Am I prepared enough ?!

[Leha94]

Hello

I'm currently nearly 28 weeks and I worry that I am not ready yet? Should I have clothes washed? Nursery ready? Bags packed? When should I have all of this done?
Thanks!!

Do it when you're ready.
You know when the right time is.
I didn't do mine until about 34 weeks. Had DS at 38+3.
If you want to start washing stuff now just do it bit by bit. Don't overload yourself :)

No, you’re fine. What clothes are you talking about? What do you mean by nursery? If you are going to use childcare, it’s worth looking around now. If you mean a room in your house to use as a nursery, that’s only something I’ve read about in magazines. Not come across one in real life.

Didn’t wash anything. Didn’t do nursery until after kids born as in with you for ages anyway (did build the crib and chest of drawers). Packed my bag the night before my elective sections each time. At 28 weeks I’m not sure I’d actually bought anything!

Oh I had booked nursery for them both times by second trimester!

Nursery - do you mean DC’s bedroom? DT’s slept in our room until they were six months and then we moved their cots into their own bedrooms. The rooms already had built in wardrobes so there was nothing to do. We didn’t use a changing table but a changing mat - one kept upstairs and one downstairs.

I didn’t wash any clothes for them as the first size were all new and packed hospital bag when I had c-section date.

I’m 33+4 and have the big things such as car seat/ base, snuzpod, pram etc. Ordered them a while ago and have been delivered this week.

Not bothered about a nursery yet as it’s in with us anyway for 6 months and plus we don’t know the gender. Didn’t want to add more to my plate while still working so we plan to do it in spring.

I hadn't done any of that ar that stage. Bag was packed day before induction. Didnt bother washing clothes before hand- she didn't fit it anything anyway so had to go and buy tiny baby. She's 5 months old and still in 0-3 lol.

Thanks! I have a lot of things already as I'm not exactly well off so have been buying things each month so I have all the big stuff, also have lots of clothes that have been given to me by friends etc...
I'm having a girl and my partners mum is so excited so wants to help me do her room, I know she'll be in with me for at least 6 months anyway so have a bedside crib for her but my partner works long hours and will only have the first two weeks off so this is why I'm thinking I'd like to do as much as possible, especially with the nursery, before I get too huge that I can't do any of it...
I have a year off work so I haven't even started thinking of childcare yet! Should I?

You don't need to think of childcare yet. And no reason not to do her room either.. Just because she won't be in it for a while I persume you may have draws or wardrobe in the room for her clothes etc.. Nothing wrong with being prepared.
I'm 33+6 and going to wash all his clothes next week and also start getting my bag ready for hospital. X

Relax and enjoy your pregnancy and honestly please don't be worrying about the baby's bedroom. I blame social media for all the bullshit around decorating nursery's as honest to god the cot in your room is all your baby needs. Don't go stocking up too much on wipes or lotions etc because they might not suit your baby. Enjoy your pregnancy and best of luck with it all.

I wouldnt worry about childcare yet I done this a few months before I wanted them to start and was never an issue but my area does have a lot of private nurseries, I started washing clothes about 34 weeks and ironing them all and done nursery about 32 weeks I wanted to be organized in case baby cone early and although nursery doesn't need to be done straight away I actually used it of a day time to change nappies on changer and also from about 3 months old I used the cot for occasional day time nap so they got used to the cot this was advised by my baby whisperer and it worked when he did go in cot at 6 months old.
And I packed bag from 36 weeks but I didnt do the bedside cot and crib for downstairs until my week of maternity which started 1 week before my due date hope this helps.

Just start when you want to and enjoy doing it as it really doesn't matter when you do it just enjoy it xx

For childcare o think it very much depends where you live... where I am I arranged it for my first when I was pregnant (can't remember how far along but it seemed early) as there's just so much demand and it's hard to get a place somewhere good. Lots of places here ask for a retainer.

I'm 31 weeks now and have only packed my hospital bag as I had a real urge to do it before Christmas so I could enjoy Christmas without worrying what I needed.
For a nursery -I don't intend to have one. I've got the bigger items stored from my older child, we need a new cot but it's not a priority until the new year.

Maybe start with a list and work through it when you feel the urge/have time?

I wouldn't worry too much , wash little bits as you go so it's not a mammoth task. Probably wouldn't worry about hospital bag quite yet but no harm if you like being organised I suppose. I don't think I got major bits in until I was like 35 weeks-ish last time.

I'm very very early days this time round so not even thinking about that stuff but imagine this time I'll just get the next2me from the garage and bung it in our bedroom around due day , certainly won't be doing the spare room until they're 6 months.

If it makes you feel better I'm 31 weeks with my second, have a 3 year old also. I've bought some new stuff to replace worn out things, but haven't been through any old baby clothes (I have mountains to sort through and sell/charity shop), trying to move toys/toddler clothes into the spare room and make that into a play room so I have space for baby stuff, perfect prep and bottles etc are in the garage but I'm going to try and breastfeed so just ignoring them because I'm lazy 😂 I don't finish work till 37 weeks and should be having a section at 39 ish. It made me feel better the first time around to do the nursery so I know where you're coming from, I just liked knowing the furniture was built and ready, and I basically used the cot to store all baby's presents in till I could deal with them 😂

If you mean a room in your house to use as a nursery, that’s only something I’ve read about in magazines. Not come across one in real life.
A nursery is just another word for the baby's bedroom. It's pretty normal to have a bedroom for the baby even if you don't call it a nursery.

I also know plenty of people whose babies, for one reason or another, were in their own room before 6 months of age. And we used the nursery for feeds (comfy nursing chair) and changing from the start.
I would definitely get that sorted out now rather than while trying to juggle a newborn.

The baby will be in your bedroom for at least 6 months so you've got plenty of time after the birth to sort out their bedroom. Just make sure you're all ready for her actual arrival from about 32 weeks (mine came at 36 weeks so I was really glad I didn't leave it until the last minute!)

If you're going back to work after maternity leave then it is well worth contacting some nurseries in your area and enquiring about waiting lists now. I waited until after DS was born and then found out that the best ones in our area have a 2 year waiting list!

Oh don’t worry at all - you are only 28 weeks! I like you did buy things as we went along from about 14 weeks but had absolutely nothing ‘prepared’. We painted our nursery at 36 weeks. Until then, it was just a storage room! I washed all the clothes when I went off on maternity leave. I did finish at 35 weeks due to having to use up annual leave. It only took 3/4 washes of varying colours, the clothes are tiny, you can squash a lot into the washer!

Packed my hospital bag at 38 weeks...

Childcare wise, I didn’t even consider it until my daughter was about 4 months old. I emailed the nurseries to find out roughly when I should apply for a place, in my area there was no rush at all. I had 4 outstanding nurseries I was debating between & they all said to apply about 6 months before DD would start. I do live in a small town though, cities might be different! And I only needed two days a week. That might also make a difference.

Thank you this has been really helpful 😊

Actually i forgot to say definitely get a hospital bag ready as I had three premature babies and it's good to be organised in that respect. Not necessarily for the baby as your partner can easily run out for nappies or whatever but for yourself. Have two or three spare pjs or nighties and several pairs of knickers, shower gel, toothbrush and toothpaste, moisturiser and cleanser etc so that if for whatever reason you are brought into hospital you can just grab that bag without and fuss or stress running about looking for stuff.