5 Things I Wish I Had Known When Prepping For a Baby

Prepping for a baby has become a project manager’s dream. There are lists to make, reviews to read and purchases to be made. The best and worst part is that you have 9 months to do it. So, here are the things I wish I had known when prepping for a baby (aka my first time parent learnings).

5 things I wish I had known when prepping for a baby

The more stuff you get the more you have to store

Social media makes you believe you need a ton of things to take care of a baby. While many gadgets might be useful, there is something to keep in mind: the more you buy the more you will have to store. Part of having a newborn is the stuff that comes with it, but going overboard might mean you will be spending a great deal of time organizing, storing and rearranging as more things come in.

Borrow when you can

Babies decide what they like and, if they decide they don’t like something, nothing you do will change their mind. When prepping for a baby, I recommend you borrow the fancy carrier, baby hammock or bouncer if you can. Not only might you be able to save money if you can borrow it for an extended period of time, but you may also avoid buying something that your child will just not use. Borrowing vs buying is one of the key things I wish I had known when prepping for a baby - you’ll save so much space and money!

Buy electronics only when you need them

Nowadays, you can get anything delivered to your door within a few days. Take advantage of this by not buying electronics you might need until you actually need them. That way, if they break or don't work, you are more likely to be within the item’s warranty and will have an easier time getting it fixed or replaced.

Having more than 14 sets of clothes is excessive

Buying clothes is one of the most exciting aspects of prepping for a baby. However, speaking as someone who ended up with 44 newborn pajamas, 30 were definitely not needed. Most people do laundry at least once a week and, with a baby, maybe even more often due to blow outs (i.e. poop explosions) or some other lovely bodily fluid coming out. Save yourself the wardrobe space and the future storage space by capping the clothes for each size to 14. I would even go for less but baby clothes are cute!

Organize some help

Whether money is tight or not, getting and accepting help is difficult for previously strong independent women of the birthing variety. But, whether it's against your nature or not, trust me, have some family, friends, neighbors on standby to help with food prep or grocery shopping or pick up something at the pharmacy or hold the baby while you wash your hair and let the water pass over you like it once did before you became a parent.

When prepping for a baby, getting the nursery ready is the fun part. Keeping everything organized is not. As the old adage says, less is more. That’s where Joona comes in. You can log all your blood tests, doctor’s reports and vaccinations in one place, digitally. Ready for when you will need it, out of sight for when you don't. 

Subscribe to our waitlist at joonaapp.com and follow us on Instagram to stay informed about Joona’s launch, new product features, and for more tips and resources to help you through this exciting time.