Congratulations on your pregnancy! Whether your baby is due tomorrow or in a few months, you probably can’t help but start thinking of all the things you want to have done for their arrival. There are cute onesies to buy and diapers to purchase, but you can also start stockpiling things for your home so you have less on your plate when the baby arrives. The last thing you want is to have to run out with a newborn because you’ve run out of toilet paper.
I’ve included a few things we stockpiled before baby #2 arrived and I’m SO glad we did!
A few related posts you might be interested in:
8 things that reduced tears with a newborn
these exercises to help with post partum ab separation
getting real + vulnerable about my initial struggle with motherhood
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We hit the one month countdown to baby girl this week!
It’s really exciting, but it also a big reminder of how much I have to do. We still need to sort through Lincoln’s baby clothes, pull the bassinet out of the attic, and, you know, pick out a name. Additionally, I need to pack a hospital bag and consider ordering a few new sleepers so baby girl isn’t only wearing Lincoln’s hand-me-downs. This time around I’ve also stockepiled on a few non-baby items that I wish I didn’t have to send someone to the store for when Lincoln was born last year. I was so focused on getting all the BABY things ready, I didn’t think much about the regular life things.
So, if you have a baby showing up sometime soon too – or maybe you have lots of house guests coming this summer – or maybe you just want to get ahead on a little summer prep, here are some things to you should stockpile to make your life easier:
Expecting a baby? Be sure to check out the 8 THINGS THAT REDUCE TEARS WITH A NEWBORN!
1. Freezer meals: A best friend had her third two months ago and she had over twenty meals stored away in a deep freezer before her baby arrived. Between friends, family, and that stash, she didn’t have to cook for a month!
So we don’t have a deep freezer, and I’m hardly cooking real meals these days as it is, but I have found a few favorite frozen meals from Costco that we really like and I have grand plans to bribe my mother into making a few freezer meals for us while she’s visiting after baby girl arrives. However you do it, having meals handy is a huge life saver post-partum.
2. Snacks: I had the appetite of three elephants after giving birth last time and I was always hunting around the kitchen for a second breakfast, a second lunch, and middle of the night snacks. Whenever Ben, my mom, or mother-in-law asked what we needed from the store, I always asked for some kind of snack food and I wish I’d had lots more of these on hand to keep me company during the late night nursing or pumping session.
3. Toilet paper: You’ll go through this faster with guests and its just one less thing to think about. Also, do yourself a favor and don’t store the extras in the laundry room like we usually do. Put it under the bathroom sink, or in some cute holder in the bathroom so its accessible.
4. Paper plates + cups: Sometimes its nice to have zero dishes to do.
5. Laundry Detergent: It BLEW MY MIND how much laundry we went through those early weeks with Lincoln. And on top of that, because we’ve stockpiled laundry detergent, it means one less thing to think about over the next few months. Plus our favorite detergent (remember this cute post of Lincoln when he was just a few months old?), Persil Pro-Clean, is now available at select Target stores so you can stock up while you’re doing your usual Target run. We usually get the original scent but I’m trying out the new Intense Fresh right now and it smells fantastic (I also highly recommend their formula for whites because it keeps them so bright!). The formula manages to not be rough on clothes while still having a really powerful stain remover (take that spit-up).
Just had a baby? Check out these exercises to help with post partum ab separation.
6. Dishwasher Detergent: Because at some point the paper plates will run out and you’ll have to do dishes again.
7. Shampoo + Conditioner: I was cleaning out bathrooms this past week and it turns out I already have about seven extra sets so we’re good on this one, but keep those toiletries you use regularly stocked so you aren’t running out that rare day (week?) you finally get a shower in.
8. Soap + Toothpaste: Remember to consider what you’ll need for any guests as well.
9. New Toys: I picked up a few things at a garage sale last week and am planning on a few other things that will be new-to-Lincoln for after his sister arrives. I’m also selfishly planning on keeping most of them hidden away ’till all our family leaves and we’re down to just me and the two kids, when I’ll really need all the help I can get 🙂
RELATED: A letter to a struggling mom - what I wish I would have realized about motherhood
I'm so excited for you! I watched a few different shows while nursing ha ha… because basically that was my life. I would recommend Friday Night Lights or Grey's Anatomy if you like drama, I watched Hart of Dixie which is lighthearted and not one to take too seriously haha, or if you like historical kind of things Turn is super good! I feel like I watched enough TV for the next year of my life in those few months of having a newborn who is constantly eating… 🙂
I loved Friday Night Lights & Greys Anatomy a few years back – I'll have to try Turn. Right now I mostly just scroll through instagram and catch up on snapchat but when there isn't must posted at 2 am I get a little bored 😛
I LOVED Parenthood – featuring Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls. so if you like her you may love it too!
xo, Maddy
http://cassidylou.com/
I literally finished the final episode available on netflix two days before going into labor (I had grand plans to save it for the hospital but couldn't resist). Love love that show 🙂 If there's anything similar you find, let me know!
Been reading this site for awhile now, always has really good posts and topics please keep it up! loads of blogs are going under lately from lack of new posts etc. thebabyguides
This is great information that no one has mentioned to me yet – and I'm almost 7 months pregnant. And I have heard that Parenthood is a good show as well, so I'll second Maddy's comment!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
congratulations! you're so close to the end (although everyone would say that and i felt like the last month of pregnancy lasted about a year 😉 do you know if you're having a girl or a boy?
We love parenthood (okay, I love it a little more than Ben but he watched it with me). We did start it in the height of post partum hormones last time so I managed to cry through the whole first season..and I watched the last season on netflix at the end of my third trimester so I cried through that one too 🙂
I had my second baby in March and watched the entire series of downtown abbey. Highly recommended. Even my husband joined to watch it, he thought it was good. I also watched Gilmore girls when I had my first 🙂 two is so much better than one enjoy the bliss of the baby stage again!
I keep putting off DA and really should just give it a chance (I didn't really love the first episode I watched a few years ago and haven't tried it again) because I hear such amazing amazing things.
and thank you! I wonder why I thought one child was hard now that I have two..but I have to say this transition is so much easier than going from 0 to 1! and now that you're a veteran parent of two – any tips for getting out of the house with both of them? I feel like I'll just spend the rest of my life in the living room…
That's so funny, I usually keep the toilet paper in the laundry room. This is great advise! I'm having my first in September.
congratulations mama 🙂 babies are so wonderful (although, with my first, the first few months were rough business… so if it goes that way for you, here I am on the other side telling you they're still wonderful and it gets lighter, and happier, and easier)
Thanks for the advice! I am having my first baby in September and have added all of the above to my shopping list.
Oh good – and congratulations! good luck, mama 🙂
If you have NETFLIX Heartland is one of my favorite shows!
Oh I've heard of this but haven't watched it – thanks for the rec! we're always looking for new things to watch on netflix (instead of just rewatching white collar :P)
You definitely have to watch Heartland. It is so good. I loved it. Thanks for the advice. I am having my first in June.
Oh that is one I haven’t seen yet! Thanks for the tip 🙂
Just want to say that I loved the Gilmore Girls….just recently watched the four new episodes they came up with and loved them as well. (Netflix)
‘This is Us’ is a really good show. (On Demand) We just recently watched it, very interesting.
Thanks for the information. My daughter is about to have her first, so I’m going to pass this info on to her. ?
I’ve only seen a few episodes of this is us but that first episode was so confusing till the end! I hope you’re loving that new grand baby!
Obviously this won’t apply to everyone, but anything you need for your pets (dry food, canned food, litter, whatever else is necessary for the pets you have). Since it won’t go bad and you’ll definitely need it, you might as well stock up now!
oh that is a great idea! with no pets I Hadn’t even thought of it but great addition – thanks annalisa 🙂
Yes! I went into labou 5 days before due date and hadn’t checked the dog food. Only two nights in hospital but of course dog food ran out after night 1! Lucky my SIL is awesome and picked some up but now it’s on the list for next times prep!
Great post with great ideas! Wasn’t sure if someone already pointed out or not- the link to the pain medication actually shows that the meds are pregnancy friendly but not nursing friendly =/
thanks for that catch hannah! I wonder if they recently added that warning or I missed it last year – they are awesome for being pregnancy friendly and luckily basic advil and tylenol and safe to take while nursing so you don’t need anything special. I’ve updated the link + that part of the post – thanks again!