Bringing home a newborn baby is a beautiful and exciting life event! But, what if you receive a last minute call, “we have been working with a mom that just had a baby, she has selected you…. How soon can you get here?”, and you have to travel to another state! What do you need to do first? What baby things should you have to bring baby home? What is important and what is not necessary right away? Here are a few tips that may help you with the planning and, hopefully, will put your mind at ease.
There are pre-planning tips you can do to make this process go smoothly and give you peace of mind:
- Have you told your employers you are adopting and you may need to take time off at a very short notice?
- Have someone you trust lined up to care for your home if you have to be gone for an extended period of time, such as to another state for placement
- If you have children, have a tentative plan of care for them while you are gone
- If you have pets, have a tentative plan of care for them while you are gone
- Have a car seat purchased and know how to install it and how to adjust the straps
- Have a ‘baby bag’ ready to go for a hospital call. A hospital ready to go bag can include neutral colored clothing items, blankets, and bottles you want to use.
- The hospital will most likely send home some ready to use bottles of formula that baby is used to, and diapers. You may purchase the diapers and formula once you know what to buy.
- Your nursery does not have to be complete… you mainly need a place for baby to sleep once you arrive home, such as a bassinet
- Keep track of flyer miles and hotel points in the event you will need them for booking last minute trips
- Set up a group email, Group Me, text group, etc., to update family and friends of any news or needs that you might have
Additionally, family and friends love to prepare your house for your arrival home. This may include cooking meals for you, putting together the crib, buying baby clothes, washing the clothes, etc. It is a way for them to be involved and is very helpful! Allow others to help you, especially in rushed placements like a hospital call.