How to welcome home your baby

A welcome home baby sign is the easiest way to make a new mom feel special, and there are a few options you can choose from, such as balloons, signs and banners and yard signs.

Balloons

Balloons are one of the most eye-catching and inexpensive ways to announce your baby is home. You can find balloons in the color of your choice at any big box store, as well as balloon garland kits. There are balloons that specifically say, “Welcome Home Baby Boy” or “Welcome Home Baby Girl,” as well as balloons shaped like baby bottles, pacifiers and storks. You can tie balloons to the mailbox, or to a planter in the yard. Indoors, balloons can be weighted down around the mantle, or tied to a banister in the entryway.

Signs and banners

Signs and banners to welcome home baby and mom can be put inside or outside. You can buy one from a big box store, or you can have one custom-made on a site like Etsy. It could say, “Welcome Home, Baby!” or “Congratulations!” It could also say something more specific like the baby’s first name. If you are going with an outdoor banner to hang on your door or windows, make sure it’s weatherproof so that the colors don’t bleed when wet.

Yard signs

You can make a custom yard sign or have one made to put in front of your house to let neighbors know you have a new baby. Popular shapes include storks, baby bottles and teddy bears. Some people even opt to tie it into the nursery theme and go with signs that play into a jungle theme, nautical theme or floral theme, for example.

If you are doing an outdoor yard sign, make sure it’s weatherproof and very stable. (Most come with a stake you can drive into the ground.) What you want to put on the sign is up to you—you can do the name, weight, length or time. If you include the name, leave the last name off for privacy reasons. You can even add a secondary sign that says something like, “Big brother is so excited!” or “Big sister is so happy!” There are companies you can rent more generic signs from as well

You’ll want to make sure you have the basics for your baby when he or she arrives home from the hospital. It might seem like an overwhelming amount of things, but remember that a baby shower registry can help take the burden off the new parents, as can buying things secondhand. Necessities such as these need to be set up before baby comes home:

• Crib or bassinet: You’ll want to have the crib or bassinet assembled, as well as a crib mattress, mattress protector and sheets.
• Changing table: A changing station, whether an actual changing table or changing pad on a dresser, should be set up for diaper changes. Newborns go through about 8-12 diapers a day, so having a place to accomplish this is a must. A diaper caddy or cart with diapers, wipes, creams and a diaper removal system is also essential.
• Baby swing: You won’t really know if your baby will take to a swing until he or she is put into it, but you’ll want to save yourself the trouble of assembling it in the moment by having it set up before the baby comes home.
• Rocker or glider: A good rocker or glider should be ready to go in the nursery for all those feedings and naps.
• Car seat: You’ll need to have the car seat installed as the due date approaches. It’s a good idea to go ahead and get it installed as soon as you get it, because you never know when your baby might be coming! Read the instruction manual and get familiar with all the parts and pieces. If you are having trouble installing the car seat, find a National Child Passenger Safety Tech to help you.

For more information about what you need for a newborn, check out this essential newborn checklist.

Family and friends can help out while they wait for a new mother and baby to come home from the hospital by preparing a few things, such as:

• A meal plan or meal train: Prepared foods are a new parent’s best friend, as there is no time to cook food or clean it up when the baby is feeding around the clock. Have food prepared and frozen, or start a meal train. A meal train is where friends and family can sign up for a slot to bring new parents a meal.
• A postpartum kit: The hospital will send new moms home with some postpartum supplies, but they will want to have things like a peri bottle, pads, disposable mesh underwear and ice packs waiting at home. This is a great gift basket idea for a baby shower as well!
• A plan for house help: All the household tasks can stack up while a new family is surviving those first few weeks. Friends and family can help out by creating a rotation where they come over and help with basic household tasks. Grandparents can also do the same.
• A breastfeeding kit: If a new mom is breastfeeding or pumping, she’ll want to have things set up for her, such as a pumping station or cart, nursing pads, a bottle or pump washing station and clothing such as pajamas and shirts with easy access like buttons and zippers.

The first few days and weeks of parenthood can be unpredictable, but the more you plan, the more you can enjoy and celebrate your newborn.