6 Steps to Preparing for Baby

Mental and Physical Preparation Are the Key

By Debora Geary

It's a week before my daughter is due, and my husband and I are frantically remodeling our laundry room. Since I obviously am not a good example of someone who, early on, succeeded in preparing for Baby, I'm doing what most expectant parents do – asking experienced parents how they manage to do it all.

Although these 6 simple steps to ready your life for Baby won't cure all your worries, they should help you rest a little easier – at least until your baby is born.

"I have been reading, reading and reading," says Ronica Hutson of Terrell, Texas, a 26-year-old new mom. "I have read books, magazines and searched the Internet to prepare for parenthood. The most useful information was about 'how to be a mom.' For example, when to call the doctor immediately or when to wait, how to give a newborn a bath, what type of things you should buy."

Arming yourself with information does help you feel a little better informed. Don't overdose, though, and retain your common sense – not everything you read is worth remembering.

Life after Baby won't bear much resemblance to life before Baby. "Many of my clients claim they used to be so organized before they had children," says Carolee Cannata, owner of The Organizer, a Connecticut-based professional organizing company. "A new baby arrives and new parents can't understand what happened to the peace and order they once enjoyed. What most people tend to forget is that major life changes, whether they be death, divorce or new babies, bring enormous changes."

Practice letting go of that organized feeling before the baby arrives, Cannata suggests. It will make the transition a little easier.

Want to see more?

• Ready, Set, Mother: Preparing for Parenthood Means Making Changes and Choices
• Go for It! 9 Reasons Why Now Is a Great Time to Have a Baby
• Preparing for Your Second Child
• Talk about it!