Congratulations on the imminent arrival of your baby! 

 

Your house is spotless (or at least you wish it was), your freezer is stocked with food (again, perhaps wishful thinking) and you have all the possible onesies, nappies, receiving blankets etc. that you need.  What more could there possibly be to think of?  With two very much optional exceptions, most of my suggestions are information-gathering activities

 

1. Pub/pram conundrum

Which of your regular pubs are pram accessible?  Look closely now.  Are there any steps?  Are the doors wide enough?  Are spaces between tables pram negotiable?  A newborn doesn’t really care where they are so long as they’re with you.

 

2. Poo-nami evacuation route

Where are the nearest decent baby changing facilities to places you frequent?  They’re not as easy to find as you might expect.  Department Stores / Coffee Shops / Shopping Centres / Supermarkets are all good places to try.  They will be of varying standards of hygiene and some will be more accessible than others, so worth doing your homework.

 

3. No gravy

If your freezer meal preparations centre largely around super-traditional British meals like Shepherd’s Pie which require cutlery and both hands – think again.  Stock up on one-handed foods.  Pitta bread with favourite fillings is a good one (and a great excuse for a cheeky Nando’s once you’re out and about more).

 

4.  Fancy a brew?

Hot tea.  It’s a cliche, but consider using a thermos of some sort and/or a one cup hot water boiler thingy.

 

5.  Timetable geek

Research your local held-in-a-church-hall baby groups.  They won’t always be advertised online.  Ask other Mums and Dads, look on community noticeboards, ask the church (even if you’re not religious).  Make a timetable with venue, duration and cost.  Then stick it to your fridge.  They usually will only accept cash and will be a few pounds, so it’s worth knowing if you need more change before you get there.

Once you have a baby on your hands, do visit me to get advice on:

  • cloth vs disposable nappies
  • sleep
  • fussy eaters
  • toddler behaviour

… and much more.  But for now, enjoy your hot tea!

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A Woman Less Ordinary

A Woman Less Ordinary lives, parents, purchases and thinks differently.  With 10 years of teaching experience, she has many effective techniques for managing kids’ behaviour, learning (and a lot to say about finance if you’re interested) BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ANY OF IT!

A Woman Less Ordinary lives, parents, purchases and thinks differently. With 10 years of teaching experience, she has many effective techniques for managing kids’ behaviour (and a lot to say about finance if you’re interested) BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ANY OF IT!

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