Preparing For Your New Baby!
(Part 1)

Congratulations! Your new baby is on the way and due to arrive for a permanent stay any minute!

We know it is hard for a busy mom-to-be to stay organized what with all those well-wishers dropping in to check up on you and feel the baby kicking. It can be very difficult for you to balance your need to stay off your feet with all of the things that you need to do like setting up the nursery and making sure that your baby is well fed and clothed.

To make life a little bit easier for Moms-to-Be we have created a Preparing For The New Baby Checklist so that you are well outfitted with the must-have items that you will need to greet your new family member's arrival.

The Preparing for Your New Baby Checklist

The Nursery
Baby's room or "special spot" in your house or apartment is the first thing that you should attend to before the baby arrives. You don't want to be assembling cribs or painting walls after the baby gets home! You just won't have time.


Is it clean? Make sure you have thoroughly cleaned all the carpets, walls and other areas in baby's special spot to make it as hygienic as possible. If you are too busy, hire a maid for a day to get this area spic and span. You might want to invest in a hand held steam cleaner to help clean baby's mattress, curtains and surfaces in the future. A good one is the Bissell Steam N'Clean which is no larger than an iron.


Have you decided on a theme for your nursery? Ducks, bunnies, angels, marine life, the alphabet and cartoon characters are all popular choices for new parents. Here is a list of popular and hip themes that can be bought as packages and include linen and bedding.

* The John Lennon Collection: This features the whimsical jungle animal drawings of the famous singer in a color scheme of yellow, white and blue.

* Ballerina Baby: This collection is ultra pink and features tutu clad teddy bears pirouetting against a background of stars.

* Winnie The Pooh: You can buy all kinds of Winnie The Pooh layette sets that have different themes such as Pooh in the Honey Pot and Pooh with Christopher Robin.

* Sun, Moon and Stars: The Triboro Quilt company makes several beautiful celestial themed layettes that feature a celestial theme.

* Beatrix Potter: The Macy's web site sells a great selection of Beatrix Potter linen, blankets and outfits. The great thing about the Beatrix Potter motifs, which are based on the adventures of bunnies, is that you can also build on it over time by including dishes and stoneware that also boast this favorite theme.
* Nursery Bright is a fantastic company that sells everything you need for baby's nursery in popular pastel colors including sheer and heavy drapes for your nursery windows.


How about a color scheme? Blue for a boy and pink for a girl are the usual choices. However you might want to go with yellow or white as well. You also might want to consider painting your nursery with non-toxic or lead free paint. Water or milk based paint is your best option because they don't emit Recommended brands are:

* Glidden's Spread 2000

* Gliddens AFM

* Livos Milk Paint


Do you measure up? There is nothing worse than standing in a store and realizing that you forgot to take your window measurements and room measurements. Make sure you take the time to measure your room and window dimensions and write them down on a piece of paper. Pop this in your purse because you never know when you are going to fall in with furniture or drapes that you must have for your nursery.

Click here for Part 2 and learn more about Furnishing your nursery, Essentials for bath time, Baby feeding items and other Must Haves!