during the night. When you do, you’re probably going to want to keep the lights down low. Not only is this easier on your partner, but it may also help encourage your baby to drop off to sleep again quickly. That means you need to be comfortable navigating your home in near darkness.
In principle, you can make life a whole lot easier on yourself if you keep baby items near your baby. This includes night-time foods. You could pop a mini-fridge and bottle-heater in your nursery. In practice, it’s a good idea to assume that you’re going to have to go to other parts of the house from time to time.
Try this a few times before your baby arrives (preferably when you’re tired) and work out where your “pain points” are. Then deal with them. As a pro tip, remember you can get battery-operated lights you can stick to walls. These can sometimes be a new parent’s best friends.
Thank you for reading - if you enjoyed this content, please consider buying me a coffee here or browse my Amazon wishlist I really appreciate your support and it helps to keep the site running and for my time 🙂