Preparing for a Baby: Five Things You Can Do to Get Ready for Your Newborn

So you're pregnant, you've read the books, you're eating right and you are all ready, right? Well, truth is you can never be 100 percent done preparing for having a baby. But fear not. Preparing for baby ahead of time with these five tips will help make things go smoother later on.

1. Save, save, save! Having a baby is a big expensive. Put your post-partum mind at ease by preparing for baby with a good sized savings. The more money you save now, the easier it will be after you give birth. No room in your budget for saving? There are some easy ways to earn a little extra cash. For instance, you could write articles for a site like Associated Content and put the money away. Another great idea for preparing is to purchase gift cards to all purpose stores like the grocery store or Target with each paycheck. Collecting $20 gift cards can add up and really help offset costs later on.

2. Sign up! Signing up with diaper and formula companies such as Huggies, Pampers, Enfamil, and Similac early on is an essential step in preparing for baby. They will send lots of samples and coupons your way and they help a lot. Even if you aren't planning on using formula until later on, the samples will come in handy. And remember to put the coupons away in a safe place when you receive them. Mind you, if you aren't planning on using disposable diapers or formula, then don't worry about this one.

3. Organize! You think those piles of mail bug you now? Wait until you have a newborn to work around. Starting preparing by cleaning room by room. Organize your things (and purge where necessary) as you go along. You can even sign up with sites like FlyLady, which will help you learn how to clean effectively and quickly.

4. Stock up! There are some things you know you are going to need for your baby: wipes, diapers, onesies. Purchase these items in different sizes and put them away. Preparing and setting aside a variety of things for later will cut your costs when money is tighter.

5. Cook now for later! When you bring the baby home, the last thing you are going to want to do is cook. Preparing foods such as lasagnas, stuffed shells and other things that can be easily frozen and cooked later will really make a big difference when you have your baby at home.