So, you have just had your baby in hospital, having packed your hospital bag correctly with clothes for you and for your beautiful new baby. Congratulations! Now the fun begins. Bringing home your baby in the car for the first time can be a nerve wracking experience, so lets get prepared.
- Car seat. Make sure you have done lots of homework on your car seat purchase, as its one of the most important baby purchases you will do. Get it fitted by the supplier or seller if you can – you want it to be as safe as possible.
- Have a little changing box or bag in the car. You should keep this filled up for future journeys too. Include things like nappies, wipes, muslin cloths, spare clothes. I would also keep a pack of household cleaning wipes too for emergency car clean ups! Also put a few nappy bags in to store dirty nappies and other rubbish. Do remember to dispose of them responsibly.
- Make sure you have enough petrol, and you know the way back. Sounds silly, but how often do you actually travel from your local hospital? Get whoever is picking you up to check accidents and congestion – you don’t want to be stuck in traffic on that precious first journey.
- Keep the car warm but not hot. You don’t want your baby to overheat. On that note, don’t use a snowsuit even if its winter! Wrap them warmly with blankets but don’t go mad. If you don’t need a snowsuit, your baby definitely won’t!
- If you have other children, it might be worth sitting in the back with them. They will be curious about the baby and possibly also feel insecure about sharing their mum! Sit with them and sing songs about being a sibling. On that note, remember to buy your older children a present from the baby and one from you too. It helps to prevent jealousy. You could also get someone to make them some yummy treats!
I hope these tips will help make your first car journey bringing home your baby easy.
