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Just arrived Home with Baby - What Now?
You never thought the day would come; your pregnancy is over, you have given birth, survived, and are finally home with a new baby in arms. There is so much now that you need to do and need to learn from how to breastfeed, to bathing and mastering sleep and settling techniques, however, besides all your new duties as a new mother, there are a few other things that you need to do.
As you are probably seeing the world through sleep deprived and blurry eyes and are having trouble putting on matching shoes, I have created a list below of things you need to do once you are home.
As you are probably seeing the world through sleep deprived and blurry eyes and are having trouble putting on matching shoes, I have created a list below of things you need to do once you are home.
Just Got Back From the Hospital?
Things to do once baby is home....
Things to do once baby is home....
Make your six week check up appointment with your Obstetrician
Make your baby’s six week check up appointment with their Paediatrician
Do your research on Immunisation
If you have a son; do your research on circumcision
Visit your local pharmacy and book in for your weekly catch up with a registered Midwife (most pharmacies provide a free mums club – if your local pharmacy doesn’t provide this service, look around there will be one nearby)
Organise the paperwork and get send in your baby’s birth registration papers, remember to check out Birth Deaths, and Marriages on line, for the fun new birth certificates available. Consider ordering two so that you will always have a spare
Contact Medicare and ensure that your baby is added to your Medicare card
If you have private health insurance, then update your policy to include your baby and ensure that you are on a ‘family’ plan
Contact Centrelink/Family Assistance office to apply for your Baby Bonus and any other allowances you may be eligible for
Get a folder to keep all of your pharmacy and other medical receipts in for both you and your baby, you will need these come tax time as you may have passed the Medical Threshold Limit and be able to claim some of your medical expenses come tax time
Look around your area for a Mum’s group or playgroup to join, you can look online, check out local noticeboards, or visit you local Child Health Centre
Visit your local Child Health Centre for free medical advice and parenting information and support
Contact all of the child care centres you have your name down with and update the details to include your baby’s name and date of birth
Upload all your birth, hospital and new baby photos and start emailing them out to friends
Write a list of all the gifts you have received and start getting your ‘Thank you’ cards ready; remember to include thank you cards for your midwife or doctor if you were really happy with their service
If you had a great midwife; then look into nominating them for ‘midwife of the year’. You can find a nomination in your third bounty bag
Visit Target and get your third Bounty Bag
If you are going to send out birth announcements, then get on line and start getting your print order ready. If you are doing it by email remember to contact work, neighbours, family and friends
If you are going to put a birth announcement in the paper then get this organised
Read all the manuals and learn how to use your baby equipment
Read your baby books, they really do provide you with some well needed advice. Some good examples include Robyn Barker’s ‘Baby Love’ and Arlene Eisenberg’s ‘What to Expect the First Year’
Get our your little red health book, so that you can record your baby’s weekly weight and length progress, it also provides you with some basic care information and some important contact numbers
Take all your body measurements, weights and measurements; it will help you keep track of your progress as you work towards getting your pre-baby body back
If you haven’t done it already, make a list of emergency contact numbers, as well as numbers and opening times for local late night chemists or after hour doctor or lactation services
Start a journal to keep track of your baby’s feed, sleep and nappy routine. When you are tired it can be hard to remember what side the last feed finished on, or what time the baby’s last nap finished. This will also come in handy later, if you want to start looking for some patterns in your baby’s routine or if you want something to show your doctor or health nurse
Make sure you find the time to do your physio and kegel exercises to help your body recover
Get online and check on your banking, pay any bills that need paying, sort through and action your mail. Basically just try to get on top of the basic house- keeping administration
If you are planning on having professional photos taken, book in with a photographer as soon as you can. Just look into the cost thoroughly though, as they can get expensive and it is very hard to say ‘no’ to a gorgeous photo of your new baby, but with some charging $70 - $150 a print, you want to know what it is going to cost you up front, not after you have fallen in love with a dozen beautiful shots
If you are considering having a plaster cast taken of your baby, then also now is the time to book in, as they do grow up so fast
Record your birth story, whether you type it up or write it down, try to write down your birth story as soon as you can, as details, feelings and memories start to fade quickly, and you will be sorry that you didn’t do this when you want to start putting together your baby’s memory box
Buy a keepsake or memory box and start putting your baby’s keepsakes inside, like the band from the hospital, and their first booties, it will be a lovely thing to look back on
Pack a nappy bag with everything you could possibly need when you are out and pop it in the car. Also make sure that your car has sun shades, a first aid kit, and an extra supply of wipes and hand sanitizer. Remember to put a tag with your name, address and phone number onto your nappy bag, as in the early days they are easy to put down and forget about when you are getting used to looking after a new baby
If you can afford it, organise a cleaner to come in to do the basic housework for the first couple of months whilst you settle into family life
Remember to take photos of your baby every week. One fun activity is to do a ‘first year’ photo timeline. Basically you need to take a photo of your baby in the same place at the same time each week. Pop each weekly photo into an album, and one day you will have a fun and amazing record of your babies growth over the first year
And mostly importantly, give yourself a break. Motherhood is not easy, it is a learnt skill, don’t be so hard on yourself, in a few months, you will be handing out advise to other new mums like you are an old hand. Whilst it is difficult, do try to rest and give yourself a chance to recover. It does take a good three months for your body to even feel like it is starting to heal, but over time it will happen.
Check out our article on your body after birth to see what your body is really like after birth and what is normal...
Now quick go and have a shower and put on that jug, the little one will be awake any minute.........
Make your baby’s six week check up appointment with their Paediatrician
Do your research on Immunisation
If you have a son; do your research on circumcision
Visit your local pharmacy and book in for your weekly catch up with a registered Midwife (most pharmacies provide a free mums club – if your local pharmacy doesn’t provide this service, look around there will be one nearby)
Organise the paperwork and get send in your baby’s birth registration papers, remember to check out Birth Deaths, and Marriages on line, for the fun new birth certificates available. Consider ordering two so that you will always have a spare
Contact Medicare and ensure that your baby is added to your Medicare card
If you have private health insurance, then update your policy to include your baby and ensure that you are on a ‘family’ plan
Contact Centrelink/Family Assistance office to apply for your Baby Bonus and any other allowances you may be eligible for
Get a folder to keep all of your pharmacy and other medical receipts in for both you and your baby, you will need these come tax time as you may have passed the Medical Threshold Limit and be able to claim some of your medical expenses come tax time
Look around your area for a Mum’s group or playgroup to join, you can look online, check out local noticeboards, or visit you local Child Health Centre
Visit your local Child Health Centre for free medical advice and parenting information and support
Contact all of the child care centres you have your name down with and update the details to include your baby’s name and date of birth
Upload all your birth, hospital and new baby photos and start emailing them out to friends
Write a list of all the gifts you have received and start getting your ‘Thank you’ cards ready; remember to include thank you cards for your midwife or doctor if you were really happy with their service
If you had a great midwife; then look into nominating them for ‘midwife of the year’. You can find a nomination in your third bounty bag
Visit Target and get your third Bounty Bag
If you are going to send out birth announcements, then get on line and start getting your print order ready. If you are doing it by email remember to contact work, neighbours, family and friends
If you are going to put a birth announcement in the paper then get this organised
Read all the manuals and learn how to use your baby equipment
Read your baby books, they really do provide you with some well needed advice. Some good examples include Robyn Barker’s ‘Baby Love’ and Arlene Eisenberg’s ‘What to Expect the First Year’
Get our your little red health book, so that you can record your baby’s weekly weight and length progress, it also provides you with some basic care information and some important contact numbers
Take all your body measurements, weights and measurements; it will help you keep track of your progress as you work towards getting your pre-
If you haven’t done it already, make a list of emergency contact numbers, as well as numbers and opening times for local late night chemists or after hour doctor or lactation services
Start a journal to keep track of your baby’s feed, sleep and nappy routine. When you are tired it can be hard to remember what side the last feed finished on, or what time the baby’s last nap finished. This will also come in handy later, if you want to start looking for some patterns in your baby’s routine or if you want something to show your doctor or health nurse
Make sure you find the time to do your physio and kegel exercises to help your body recover
Get online and check on your banking, pay any bills that need paying, sort through and action your mail. Basically just try to get on top of the basic house-
If you are planning on having professional photos taken, book in with a photographer as soon as you can. Just look into the cost thoroughly though, as they can get expensive and it is very hard to say ‘no’ to a gorgeous photo of your new baby, but with some charging $70 -
If you are considering having a plaster cast taken of your baby, then also now is the time to book in, as they do grow up so fast
Record your birth story, whether you type it up or write it down, try to write down your birth story as soon as you can, as details, feelings and memories start to fade quickly, and you will be sorry that you didn’t do this when you want to start putting together your baby’s memory box
Buy a keepsake or memory box and start putting your baby’s keepsakes inside, like the band from the hospital, and their first booties, it will be a lovely thing to look back on
Pack a nappy bag with everything you could possibly need when you are out and pop it in the car. Also make sure that your car has sun shades, a first aid kit, and an extra supply of wipes and hand sanitizer. Remember to put a tag with your name, address and phone number onto your nappy bag, as in the early days they are easy to put down and forget about when you are getting used to looking after a new baby
If you can afford it, organise a cleaner to come in to do the basic housework for the first couple of months whilst you settle into family life
Remember to take photos of your baby every week. One fun activity is to do a ‘first year’ photo timeline. Basically you need to take a photo of your baby in the same place at the same time each week. Pop each weekly photo into an album, and one day you will have a fun and amazing record of your babies growth over the first year
And mostly importantly, give yourself a break. Motherhood is not easy, it is a learnt skill, don’t be so hard on yourself, in a few months, you will be handing out advise to other new mums like you are an old hand. Whilst it is difficult, do try to rest and give yourself a chance to recover. It does take a good three months for your body to even feel like it is starting to heal, but over time it will happen.
Check out our article on your body after birth to see what your body is really like after birth and what is normal...
Now quick go and have a shower and put on that jug, the little one will be awake any minute.........
Got any hints or tips to share...
Then please email us...
Then please email us...
