The reason you are landing on this page is probably because you would like to have some control over what is going on in this very unpredictable 2020, I totally understand you. Preparation is key and one of the things that make me feel more in control is being prepared for something I have no control over. Don't worry, I am not going to tell you to buy ten packets of toilet paper.
How can you prepare for a lock down with newborns?
Toilet paper is actually easier to buy than nappies or clothes for babies since you will have no idea when the lock down is going to happen, what the size your baby will be by that time and what size nappies, clothes or even milk powder you will need if you are not breastfeeding. The thing that you do know is, they will going to need a bigger size soon anyway so there will be no harm in buying it already (do watch out for the expiry date on the milk though). Now there is a difference between preparing and to hoard. If the hoarders of toilet paper made an actual calculation of how much rolls they use per week, they would have know that ten packs would have been way too much even if their family would use one roll a day. Anyway, getting one extra nappy pack in a size bigger every time you buy nappies would be a good way to prepare. The same with clothes. If you need new rompers for the size your baby is in now, buy a size up at the same time.
What else can I do to prepare for a lock down?
Try to think two months ahead with your baby. You might need a new nipple for the bottle, a different size dummy or if s/he start on solids in a couple of months, you can actually prepare for that now already. Have a look here for all tips and tricks about preparing baby food. There are some amazing products on the market that can help you in your preparation like the Weinmeister. Not only for baby can you prepare food, but also for yourself. What I do for myself is make a gigantic pot of fresh pasta sauce with everything from scratch and even during these winter days I grill all the vegetables (aubergine, carrot, onion, capsicum, courgettes etc) first for some extra flavor in the sauce. I let the pasta sauce cook for the day and after dinner save the left overs in the freezer for the days I just can't get myself to cook. What I also do is cook double every time I cook - one meal for dinner and the other meal for in the freezer for another time.
What have I learned from the last lock down?
You might know that I don't have young children anymore, but even so I was caught out by the lock down since I still have growing children. Luckily online shopping was super easy so I made some new accounts with several stores that made it easy for me to order clothes. However I was quite disappointed by the amount of weeks I had to wait for books I had ordered. Most of the books I ordered before the lock down at the beginning of the year and eighty percent arrived after the lock down. Yes, it took most books three months to arrive. Quite a shocker to be honest but a learning curve and a tip for you, buy books in your local bookshop now so you won't get disappointed later in the year.
There is help out there
While for some a lock down is a gift, for some it is not pleasant at all. After the last lock down there are more people online now than before and there is help out there. This year is not easy and you do not have to do this by yourself. Organisations like Beyond Blue, Peach Tree or Panda are there to help or guide you. There are also several organisations that have started online mother groups. Please don't hesitate to contact us at Cradle Care if you need help finding a group that will suit you.
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