10 Things To Do Before Baby #2 Arrives

“This post has been sponsored by Gerber. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

I can’t believe I’m already in my third trimester! This pregnancy has FLOWN by! I’m sure it has something to do with chasing a toddler around all day or the fact that he’s arriving during/potentially on a major holiday. My family is currently making bets on if he’ll arrive before or after Christmas!

Decisions on diapers, wipes and formula come to mind in the third trimester, which is why I’m partnering with Gerber® today and sharing my 10 things I’m doing before baby boy arrives and why I’m choosing to stock up on Gerber® Good Start® GentlePro Formula.

10 Things To Do Before Baby #2 Arrives

1.     Preparing Freezer Meals – Let me start off by saying I’m not the best cook! After Ava was born, we ate takeout more than I even want to admit. Once we got back in our groove and started making simple meals at home (I’m talking sandwiches), I was kicking myself for not preparing meals ahead of time. I’m getting in front of this time around hoping it’ll make a world of a difference. I highly suggest searching online for something along the lines of “freezer meals make ahead.” You’ll find so many easy and quick meals that’ll take no time to heat up with a newborn. 

2. Look into Curbside or Grocery Deliver – I know this has been around for quite a while, but I just tried it out a few weeks ago (late to the game here!!) and it’s GLORIOUS! Our grocery store didn’t offer delivery to our house, but did offer curbside pickup. I literally ordered everything the night before and scheduled a pickup for the next morning. I left and came back home within 15 minutes. If you’re worried about the additional cost, let me shed light some light on it. My order was only $2.75 more than what it would cost for me to wrangler my toddler around a store and take up 20-30 minutes of my day. Well worth it in my opinion. 

3.     Have a Plan B – I was lucky enough to breastfeed, well exclusively pump, with Ava when she was a baby. In all things nesting and having a toddler this time around, I’m making sure I have a back up in case breastfeeding doesn’t work out this time. Gerber® has been a trusted name in our house since Ava was born and still today we eat the toddler chips and snacks. All that to say, when I was at Walmart the other week, I picked up the Gerber® Good Start® GentlePro Formula. It’s modeled after the complete nutrition and gentleness of breast milk and is the first and only formula with both prebiotics and probiotics to promote gut health in tiny tummies. If you’ve used the Gerber brand before, it has a new look, but it’s still the same great formula on the inside.
There is currently an Ibotta offer for:
○ Earn $5.00 Cash Back on Ibotta on ONE (1) Gerber Formula (19.04 oz or larger) *Restrictions may apply

4.     Schedule Newborn Photos – We waited until last minute with Ava and I got lucky on finding an amazing photographer. I didn’t really know how the scheduling of newborn photos worked the first time, so let me break it down for you guys! Since you know your projected little one’s arrival, the best time to schedule with a photographer is in your third trimester. Once you’ve secured your spot, your scheduled shoot time can shift, depending on when baby makes their arrival. For example, Ava was born at 38 weeks but then spent 8 days in the NICU. I kept my photographer up to date on when she was born as well as when we were released from the hospital so we could narrow down a date and time. My original date was moved, but I still secured a spot, does that make sense?

5.Start Buying Your Postpartum Wardrobe – Obviously, this is dependent on what time of year you give birth. With Ava born in August, I needed more tank tops and shorts. With baby boy arriving in December, I plan on stocking up on cozy clothes: leggings, long sleeve shirts, socks and slippers. If you’re one of the fortunate ones that bounces back like 2 weeks later, congrats to you. For the majority, I recommend buying at least 1 size up from your pre-pregnancy size. The swelling takes a little while to go down and you want to have a few transition pieces. 

6.Pack Your Hospital Bag – For me, this will be biggest difference between the first and second baby. With Ava, I packed all the things. You would’ve thought we were going on a week long trip rather than to the hospital. I recommend bringing the basics and the basics only. I’ll do a whole post on this in the coming weeks. 

7. Look for Big Sister/Big Brother Gifts – I’m so excited about this one for Ava. We plan on making her a cute little basket for the hospital. I plan to put a few things she loves, such as books and a few toys. I also plan to get a gift from the baby to give her.

8.Get Pampered – Not only does it feel good, but treat yourself to a mani and pedi! 

9.    Schedule a Date Night – Whether this is your first baby or second baby, things are about to change! With Ava being 2, our diaper bag is pretty minimal, sometimes I even carry just my purse, and we can be out with her all day or half days. With a newborn, things are different, and sleep is less frequent. Schedule either a family date or a date with just your spouse for a little one-on-one time before your new baby comes.

10.     Double Check Your Stock – The last thing I’m doing to prepare is making sure I’m well stocked. Stocked on diapers, wipes, bottles, toilet paper, paper towels…you name it. Since he’ll be born in December, the last thing I want to do is get out in the cold. Plus, you’ll use your everyday essentials eventually, so better to be over-prepared!

That’s it! That’s the 10 tips I’m abiding by in the final weeks. I hope this was helpful for all the new and expecting moms!