Bringing home a newborn is exhilarating and overwhelming. If you’re preparing for the birth of your child, knowing a few tricks beforehand might make things a bit easier.

Sterilize Everything
Before the baby comes, you’ll want to have everything sterilized – bottles, pacifiers, and clothing. Prewash all blankets, burp clothes, sheets, mattress pads, clothing, and even your own clothing since baby will be snuggled close to you, in a very mild detergent.

All items that go in baby’s mouth such as bottles and pacifiers must be boiled for about five minutes before use. That can be a long wait if you forget until your baby is hungry and waiting. Better to have what you need ready and waiting when you get home.

Learn to Swaddle
When you’re at the hospital, watch the nurses closely. Babies love to be swaddled, so learn from the experts how to wrap your baby up like a little burrito. It’s counterintuitive, but often the tighter they are swaddled, the more comfortable babies are. This might be the most important trick you learn at the hospital next to breastfeeding.

Read a Parenting Book
Parenting books should be read before you’re actually a parent. This will clue you in to sleep routines and healthy practices you can use the moment you come home. Don’t worry if you fail to grasp it all the first time, however – you’ll be reading that book again many times.