Moving to a new home is one of life’s most stressful events, but moving with a newborn adds even more complexity. You’ll deal with the usual emotional stress that comes from leaving what you know behind, managing the logistics of your relocation, and settling into a new place, but you’ll also be caring for a little one who may deprive you of sleep and demand your attention.
Ensuring you meet your baby’s needs while relocating isn’t easy, but careful planning and preparation can help you calmly manage your move. Our team at Move-tastic! in Chicago has put together this guide on moving with a newborn.
Preparing for the Move
Preparing to relocate can help you stay organized and ensure you don’t overlook key tasks. Make time for these activities for a smoother moving process.
Chat With Your Pediatrician
Your pediatrician is your first port of call for all things baby, including your relocation plans. They’ll probably have tips for keeping your baby safe and healthy during the moving process. Most can refer you to a good pediatrician in your new location or at least help you find one. They can also ensure your baby’s immunizations are current and that you have enough medications for your move. You may be asked to sign a request form during your appointment, which lets your clinic send your baby’s records to their new doctor.
Pick the Right Time to Move
Your moving experience can vary depending on your newborn’s age. The first six to eight weeks with a newborn can be chaotic as you adjust to new sleeping schedules, childcare duties, and a flood of postpartum emotions. Most experts say this is the most stressful time for moving with newborn babies. After that, life settles down a little, so you may be able to move with professional help. Remember that if you gave birth, your body will take several months to heal, so you should take it easy and wait at least six months before attempting a DIY relocation.
Make a Moving Checklist
Creating a moving checklist helps you complete key moving tasks without forgetting anything. Your checklist should include standard moving tasks and jobs related to moving your newborn. Some important items for your checklist might include:
- Finding a pediatrician in your new city
- Booking baby-friendly hotels for your time in transit
- Scheduling childcare for moving day
- Researching baby-friendly rest stops during travel
- Packing a bag of baby essentials for the journey
Making the Move Stress-Free
Thorough preparation can make moving day run smoothly and keep your whole family’s stress levels low.
Follow Packing Tips
Preparation is important, but resist the urge to pack too early. Pack items according to use — keep items you use often accessible for as long as possible. Store packed boxes in an empty room to reduce clutter, and close the door to stop your baby from tampering with them.
Tackle the baby’s room last to keep their items handy. Tape a plastic baggy of hardware to the disassembled crib so you can assemble it quickly when you arrive at your new home. Packing a bag of essential baby items can help you care for and entertain your newborn during the move.
Make Baby-Friendly Travel Plans
If you’re moving far, make sure your travel plans suit you and your baby. Researching baby-friendly businesses on your route, such as rest stops with changing facilities and hotels with cribs, can help you care for your baby while you’re on the road. If you’re traveling by air, choosing a direct flight can be less disruptive than one with a layover. Research airlines to find which carriers other new parents recommend and what rules apply.
Stick to Your Routines
Moving can impact your schedule, but it’s important to stick to your core routine as much as possible. Routines provide stability that helps your baby feel happy and settled, so try to maintain their regular feeding and sleeping schedule. Routines can also reduce stress in adults, so you should all feel better for making the effort.
Setting Up Your New Home
Setting up a new home can seem like an insurmountable task, so prioritize the most important jobs. Taking care of these tasks first can help you feel more settled and capable of crossing more off your to-do list.
Set Up the Nursery
Your nursery is your baby’s oasis, so setting it up can help them, and in turn you, feel more settled. Once the nursery is set up, they can start adjusting to their new space. You can also feel confident that everything you need to care for them is accessible.
Babyproof Your New Home
Babyproofing your new home helps you feel confident your little one is safe in their new surroundings. Assess each room and write ways to manage its risks on a babyproofing checklist. You can mark off items after installing products to increase your newborn’s safety. Key items on your babyproofing checklist might include:
- Installing baby gates near stairs to restrict access
- Adding stove knob covers to prevent operation
- Securing TVs, dressers, and bookshelves to walls
- Adding locks to cupboard doors, trash cans, and toilet seats
- Putting soft covers over the bathtub faucet and knobs
Organize Health Care
If you haven’t already found health care providers for your baby, yourself, and your other family members, don’t waste time when you arrive. You never know when you’ll have a medical crisis, so it’s important to have a health care team close by that you can trust. Make sure they have your current medical records for consistent care in your new hometown.
Keep Your Cool During Your Family Move
Relocating isn’t easy for anyone, so be gentle with yourself during this time of transition. Remember, you’re also dealing with being a new parent, which makes your move harder. Simply getting the job done makes you a rockstar. Tasks may get forgotten or completed late, but creating checklists and prioritizing the most important jobs can help. If it all gets too much, make sure to ask for assistance. From your family and friends to the team at Move-tastic!, there are plenty of people ready to support you and your family in any way they can.
Laughing with Aunt Sissy by Karen Sheets de Gracia is licensed with CC BY 2.0