There’s a common misconception that moving with a baby is impossible. It is harder to do, but it isn’t impossible if you plan right. Here are some of the things that you should consider doing before moving into your new house with your newborn.
House shopping
Before moving, one of the first challenges is house shopping. Coordinating walkthroughs, finding a loan with a good rate, and performing inspections can take weeks of meetings and phone calls. You might be tempted to find a sitter while you tour potential homes, but it can be a good idea to take your child with you. This will help you picture your family living in the house and, in some cases, get a sense for whether your baby will feel comfortable in their new environment.
Consistency is key
Babies like to have consistency. They thrive off of routine. Moving will disrupt their routine if you don’t do it right. Pack a little bit each day around their schedule so that you don’t have to stay up all night before your move. Keep their routine as consistent as possible through the moving experience. Use childcare if you’re helping with the move yourself and so that you can get your new house set up.
Do the nursery first
Start with the nursery. Make this room look as similar to the old nursery as possible. You don’t want your baby to get thrown off by their new surroundings. Another thing to take into account is to make your bedroom look as familiar as possible. This will provide a restful place for you and your baby to get back into your old routine. You may even want to set up the whole house before you bring your baby into it.
Look into co-sleeping options
Consider co-sleeping until everyone is used to their new environment. This will give your baby a little bit of piece of mind amidst all of the other changes that have been occurring. Babies often don’t do well with complete changes in their environment, so allowing them to sleep with you will help them to sleep better, and when your baby sleeps better, everyone sleeps better.
Childproof your new home
Your next task after your new home is set up is to start the childproofing process. Get down on the level of your baby so that you can see what they see. This will help you to identify any hazards that exist in your new home. Everything is new to everyone, and this can lead to problems. Purchase the appropriate supplies so that you can get it taken care of as quickly as possible.
There are lots of things that you need to take into account before you move. Changes can throw off everyone’s schedule. Take these steps to mitigate the amount of change you experience.