Royal Mom: Make Baby’s First Year a Fairytale!

Advice from a modern-day princess

“Nesting is an important stage of pregnancy for you and your baby,” recalls Ivana, author of A Simple Guide to Pregnancy & Baby’s First Year. “And of course you’ll want to make sure that you have all of your bases covered. During both of my pregnancies, the nesting instinct hit me hard. I couldn’t rest until everything that might impact my babies was just right. Like most first-time parents, there was a certain amount of ‘winging it’ and guesswork before my son was born. But by the time I became pregnant with my daughter, I knew with a little more accuracy what I needed to do before my baby’s birth.” And depending on your personality and how far along you are into your pregnancy, you may also be feeling the urge to clean, organize, de-clutter, and redecorate."

Advice from a modern-day princess

Tackle your budget! Ivana knows what it's like to have to watch a budget. After all her husband is a direct descendent of Spain's Queen Isbella who borrowed against the crown jewels to finance Christopher Columbus' voyage to the New World. In that tradition, Ivana’s adamant that the most important choices she has made (and that you will make!) as a parent have little to do with money. Instead, they have everything to do with educating yourself, trusting your instincts, and eventually, paying attention to your child’s signals. "Much like taking care of paperwork," she writes, "you might be so focused on straightening up the house that you’ve pushed your budget to the back of your mind. However, it’s no secret that children cost money, and you can expect your family’s expenditures to shoot up after your newborn arrives. If you’ll be a stay-at-home mom and you’re currently working, think about how the loss of income will impact your family. And don’t forget to factor in new “constant” expenses like diapers and formula. Then start budgeting now so that you aren’t taken by surprise!"

Advice from a modern-day princess

Organize! Ivana continues: "Now we’re getting into more traditional nesting territory! Unless you’re the exception to the expectant-mother rule, you’re probably feeling the urge to organize everything: the pantry, your closet, the garage, your DVD collection, and of course, the baby’s room. Before you get elbow-deep in clothes you haven’t worn since college, take a step back and prioritize the projects that will be most useful for you with a new baby at home."

Advice from a modern-day princess

Follow the fingertip rule! In other words, when you’re organizing and de-cluttering, keep the most important things at your fingertips. So many of us have drawers, dressers, cabinets, and closets full of things we don’t often need (which makes it more difficult to store and find the things we do!). With a new baby, space is at a premium, so get tough on yourself and clean out things you use only once or twice a year.

Advice from a modern-day princess

Get low! You and your child will be spending a lot of time on the floor over the next few years. It’s time to take a fresh look at your home from a baby’s point of view. Clean and/or replace carpets, change the air filters, get a new vacuum bag (and some spares), etc.—anything to improve air quality in your house and make the floors a safe place for you and baby to play.

Advice from a modern-day princess

Finish baby’s room! Decorating, organizing, and stocking the baby’s room is a favorite activity for most soon-to-be moms. Get started as early as you want, and tweak to your heart’s content (as long as you stay within your budget, that is!).

Advice from a modern-day princess

Take care of any pesky chores you’ve been putting off. No, these probably won’t be as fun as getting the nursery ready. But they’re just as necessary—and like figuring out insurance and daycare, they’re not things you’re going to have the time, energy, and mental clarity to tackle with a newborn in the house.

Advice from a modern-day princess

Take the car in for a tune up. Get your gutters cleaned. Take the cat to the vet. Renew your license. You’ll feel so much better once the tasks you’ve been putting off have been checked off your list. And most importantly, you’ll avoid so many hassles later, like toting a newborn and a sick cat to the vet!

Advice from a modern-day princess

Hire help. The fact is, you can’t do it all. In some instances—such as heavy lifting and cleaning with strong chemicals, or if you’re on bed rest—doing it all might harm you and/or your baby. That’s why Ivana encourages you to hire help if you and your family are feeling overwhelmed. If your budget is tight but there’s work you’d like to be done, try to enlist friends and extended family. Or look for good deals on LivingSocial, Groupon, etc.