Regardless of whether you are a first time mom, or are doing it for the sixth time, no amount of preparation can prepare you for what happens after the birth of a child. The introduction of a baby to any household, regardless of how many occupants it already has, is bound to alter the dynamic of the house and you will have to make many changes in order to accommodate this shift. Change is the only real certainty you have when you are expecting. You will not know exactly what will change, you won’t know who this little person you are introducing into your family is yet, and some expectant parents may not even know whether their little bundle will be wrapped in pink blankets or blue!
Not knowing the sex of your baby can make the whole experience all the more exciting, and for many the surprise is a big part of the joy of pregnancy and babies. For those that like to maintain some control however, the not knowing can be a little stressful as it prevents certain provisions and plans being made. With a little out of the box thinking though, you can prepare for the birth of your new addition without knowing whether they will be a boy or a girl, and there is still plenty to be organising to keep you busy until they arrive.
Packing your hospital bag is one of the moments in pregnancy where everything suddenly feels real. Gathering all your overnight things, and folding tiny baby clothes knowing they will be the first outfits your little one will wear is a very magical and emotional experience. If you know the sex of your baby you can pack clothes in gender specific colours and styles, if you don’t then you have one of two options.
The first option is to shop purely gender neutral, and only buy things that could equally be worn by both boys and girls, so whites, creams, greens and other natural colours are top choices. You can buy some beautiful newborn baby clothes from ASDA George, with loads of babygrows, vests and little outfits that will suit whatever gender your baby turns out to be. Your second option is to pack some outfits for boys and some for girls. You won’t have much room in your hospital bag, so only take a few of each and return the ones that don’t match up after your baby is born.
Decorating the nursery is something you can’t hedge your bets on, and painting one half pink and the other blue isn’t the best design strategy. Instead you can either paint and furnish it with gender neutral colours and adapt it as your child gets older and more aware of their surroundings, or you can leave the nursery until after your baby is born, as they will be sleeping in your room for at least the first few weeks anyway.
Preparing for a new arrival into your lives is an exciting and fun time for all involved. Not knowing the sex of your child doesn’t mean you can’t plan ahead, and making sure you are ready for whichever gender they turn out to be is no mean feat. So get cracking!
my sister is expecting and i will have her read this post. thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletemy sister is expecting and i will have her read this post. thanks for sharing!
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