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Grandparent Survival Kit

New Grandparent Survival Kit – Supplies to Have on-Hand for Your New Grandbaby

When you have a grandchild on the way, one of the best ways to get ready is to line up all of the supplies you need. You should talk to the parents-to-be about what specific supplies they’d like you to have on-hand, but here is a checklist of common must-have items for new grandparents.

Diapers. It’s helpful for the grandparents to have their own diaper supply. Supplies can run low quickly. Parents in a rush often forget to pack enough diapers and they’ll also come in handy for unexpected stay-overs.

Clothes. Ditto with the above about unexpected stay-overs. Keeping clothes on-hand lightens the parents’ packing load, and you’ll also have extras available for spills and accidents. Include at least one pair of pajamas as well as a sweater or light jacket.

Teething Aids. Keep your own supply of teething aids so that the baby can teethe on an appropriate toy while they are over at your house. This will also really help when the baby gets grumpy.

Safety Gates. Obtain safety gates to install around the house to keep the baby out of trouble areas. These aren’t so important for newborns but they’re essential when the baby starts going mobile.

Childproofing Supplies. Get plenty of padding, plugs and other childproofing supplies for table corners,kitchen cabinets, door handles and electrical outlets. It’s good to ready more childproofing supplies than you think you’ll need because you may find a trouble area you hadn’t anticipated before.

High Chair or Booster Seat. Get a high chair or booster seat for meal times. It’s a good idea to consult with the parents first to see what they prefer.

Eating Utensils. Stock the kitchen with baby eating utensils. This includes spoons and other silverware, sippy cups for drinking and plates for when the baby is older.

Crib. You should consider having your own crib. You can buy a portable crib that can be collapsed to preserve space.

Play Pen. Another idea is a portable play pen. Here, the baby can play and crawl around without you worrying about what they’re getting into. Like the crib, this can be collapsible to preserve space.

Bathing Supplies. Keep baby soap and shampoo, mini-towels and washcloths, and baby moisturizer on-hand so that the baby can take baths at your house.

Stroller. Another good item to have is a lightweight umbrella stroller. If there’s one at your house, the folks don’t have to bring one each time.

Baby First-Aid. A good baby first-aid might include a thermometer and pain medication that is okay for babies. Ask the parents what brand of diaper rash ointment they prefer and have that on hand as well.

Supplies for Outings. Keep baby-use sunscreen and bug spray on-hand for any outdoor adventures you’ll take. Make sure it’s something all-natural and safe for babies.

Toys. Very young babies need little in the way of toys however they are fun to purchase! As you are buying toys for your new grandchild, consider starting with flexible teething toys or light and graspable rattles.

Books. Also, you should keep books on-hand. Babies are never too young to start enjoying books. The best books to start with are board books with thick pages that can handle rough treatment or cloth books with pages that will not tear.

Talk to the parents and coordinate together which supplies you’ll keep at your house. Whatever you can have on-hand will lighten the load for them and make it much easier for them when they visit.

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