Tips for Reducing Stress When Moving with a Newborn Baby

Welcoming a baby into your family is hugely exciting but not without its challenges as your family is adjusting to an entirely new rhythm. Combine that with a move, and you could have a recipe for disaster – unless you follow these tried and tested tips for reducing stress when moving with a newborn or a small child. Read on to find out more. 

Create a Baby-Friendly Moving Checklist

Even if your new baby is your first, you will have noticed that welcoming a new family member means changing almost every aspect of your previous routine. Trying to stick to your pre-baby lifestyle will simply cause more stress. Adapting your life and putting the baby’s needs first tends to work much better and lead to happier, stress-free days and nights. 

Take the same approach to your move: no matter how many times you have moved before, this move is different. The best decision you can make before your move is to arrange every aspect of it around the baby’s needs. 

This starts by creating a baby-friendly moving checklist. Your checklist should include the items you need right up until you change locations, what your baby needs on moving day, and which items you’ll need first in your new home. 

Aside from listing items you need, think about whether you need to ask friends and family to help with babysitting. Asking grandparents to take care of your baby for a few hours or an entire day allows you to concentrate on the move without having to worry about your baby’s comfort and safety. 

Set Up a Safe and Comfortable Environment

If you need to look after your baby during the move itself, think about setting up safe and comfortable baby-friendly environments in your old and your new home. This could be as simple as making sure there are enough blankets and cushions available in a quiet area of your old house to avoid upsetting your baby with all the busyness around it. 

Consider packing an extensive ‘go bag’ with enough baby supplies to cover the last few hours in your old home, the journey to the new place, and the first few hours in the new home. 

If possible, unpack at least some of your nursery furniture first. The room doesn’t need to be perfect. Unpacking just enough to settle your baby and allow them to stay away from the rest of the moving frenzy will make a huge difference to your and your baby’s stress levels. Try including familiar items such as favorite toys to make the transition easier. 

Keep Your Baby Engaged During the Moving Process

Think of all the things that generally help keep your baby happy or get their attention. Favorite toys, a favorite family member, or time with a family pet can all help keep your baby or young child engaged during the move. If your kids are slightly older, it’s a good idea to allow them to pack some of their most treasured possessions, ready to unpack them in the new home. 

Hire Professional Movers for Assistance

When planning a move, hiring professional movers may seem like a luxury, especially if you have moved home plenty of times already. But remember what we said at the beginning of this article – this move is different. Asking professional movers for help frees up your time. You will still be part of the process, helping plan and map out the details of the move. 

But rather than juggling the entire move whilst looking after your baby, you can concentrate on spending time with your child during the process. Professional movers can manage the entire move for you, including packing your possessions, picking them up from the old home, putting them in temporary storage if required, and delivering them to the new home when you’re ready. 

The idea is to create as smooth and seamless a transition as possible for your entire family. Hiring professional movers means all you have to manage is your baby during the move. You can ask your moving contractor to help with setting up the nursery in the new place, too. What’s more, experienced moving companies and their staff has handled moves with babies and young children before, so they can share some of their insights and provide advice that is tailored to your situation. 

Stay Positive and Embrace the Adventure

Last, but not least, one of the most important things to remember is to stay positive and treat the entire move as an adventure. No one is expecting the day to be perfect and without little snags here and there – least of all your baby. Many babies and young children are simply happy to be close it Mom and Dad (and perhaps a favorite toy), and discover the world. 

By moving house, discovering a new world is exactly what you’re doing. Take your baby on a tour of the new home. They may not understand in detail what each room will be used for, but that’s not the most important part. Showing your baby that you’re comfortable in the new surroundings will lower their stress levels and allow them to discover their new home rather than feel unsettled. 

Never mind the boxes, and don’t put yourself under undue pressure to unpack everything within a day or two. That’s simply unrealistic. Instead, spend time organizing your belongings into things you will need soon and others that can be unpacked in good time. This may mean that it takes longer to pack, but it also allows you to unpack more efficiently. 

Conclusion

Moving is hardly ever entirely stress-free, but there are plenty of tips and tricks to help reduce the stress of moving day. Take the time to plan and prepare as much as possible ahead of time. Don’t be afraid to ask friends and family members for help, or consider hiring professional movers. Professional help can be a true game changer, especially for long-distance or more complex moves. Above all, enjoy the adventure of discovering your new home with your new baby!