Preparing for your baby's arrival
Baby is on the way
You will have new and more pressing questions towards the end of your pregnancy. Now is the time to make material arrangements for your baby's arrival in your home.
Basic baby clothes
3 clothing sizes cover the first 6 months. Remember that the first size only fits babies for a few weeks. Buy softly elastic cotton items. Look for sizes: birth, 1 month, 3 months.
Don't buy too many of these ahead of time so you don't get things wrong about the size.
You will mainly need: pyjamas, vests, a wool or cotton cardigan, sleepsuits, bodysuits, socks and booties, and a baby blanket. A hat is useful for baby's first outings.
Towels or a towelling poncho for baths.
2 important items to keep your baby comfortable and safe:
- Short and long-sleeved cotton bodysuits with snaps to quickly slip them on without pulling over the head.
- A sleeping bag or bunting: layer this over baby's pyjamas instead of using a duvet; choose the right thickness for your climate and home temperature.
Furnishing your baby's room
With some basic precautions, your baby will be safe in her room, which should be easy to clean:
- Use a floor with a smooth finish; no shaggy carpets at hand level when she starts crawling.
- Power outlets should be out of reach or have secure socket covers.
- Avoid carpeting, rugs, and thick curtains to prevent allergens and exposing baby to mites.
- If you want to renovate her bedroom, do so several weeks before your due date: paint and new furnishings can sometimes release toxic fumes.
Bed
A crib or a cot?
The crib can be used until your baby is 3 months old. She will sleep in her cot until she is 2 or 3 years old. Her bed and cot must be stable and meet the highest safety standards.
- If the inner lining is made of fabric, you should be able to remove and wash it.
- If the cot has bars, the spacing between them should be between 4.5 cm and 6 cm.
- Mattress should be firm and adapted to the frame so that there isn't a gap. Choose the materials with underpads for potential anti-suffocation protection, which can be found in hospitals.
- Your midwife and paediatrician will recommend that you let baby sleep on her back, without a pillow or a duvet to avoid any risk of suffocation.
- Protect her sleep area with a mosquito net if necessary.
Being well prepared
Check out our suggestions on baby equipment and things to pack in your maternity bag.
Ready for birth
Identify the signs of active labour, be ready for the different stages of childbirth, prepare your mind and body for birth, prepare your maternity bag and your baby's things. Having your check-up and a birth plan will help you be in charge of this life-changing event.
Preparing for birth
Good childbirth preparation will help you feel more relaxed, so you can experience your last months of pregnancy with more peace of mind. Your midwife will advise you on antenatal classes that are the most adapted to your needs. Be sure to discuss this with her.
Antenatal approaches
Yoga
Yoga teaches you how to listen to your body and manage fatigue, stress, anxiety, and muscle pain. It works on breath, flexibility, and muscle tone.
Prenatal haptonomy
Haptonomy can be practised as a couple or with a close friend. It aims to improve bonds of affection, prepares you for parenthood, and reduces fear of the birth. Dads get used to positions that will help you during labour.
Sophrology
Focusing on letting go and self-awareness, this effective relaxation method includes breathing and visualisation. Helps you release muscular tension.
Swimming
A great all-round exercise. Since the weight of your body is supported by water, swimming helps you feel lighter while maintaining your muscle tone while being beneficial to back pain and general tension. It also improves blood circulation.
Perineal preparation
These methods help you recover from pregnancy by helping you maintain your flexibility and muscle tone.
Preparing for birth as a group will also provide opportunities to connect with other future mums.
Our answers to your questions
The onset of labour is not always obvious, especially if this is your first pregnancy. One of the main signs of labour is long, regular, painful uterine contractions, which you will feel in the abdomen and lower back.