To think we don't need to overhaul our hone for a new baby?

[SoonMummy]

We are trying not to go crazy or feel overwhelmed by the organisation needed round the home for a new baby. But I keep seeing stuff about all the prep I apparently 'need' to do, like decorate a nursery etc. Am I right in thinking you can get away with not doing loads and not buying loads? For the first 6 months the baby will be in our room so all I'm doing is adding a cot in there.

We live in a 2 bed place and currently the spare room is a home office as I wfh. Basic plan is to swap the spare bed for cot (for when baby is old enough) and add an armchair, but leave my home office set up in one corner and the baby will have to share! (It's quite a big room so it will have to double up).

I plan on clearing out a chest of drawers in the spare room to use for baby's clothes, and buying an extra dirty laundry basket for baby's things.

Finally I'm clearing some space where we hang our coats for a buggy.

Is there anything else we need to sort out or do to our home?

Baby will overhaul the house for you when on their feet 😂
Good luck - you sound very practical

You don't need a full overhaul but there'll be a point where it sinks in that this baby is part of the family. I remember thinking I could have 1 cupboard downstairs for all the baby things, and as the baby got older I has all her cups and bowls in there, but then I suddenly realised she was part of the family and her stuff should be in all the cupboards! Feels silly thinking back but it took me a while to realise she wasnr just a lodger

We decorated a nursery for our son. Beautiful it was. We moved out of that house when he was 1. I don't think he spent a single night in that room. He'd only settle with us.

You might need to possibly consider moving the home office to another room later on. Just thinking if DC goes for a nap and you want to work. That said, I can hoover round our son and he won't wake up.

I wish I'd been as sensible as you. I went completely OTT.

It's just easier to do stuff before the baby arrives.

I agree.

I never had a nursery either, never entered my mind to do so, babies must have stayed in with us forever and then eventually went in to their own beds. I think I bought some nappies, vests and a few babygrows. I used my sisters moses basket and my fil made a lovely wooden cot. I bought or inherited things as I went along. I love things with a bit of history.

I also agree that it's easier to do things before baby arrives, but your set up sounds fine, especially for the first 6 months. When baby is mobile and starts accumulating lots of toys and books you might be surprised but you can switch it up then if needed.

Never bothered with a nursery (always rented so choices limited anyhow) - didn't really do much at all until about a year (plus/minus 2 months - plus for first, minus for second).

nappies, towels, clothes, bouncy chair and blankies only needed things really - bought loads of unused stuff for our first.

Past the first few months, buy as you need, borrow if you can - you can't predict what the child will like - out first /loved the door bouncer. Second didn't really care for it for example.

Our house was on the market when dd was born. We put a cot in our room, cleaned out a few drawers for baby clothes and diapers, and put a changing pad on top of a dresser. That was the extent of our prep. I will admit that I’m the type of person who would have lived to make a beautiful nursery, but not having one was not a big deal.

We knew we wanted to move a year or so after our first arrived and had a 2 bed house - second bedroom was a spare with a double bed. We just put a travel cot in there. Change station (upstairs and down) was a small basket with nappies/bags/wipes/cream/spare outfit in and a change mat. When it we moved she had a proper bedroom, she didn't need it before that.

Sounds great!

good luck with the birth; enjoy your little when he/she comes.

Going against the flow a bit, I loved having the nursery all set up and ready to go - meant there was somewhere for all his things (and they were out of my way!) and I could safely leave him there if I needed a breather for a minute.

Our baby was 5 weeks early and his pram was delivered the day he was!

We had done nothing and my husband spent the 8 days we were in hospital running around like a blue arsed fly getting everything done! I don't recommend that but we also didn't change much. The baby doesn't have his own room yet, we just added a cot and changing table to our room. I cleared out some drawers for his clothes and bought a cheap bin for his nappies and that was it! Apart from the massive amount of toys and books in every single room now, nothing else has changed.

You will manage beautifully. Make sure the cot has an adjustable height base as in the early days it will be easier to change baby without stooping. (Your muscles adapt by the time you have to lower it to keep baby caged😀)

I think having the office in the same room as a baby is a terrible ideal to be honest. If you want to do any work in the future, it’ll most likely be when the baby is asleep and you won’t be able to work in there. I’d have a serious think about whether you could do any sensible research-arranging to put the desk etc somewhere else.

My ds arrived when I was half way through my NCT course and H was about to start laying the hard flooring in the (weeny) sitting room. He finshed it whilst I was in still in hospital (c-section). Glad he did, ds had GERD and that floor got wet every hour for a looong time.

Dont worry about a fancy nursery (unless you want to) but do have the basics ready - nursing bra, pads, bag, changing stuff for baby, somewhere safe for it to sleep and some sort of transport. And nappies!

Ok in theory but if your baby is anything like Ds I would be relocating the office ASAP

Ds walked at 9 months and cot sides didn’t hold him. He was into everything.

I am envisioning baby eating your paper work and pulling the computer on top of him.

We found that we used most things on the list apart from anything to do with bottles. (Bf for 3 years). Just not in the quantity that it says.

One thing we did use was the muslin squares. They wiped up everything and anything.

Sounds fine, though agree with others about probably needing to move things around when you have a mobile toddler who will cause havoc amongst your office equipment.

Think about where your baby can safely be put down in different rooms in your home - there's their cot, but you may find a baby bouncer a helpful thing for your living area/kitchen. There are lots of tasks you can do one handed with an armful of reasonably cooperative baby, but for some things, particularly cooking things, you'll probably want to be able to put them down somewhere you can see each other. You may also find a sling useful for holding them whilst you have two free hands.

Sounds about right. And rest will come as and when. Don’t fall into the trap of getting a lot of stuff as most of it is targeted to first time parents. You have time once baby is there. Get Amazon Prime and join a local Facebook group for parents. My shortlist would be moses basket, sleeping bag (loved wool one), changing mat (no cover - just gets dirty - easier to use muslins), buggy, car seat if you have a car, and babysling. And lots of muslins. Lots. They can be used as wipes, towels, changing mat cover, light blanket, sunshade, and years later still function as cleaning cloths.

Sounds good! I brought mine up in a one bed till age 2, and worked from home as well - it was fine.

God help is OP: I STILL haven’t decorated our son’s “nursery” - he just has a cot in there and a pile of presents and clothes people have got him.

He’s six months old.

With hindsight, you realise you need very very little. Most people regret going so ott.

You really don't need much. Add bits as you need when baby is here. Your plan sounds good - you don't need a separate laundry basket though, you'll get through so much washing that it'll all end up in together anyway.

I left putting the cot up and doing the room, but then the first 6 months I found that neither me or my DH had the time or energy to sort it. So left it very late, I would have preferred to have the cot up because other mums found it a good place to put the baby while your upstairs showering or dressing. Safe space for them to roll.
If I could do over I would do as much as possible before when I have the energy and time

Our eldest is 3.5 years old and we still don't have a 'nursery' as we bedshare. We only have a playroom that doubles as a guest room that we started setting up after her 1st birthday.

Ignore all the consumerist trends (unless preparing the house will make you happy!), as others have said above, babies only need you (and a few key objects) in the first few months.

One thing I wished we had done before we had our daughter was some basic babyproofing (such as moving heavy items out of the way, making detergents etc. inacessible) so that we didn't have to bother with it later on. But this too can technically wait till the baby crawls.

I've never really understood all the prepping people do?! Before our first child arrived I bought 3 baby grows, some vests, a baby monitor, car seat and a Moses basket. I didn't buy piles of clothes all laid out ready and I didn't remodel our home. Once our baby arrived safely then I bought more clothes, collected the pram etc. It wasn't until the baby was 6 months old that we thought about decorating one of the spare rooms for the baby. They don't need an entire room as a newborn! My second child refused to sleep in the cot in his room anyway so we lost our office to have the room sit with a cot and changing table in never used. I took it down in the end and turned it back into the office!

I find myself rolling my eyes with these huge lists and things you NEED when 3 weeks pregnant, you know 3 piece nursery set worth £2000 etc. No need. As long as you have a car seat, a Moses basket or similar, a few baby grows and some cellular blankets you're all set! No remodelling of your home required, at least not for 6 months or so...