CNJ+ May 2026

ORGANIZING BEFORE THE BABY By Stefanie Maglio

Adding on to the family can be a really exciting time. However, as much joy as the new child will bring, he or she will bring along stress as well. Soon to-be parents have to take care of many things before the baby is even born. It can be difficult to try and keep track of it all. Here are some things to do before the arrival of your newborn: Pick a birth announcement! This is one of the less stressful things that you may consider doing before the baby is born. Be creative with how you choose to announce the arrival of your little one to your friends and family.

longings together in a bag as you rush out the door. Take the time to plan out what you may need for your time in the hospital. Pick a pediatrician. It’s important to find a pediatrician that you trust with your baby and that you can afford to get care from. This may not seem like something to worry about right away, but once the baby is born they will need lots of medical attention and vaccinations in most cases. Wash Clothing. Clothing that you or your family purchased for the baby should be pre-washed. This way the clothing can be worn immediately, and you won’t have to be worried about doing the laundry before dressing your newborn. Make freezer meals. This one is for the parents. Once the baby arrives, there will be little to no time for yourselves. Having meals already prepared for dinner will be a big help so you don’t have to cook. Often friends or fam ily will contribute and bring food as well. Install a baby car seat ahead of time. When the day comes that you are leaving the hospital with your baby, you will be tired and in a rush to get home. Setting up the car seat ahead of time will save you time and stress. Get waterproof mattress pads for the baby’s crib. Accidents are bound to happen. Purchase some in-between clothing. As you begin to lose the baby weight, but you are not yet back to your normal weight range, you will be in an in-between stage. It’s best to have comfortable clothing during this time.

Make a list of addresses of the people you’d like to send your birth announcement to . If you are having some kind of celebration, you’ll need the addresses for invitations. Either way, having the addresses ahead of time will save you from unnecessary stress and effort. You’ll have plenty of other things to worry about getting done. Get a waterproof bed pad. Make sure you purchase this before you begin to near your due date. If your water breaks in the middle of the night, you won’t have to worry about amniotic fluids ruining your mattress as you hurry off to the hospital. Have your hospital bag packed. Again, this is something that can wait a bit, but make sure it is pre pared well before the baby comes. When the time comes, you won’t want to worry about throwing a bunch of be

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