Welcoming your baby home

Preparing to welcome your baby into this world usually means some reading, some purchases and a lot of planning and dreaming about the future. We all want what is best for them - and if possible, have everything that our baby might need. However, our newborn baby needs very few material things to feel loved and cared for. They need a safe place to sleep, warm clothing and a few diapers. They need nutrition and if you are going to breastfeed your baby, then your baby will need continuous access to its mothers breasts. A newborn baby needs to be close to you almost all of the time. Your baby really does not know a world where he/she is not in your constant presence, listening to your heartbeat, moving along with your steps and listening to the conversations and sounds around the womb. Therefore, it is quite natural for your baby to still want to feel the security and safety of your arms, your heartbeat and your voice. Little by little, your baby will learn that the crib is also a safe place to be. 

When we are expecting a baby, it is quite normal also to feel that everything should be ready - and at hand in our home. This is, however, not really necessary as in most places in Iceland you can easily access stores with anything that you might need at a moments notice. You don’t really need to own every gadget advertised, even though they might seem important and helpful. For example, if you need something for breastfeeding, such as a bottle or a nipple shield, you can buy this when the problem arises. It is completely unnecessary to have these at hand “just in case”. The same goes for formula, nail clippers and thermometers. 

To ensure the safety of your baby while traveling by car, you will need a good car seat. You can find information about safe carseats here: 

https://www.samgongustofa.is/umferd/fraedsla-og-oryggi/oryggi/born-i-bil/ad-velja-rettan-bunad/