Practically all parents have been there. You return home from the hospital and if you are lucky, it is a clean and tidy home in which you know where everything is and exactly when you will need it. But with the arrival of your new Miss/Master, sleep and any semblance of order (as you know them) are abandoned.
These are a few things I have learnt...
Change kit - maintain one in each room you are likely to spend time in amd/or on each floor of your house; include multiple nappies, wipes, hand sanitiser and a change mat/towel. My kits also include spare clothes and muslin cloths as my Miss had, and Master has reflux.
Breastfeeding? - keep a (full) large drink container and snacks within arm’s reach of the places you feed Miss/Master. It seems sitting still is a trigger for hunger and thirst.
Bathroom - go at every opportunity. I really mean it! At the least, before you sit down to feed Miss/Master as like hunger and thirst, there is nothing like being ‘parked’ for the foreseeable to bring on the need to ‘go’.
Night time nappies - if Miss/Master is in with you in the early days, treat your bedroom like any other place you spend a great deal of your time and keep a change kit to hand for those indecent hour nappy changes.
Night time clothes - if Miss/Master is likely to require fresh clothes in the night keep a small pile with your change kit in an easy to locate place, eg in the dark with one eye closed.
Clothes washing - if you are using a clothes airer, set it up next to the change table and clothes cupboard/chest of drawers. Whether you found time to fold and put away clothes or not, everything dry will be within reach.
Sleeping - it would be remiss of me not to repeat the words of (likely) every first time parent, sleep when Miss/Master sleeps!
So, is there order amongst newborn chaos? No. Well not like before Miss/Master's arrival. But fragmented order is entirely possible...
Next time: 5 toddler travel tips (The Short Haul)
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