It is easy when you are bringing your new baby home to think about all the things you need to do to prepare and all the things you need to buy. You think about nursery furniture, pushchair, baby clothes, feeding and routines but do you think about what might make your life better once the baby has arrived?

Ask any mum and they will probably be able to tell you how very enjoyable and satisfying the time is they spend feeding their new baby, but probably they will also be able to tell you of the time it took them to find a comfortable chair and position for feeding the baby.

One way of dealing with this is to see if you can get a more specialised chair that will give you all the things that will make life more comfortable for you, like a footrest, comfortable arm support and for real luxury, a rocking motion.

Feeding your baby is one of the times when you can really take time to get to know them. Most mums soon realise that babies look intently at you while being fed and out of this is created a strong bond between you. If you are getting cramp, or are feeling uncomfortable, it will make it difficult for you to relax and take advantage of this time with your baby, so what a difference a comfortable chair could make.

Furniture

There is a wide variety of nursery furniture you can get nowadays and more specifically, a great selection of cots, from swinging cribs to cradles to traditional cots. Anything you buy from a reputable retailer these days should conform to the appropriate British Standard, so you should be assured of your baby’s safety. But it is always worthwhile checking for recalls or problems.

Swinging cribs are lovely for gently rocking a baby back to sleep and keeping them content. You must remember that a swinging crib can only be used until the baby can sit up and move around as once they can do this they are not safe in a swinging crib and need to be moved to a cot. You will need to check the safety features of a swinging cot and how to use it before putting your baby in it.

Once you have made sure of the safety, whether of a swinging cot or traditional one, you can choose whether you would like a cot that is natural wood or painted and what sort of design you prefer. Some cots can later be converted into a junior bed so these are ideal if you want to avoid having to replace it too soon.

Furniture

Once you have your new baby home with you, you may have to deal with the need for attention from your older child at home. It is surprising how grown up a toddler suddenly seems to you as you carry in your new baby, but it is important to remember that they are really still the small child you left a couple of days ago.

They need the same amount of love and attention from you that you were giving during the days before you had the new baby. It is difficult to work out how to spread yourself, particularly in the early days when you are still tired from the labour and learning about the new baby.

One way of making it easier for yourself is to have some new toys ready to give to your toddler once you are home with the new baby. If you can give them something like a construction toy or farm or castle with people and animals to play with, then they will have something to occupy them when you are unable to spend time with them.
Even while you are looking after the new baby, you will be able to talk to your toddler about their toy and the stories they are making up and your attention will reassure them that they are still loved.

Toys

The first time your older child sees their new brother or sister will be a precious time for you, although your child almost certainly won’t know this. They will probably be pleased just to see you, as they will be wondering what is going on, having been whisked off to grandma or had someone staying in your home with them. With any luck, your contingency plans will have all worked well, but your child will still want to be with you again.

So they will be excited when they see you and will want to tell you what they have been doing with grandma. A whole new excitement will be waiting for them as they are introduced to their new brother or sister.

You will need to give them time to tell you their news, and to let them know how important they are to you. You will have prepared them beforehand for the new arrival, so now is the time to continue with this and let them meet the new baby. Some photographs of the two of them together will be a lovely memento of the occasion and will remind your child of how important they are to you.

Advice

There are so many different types of pushchairs, buggies and prams nowadays that it is difficult for mums and dads-to-be to know how to choose. It helps if you have friends or relatives who have had babies recently, so they can tell you the advantages and disadvantages they have found.

If you are not so lucky, then you can get a good amount of information by doing searches on the internet and reading magazines.

In order to decide what sort of travel system you want, you will need to think about what sort of lifestyle you have. If you live in a town where you mostly walk or use public transport, then you will want to find something that is easy to push and folds very easily, preferably with one hand, so you can get on and off buses and trains. Parents of a previous generation will have memories of heavy pushchairs being carried up and down stairs, and will be jealous of the choice of lighter weight, easily folded buggies and pushchairs there are nowadays.

It seems that prams are not so much in evidence these days, but they are very useful if you are likely to be walking with your new baby. Prams can be very weatherproof and comfortable for a baby, so don’t assume that they are too big and unwieldy, they can still be a very useful option.

Pushchairs