Dr. Roger Gould, psychiatrist and expert on adult life transformations, suggests that couples consider how they will handle these issues as they prepare their relationship for a new baby:

• Making psychological "room" for a third party who disrupts their intimacy.
• Dealing with the question of who "owns" the child. Is it really theirs, or is it hers?
• Preparing for the intrusion of parents and possible rivalries of mothers and mothers-in-law.
• Experiencing temporary irritability and depression when they expected only joy and pleasure.
• Getting support (both parties need support).

Carolee Cannata, owner of The Organizer, a Connecticut-based professional organizing company, offers the following tips on getting your space ready for your new arrival:

• Instead of keeping baby essentials in the nursery, keep them where you use them. For instance, if feedings take place on the living room sofa, keep a basket of feeding essentials such as burping cloths, wipes, diapers and baby blankets in the living room.
• Keep items within easy reach. While putting baby bottles in a lower kitchen cabinet may seem like a good idea, consider that you may be preparing a bottle while holding the baby. In this case, bending over would be difficult and potentially dangerous. You can test the placement of your baby items before the baby arrives by holding a ball in one arm while trying to retrieve items.
• Check the lighting in your home. Nighttime feedings will be much easier if you can navigate your path clearly. Invest in some night lights to be sure all rooms have sufficient lighting for safe passage.
• Keep a diaper bag with all the essentials in each vehicle. All those "doubles" received at the baby shower will come in handy for this. Instead of trying to pack a bag for Baby each time you go out, keep one well-stocked bag in each car.
• If you are a two-vehicle household, invest in a second baby car seat. It's safer to always keep the car seat stationary instead of constantly switching it from vehicle to vehicle.