Bringing your newborn baby home for the first time is the most exciting moment for the baby’s parents. It is a day you will never forget. So you should make this day (and all the days to follow) extra special by bringing your little bundle of joy to a secure and happy environment.
How can you create a clean home for your newborn baby? Consider these pointers:
1 A thorough clean-up before baby arrives. The house must receive a thorough spring cleaning just a few days before the baby arrives. If you cannot do this by yourself, you can hire professional house cleaners for the job. Make sure every inch of the house is scrubbed, wiped, cleaned and buffed to perfection. A clean environment is essential because your baby’s immunity will not be sufficiently developed in the first few months – the chances of catching infections is higher in the first year of the child’s life.
2 Make a dedicated diaper changing station. After the baby arrives, you must organise your home so that you can find all the baby’s things in a jiffy when required. You will need to change the baby often, so set up a space in the house to do so. It can be a pull-out table top on which you place a little mattress. Make sure the surface has raised edges so that the baby does not roll off! Keep wipes, pre-prepared soap solution, talcum powder and diapers at arm’s length from the changing station.
3 Keep wipes and cleaners handy. Once your baby begins to stay awake longer, he will like to explore his world and also wave his arms and legs about as he pleases. He might spit up undigested milk often, and when he begins to crawl, his curiosity will lead him to explore the furniture and the spaces under them. Not only is it essential to mop up food and beverage spills at once before your baby can get to them, but to also gently wipe up any vomit or spit from his face and clothes. Make sure to use mild cleaning solutions on the floor so that they do not harm your baby.
4 Wash the baby’s clothes separately. Your newborn baby’s clothes are delicate and merit a separate wash from the rest of your laundry load. Make sure you use only mild antibacterial detergent for your baby’s clothes, and fabric softeners so that the clothes fibres do not irritate him. Soak all dirty clothes separately before washing them with the rest of the baby’s laundry.
5 Sterilise the baby’s bottles and feed time items. The first time your newborn baby accepts a feeding bottle is a landmark event for both the child and the parent. It is advisable to sterilise the baby’s bottle before its first use, in boiling water (bottle, nipple, rings and all) and air drying them. For subsequent use, you can wash the feeding bottle, baby’s plate, spoon and sipping cup with a mild disinfectant soap.