Bringing the baby home from the hospital is an exciting adventure! I will always remember the pride that I felt as I was being wheeled from my hospital room with my newborn baby snuggled in my arms. I will always never forget how nervous I felt about bringing the baby out for the first time and making sure he got home safe and sound. Here are a few things that I learned about bringing baby home after having three kids.
Make sure you learn how the car seat works ahead of time. The car seat can be overwhelming. You should give yourself plenty of time to pick out the perfect one (for you and your baby) and then learn how to use it. I highly recommend making sure your car seat is properly installed PRIOR to leaving for the hospital. I had my husband do this because a) I am very bad at installing things and b) I wanted to be sure it was done correctly. Having the car seat installed and ready to go will reduce a lot of the stress of bringing the baby home.
Make sure the baby is properly dressed for the weather. If it’s hot out, a t-shirt, socks and a snug fitting blanket will be sufficient. You don’t want to overdress the baby in the heat. A baby hat, while adorable, probably won’t be necessary in the heat. I say just make sure the baby is comfortable and warm if it’s cold, not overly dressed if it’s warm.
Be sure you have things ready at home. Make sure you have the crib put together or a bassinet ready. Having your baby’s place of rest prepared will help make the transition to home go a lot smoother. It was comforting to me to know once the baby got home, his bed was ready and waiting for him. The same goes for all of the things that your baby will need right away, like diapers, changes of clothing, bottles (if you are using formula or pumping), etc.
The best advice I have though? Enjoy every minute of the experience. It’s definitely one of my absolute favorite memories of raising my children.
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I like reading your experiences with new babies and thinking back to my first time doing the same things
I would add this:
Be sure you are not driving an ancient car to or from the hospital. Our car’s rear window leaked and soaked the car seat. Fortunately we found out in time to bring it in to the hospital and dry it out.
Then when it was time to leave, the car wouldn’t start. Fortunately, my aunt just happened to be passing through my town on a day trip, so she got off the freeway, took us home, and went on her way. After the car had been towed and my dad looked at it, he said some part had apparently worked its way loose and was gone (not something that anyone would have stolen). My dad said it was impossible for a car to drive any distance without this part, so it was perhaps miraculous that we made it to the hospital in the first place!
oh my goodness, Katie! Thanks for sharing that.