Nesting Tips: How to prepare for a baby
This probably isn’t a shocker, but before Capri, I had no fucking idea how to prepare for a baby. My main concerns were going a year without rosé and soft cheese…and obviously the lack of sleep. What to do and buy for the baby (other than cute ass clothes) weren’t on my mind until months into my pregnancy when I realized I got to decorate a nursery. From there, the nesting kicked in hardcore.
I have no idea if we’ll have another baby, but if we do, at least I’ll have a better idea of how to prepare. If you’re pregnant, consider this nesting guide my gift to you (p.s. congrats!).
+ Don’t wash anything until the end
As I got clothes or items for Capri, I washed everything right away. Big mistake. By the time she was actually close to coming, I felt like everything had been sitting in a drawer or in her nursery collecting dust. Being a psycho new mom, I ended up washing everything again. Save yourself the hassle and the laundry soap by waiting closer to your due date. And even then, only wash newborn clothes and essentials like the bassinet sheet or whatever.
+ You can always buy more
If you’ve seen my house, you know I’m not a cluttered person (other than my closet and beauty cabinets, ok?). Babies can come with A LOT of shit if you aren’t careful – and I’m not about that life. I’ve always loved when people have children and their house doesn’t look like it; that’s how I wanted ours to stay.
Yes, you might think you’ll need 6 bouncers and 100 toys before the baby comes, but you don’t. We all know they end up playing with Tupperware anyway. For the essentials that I don’t regret buying, read this post + this one.
+ Have 1-2 opinions
The judgement and opinions that come with motherhood is unreal and it starts as soon as you share that pregnancy test result – trust me. When prepping for parenthood, skip Google and asking a million people their opinions on what you need. Find 1-2 friends / family / bloggers who have similar vibes. Listen to what they say the essentials are or what you can skip and forget the rest. If not, you’ll drive yourself insane pre- and post-baby.
+ Label and store
It’s tempting to put every piece of clothing in baby’s closet from the start – even if they won’t wear something for a year, but I wouldn’t. Instead, have bins or organized areas where you can store things that they’ll grow into (toys or clothes). Then, once baby is here and starts growing out of things, you can fill those same bins, swapping in the bigger stuff.
+ Figure out the food situation
Paul and I lived on takeout for the few months out of sheer survival mode. This was fine with us, but if you’re more into home-cooked meals 24/7, start prepping and freezing shit a month out. If you’re cool with takeout, have some go-to orders in mind because you honestly might be brain dead for a while. Sounds insane, but one less thing to think about is LIFE during the early weeks.
+ Get random tasks done ahead of time
If there’s anything lingering around the house or in your mind, get it done pre-baby. Don’t wait to put the crib together and don’t wait to file your taxes ’til after baby. Get that shit out of your mind and off your list! You’ll be so happy you did once the baby comes and new tasks pile up.
+ Don’t forget about yourself
In the panic of preparing for a baby, it’s easy to forget yourself. DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOURSELF. Your body is about to do something insane and you’ll want to come home to a place where you can fucking relax. You’re going to be tired and shook and probably in pain, so prepare for that. I loved having comfy ass pajamas a couple sizes up, candles and diffusers going and blackout shades for daytime naps, etc.