One of the best things about having a second child is knowing what is coming. Sure, each baby is different, and each situation is different, but at least having a general idea of what to expect makes the whole experience a little less terrifying.
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I have been stocking up little by little since we found out we were having another. We don’t find out the gender of our baby, which makes it a little more difficult to prep ahead of time, but every time I go to the store, I get an extra pack of diapers. I finally took inventory a month or so ago and quit buying, because I had so many. However, I wasn’t sure I actually had enough until I found this chart by LifeBeyondLaundry.
As the birth of our second gets closer, I keep finding more and more things to add to my list that I know I won’t want to go out and get when I am trying to establish milk supply and get used to taking care of two at a time. I’ve broken it down into paper products, mommy care, food, baby care, toiletries, and last minute stock ups.
Paper Products/Laundry:
Toilet paper
Kleenex
Paper towels
Detergent
Fabric Softener
Mommy Care:
Nursing pads
Pantyliners
Pads
Milk storage bags
Food:
Canned goods (what items does your family eat a lot of? For us this list includes beans, canned mushrooms, applesauce)
Box mixes (these items again differ from family to family. For example, we don’t eat a lot of Hamburger Helper, but I will make a lot of mac n cheese for my toddler for lunch, and we host a lot, so I added brownie mix, too)
Frozen foods (again, variable. For us, steamable veggies is high priority, chicken nuggets, frozen pizza)
Dry goods (rice, pasta, oatmeal, flour)
Foods that CAN be frozen (butter, bread, meat - buy extra, throw them in the freezer for later)
Extra meals -- if you're feeling ambitious, make extra meals for later and freeze them in containers
Baby Care:
Diapers
Pull ups
Wipes
Desitin
Baby shampoo
Baby lotion
Infant fever reducer
Toiletries:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body Wash
Last Minute Stock Ups (Perishables, but you’ll want them in that first week):
The best way to stock up on these is to ask a family member to hit the store for you when you are on your way to the hospital - make sure they have a key! Then your house will be ready for you to come home to.
Eggs
Milk
Produce
Of course, by the time you run out of something, you will probably be going stir-crazy and NEED to get out of the house, no matter how you are feeling or how hard it will be with an extra child than you are used to having. Good luck with those new little ones, mommas! You're superheroes.
*Disclaimer: Some of the links you see may be affiliate links. All that means is if you click through and end up making a purchase, I’ll earn a commission.