Most grandparents are usually eager and excited for the arrival of their grandchild. This is mostly true if they are expecting their first grandchild. Grandparents understand the ups and downs the mother is going through; hence they have to assist in preparing for the child’s arrival. Whether the grandparents have been anxiously waiting for the baby or have just been surprised with the good news, they have to make plans, anticipation, and preparation to receive the grandchild.
If you know someone who is going to be first time grandparents and want to buy a gift to congratulate them, you can seek out gifts for new grandparents here which can help to better prepare and also celebrate their new status in the family. As for preparation, it could include redecorating their rooms, building new cabinets for their grandchild’s toys and clothes. Here are some tips on how a grandparent can prepare for the arrival of a grandchild.
- By clearing and hiding dangerous materials in the house
According to a recent study by the Home Safety Council, choking, suffocation, fires, burns, and drowning are the primary cause of unintended home injury and death among small children. Therefore, grandparents should prepare their home effectively for their new grandchild. The preparation will remove possible hazards that exist in their home. For example, grandparents should ensure their smoke and fire alarms are functioning and loud enough to wake them from a sound sleep. They should also replace toxic cleaners with natural cleaners, and those that contain poison, danger, or caution labels should be kept out of reach of grandchildren.
- Pet-proof your house
The arrival of your grandchild can shock your family pets; hence you should prepare for ways to ensure your new grandchild and your pet live together. You should make plans to ensure your pet does not sleep in the same room with your new grandchild. If your family pet is a dog, you can introduce a stair gate to prevent them from entering the grandchild’s room. You can also introduce a cat net for stopping cats from climbing into your grandchild’s pram or cot.
- Wash your beddings and the rooms
You should wash the room and the beddings of where your grandchild will be sleeping. This is important since the baby’s skin is very delicate; hence, you can remove any dust or substances that may irritate your grandchild by washing. You can also consider using non-biological detergent to be sure of the protection of your grandchild’s skin.
- Learn safety classes and CPR
Grandparents can enroll in safety classes and CPR to improve their safety and first-aid skills. You can learn the techniques via online platforms, enrolling for physical classes in your community college or park district. The grandparent should understand that emergencies hit unexpectedly. It takes a couple of minutes before receiving help; thus, gaining first-aid and CPR knowledge is essential in saving a life. There is a variety of situations that grandparent can use CPR on the new grandchild. This situation includes smoke inhalation, suffocations, poisoning, or accidents.
- Ensuring the house is well ventilated.
The grandparent should ensure their home has good ventilation and does not have heavily textured fabrics that are likely to trap dust. The grandparent can also redecorate their grandchild’s rooms but should use water-based and low volatile compound paints.
Taking an online first-aid course can help you be prepared for any emergency. The American CPR Care Association provides online courses for everyone, regardless of age, background, or physical condition. The courses cover recognizing and responding to cardiac or breathing emergencies, CPR and AED techniques, risk factors for heart disease, stroke prevention, and more. Lessons include video instructions, quizzes, and hands-on skills assessment modules, ensuring a thorough understanding of the material.