How to Bring a Baby Home From the Hospital
Bringing home a new baby is not an every day occurrence. There are a few things that all new parents should do to prepare to bring their baby home. With a little planning, bringing the baby home can be easy.
Instructions
-
-
1
Dress the baby in weather appropriate clothing. Pack clothing in advance. If the baby's due date is during a variable weather time period, bring two outfits to choice from. It is advisable to pack both preemie sized outfits and 0 to 3 sized outfits since you won't know the size of the newborn baby before he is born. It doesn't have to be a fancy outfit; something simple is easier to put on a small wiggly newborn.
-
2
Correctly install the car seat. It's helpful to install the car seat before the due date. The best way to install a car seat is to follow the instructions in the manual. After following the instructions, take the car seat to a certified car technician to ensure that it is installed correctly.
-
-
3
Ensure that the baby has a place to sleep. Select either a crib, bassinet or pack and play. Wash the sheets before you leave for the hospital. You may want to put the baby down as soon as you get home.
-
4
Purchase two sizes of diapers. Since newborn babies vary in size, it is important to have two sizes of diapers ready. This prevents having to take a newborn out to a store on the way home from the hospital and exposing him to many different germs.
-
5
Program important numbers into your telephones. It is important to make sure that you can easily contact the pediatrician, emergency room and a lactation support, if breastfeeding. This prevents you from having to search for the business card or flip though the yellow pages for these numbers when you need them most.
-
6
Place animals outside or at a neighbor's house. This allows parents to get comfortable with the baby in their home. Having animals away from the baby makes the introduction easier.
-
1