Attend prenatal classes together. Attend more than just the classes for coping with labor and delivery. Look for classes on early newborn care, breastfeeding, infant and child CPR, home safety during infancy, and anything on parenting in the first year of life.
Be sure you know how to use your car seat, stroller, and other equipment. Have the car seat installation checked by a knowledgeable safety-seat expert.
Step2
Talk about those things in your daily life that you cannot change and think about how to preserve them with the least stress. If it's pressed dress shirts, hoard coupons for the dry cleaners. A clean house? Put coupons for home-cleaning services on your baby shower list or accept vouchers from friends to come and help with household chores. In fact, some of the best shower gifts cost little in terms of money (babysitting for a specified number of hours, help with grocery shopping, babysitting while mom takes a nap during the day, volunteering to collect older children from school or take them to sports activities). Like home-cooked meals? Experiment ahead with frozen items to see what you like and stockpile these items, enough to carry you through at least two weeks by just adding prepackaged salads or fresh fruits.
Step3
Commit to making your new family the priority for at least the first two weeks at home, longer if possible. Learn about and care for your baby together. Encourage each other in your new roles.
Make time to go out as a couple to do something you both love. Take the baby to a reliable sitter and cuddle together at home. Talk to each other about what is hard, what is joyful, and what is satisfying about your new lives. Make "parent play time" a priority. You cannot give to your new baby if you are running on empty yourselves.
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