Now that your wife is in her third trimester, the countdown to meet your baby is about to start!
You might have spent the recent months buying things and preparing for the new baby. Moving around with a huge baby bump is leaving your wife more tired than ever by now, so fathers, please get down to business for the last leg of this journey! We hope you have gotten most things covered, because here are 10 things fathers often forget to do before their little one comes. Go forth and take charge of these little changes, papa!
#1: Schedule for air-con servicing
Image source: iStock
Most families forget to do this regularly, regardless of how often they use the aircon. Did you know that dirt and dust accumulate in those air conditioning filters? These allergens could affect your pregnant wife who may have allergies, and your newborn’s immature respiratory system, if you’re planning to have baby sleep with the air conditioning, switched on, especially in our hot weather. The accumulated dirt and dust also affect cooling efficiency and lead to increased energy consumption and electrical bills. Cleaning of the air conditioning units may take a couple of hours, depending on the extensiveness, so do remember to schedule it before your baby is here.
#2: Pack daddy’s hospital bag
Witnessing the birth of your child is one of life’s most memorable milestones. If you’re planning to be in the delivery ward, don’t forget to pack a hospital bag for yourself too! Bring along some clothes, pyjamas (it’s cold at the hospital!), toiletries, snacks, and a phone charger. You wouldn’t want to be rushing back and forth between your home and the hospital to get things when you are about to meet your baby!
#3: Learn how to install the baby car seat
Unless your wife has a scheduled C-section, the birth of a baby really depends on the baby’s readiness. After your wife has delivered, you will need to consider how to bring baby home safely from the hospital. Dads who drive, child safety traffic rules apply in Singapore so that means securing your newborn in a car seat is necessary. It may seem easy to install, but it pays to be prepared instead of fumbling with it at the last minute.
Daddies can help to select a name. If you’re planning to go to a Feng Shui Master for your baby’s Chinese name, dads, you can help by researching who to go to, and their charges.
#4: Decide on a baby’s name
Have you and your wife decided on your baby’s name? Searching for that perfect name with a wonderful meaning behind it takes time. Parents in Singapore are required to register their baby’s birth within 14 to 42 days from the date of birth. Daddy, this task will be for you because the new mum will be recuperating post-delivery – make sure you spell it right, and include the right strokes for characters on the birth certificate application form.
#5: Budgeting for the future
Preparing for your new family member goes beyond purchasing swaddles and strollers. Make time to budget and plan for your little one’s future by saving with the POSB Smiley Child Development Account (CDA), and earning 2% p.a. interest on your baby’s CDA balance.
With a new family member to care for and nurture, be sure to allocate some funds for his or her personal accident insurance plans and keep them protected.
Saving up for education fees can be mapped out with an Endowment Plan, to help you manage according to your budget. At the same time, you will get a bonus Nespresso coffee machine – and let me tell you, you will need that caffeine boost soon!
#6: Learn a few nursery rhymes
There’s an unexplainable magic to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Mary Had a Little Lamb and other nursery rhymes. If these are the only nursery rhymes you know, it’s time to amp up the daddy jukebox with more classic hits. Being able to sing different nursery rhymes allows you to discover which is the baby’s favourite lullaby too. This skill would also come in handy for that daddy-and-baby bonding time, where your little one gazes lovingly at you as you belt out those hits. Time to start practising before your baby arrives!
#7: Babyproof your home and protect your belongings
Accident-proof the bathroom as this area poses a threat for slips and falls especially when it is wet. Add a baby to the equation and that instantly escalates the risk of accidents. Make your bathroom slip-proof with non-slip rubber “puzzle mats”, non-slip broad threads or non-slip stickers by laying them on top of those tiles. Alternatively, apply a non-slip solution on tiles to make them slip-resistant – you can easily do this yourself or engage help for professional chemical treatment options.
Damaged kitchen cabinets or wardrobes should be repaired as they pose a threat for injuries to the young and old. Decluttering and reorganising messy storage areas offer more efficient uses of space for keeping your baby’s things. Yes, a baby does need storage space for his or her belongings too!
While fixing the home, don’t forget to protect your belongings with home protection insurance. You can look for options offering protection against fire, burglaries and damages and other unexpected incidents, just in case.
#8: Line your bed with a bedsheet protector
One of the signs that your baby is ready to pop – a burst waterbag! This could happen anywhere, even when your wife is asleep. When the time comes, you will be rushing her off to the hospital and washing the sheets is the last thing that will be on your mind!
Remember to line the bed with a waterproof bedsheet protector to prepare for your baby’s surprise. Daddies, please help with this task since asking your pregnant wife to lift a heavy mattress isn’t the best exercise for a mum in her third trimester. Score another point for being thoughtful, papa!
Spend time with your pregnant wife soaking in the simple joys of each other’s presence … remember that you were first a couple before becoming parents.
#9: Spend some time together as a couple
I’m sure friends who are parents would have told you this too – there are plenty of reasons to spend quality time together, just the two of you. When your baby arrives, all your attention and time will be dedicated to this precious little one, and both of you may feel that life suddenly revolves around a new heartthrob. Sneaking out for a few dates, later on, becomes trickier since you need to plan for someone to take care of the baby. It’s important to enjoy the moments together as husband and wife before becoming dad and mum.
#10: Be a savvy papa
While the new mama may be sussing out the best deals for baby-related items, the man in the house can be the savvy guy with fingertip knowledge on stretching that dollar further too. How does earning cashback to fund further expenses sound? With the POSB Everyday Card and PAssion POSB Debit Card, POSB Smiley CDA parents can earn 3% cashback for on-site medical services at selected hospitals, medical and dental clinics in Singapore. That gives you more cash for day-to-day baby expenses such as diapers and wipes! Every cent goes a long way.
*This article is from our archives.
The article is written in collaboration with POSB Smiley CDA to support parents raising children in Singapore. Apply online for an account today!
New fathers, did this list come in handy for the preparation of your baby’s arrival? Let us know in the comments below!
Deposit Insurance Scheme
Singapore dollar deposits of non-bank depositors and monies and deposits denominated in Singapore dollars under the Supplementary Retirement Scheme are insured by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation, for up to S$50,000 in aggregate per depositor per Scheme member by law. Foreign currency deposits, dual currency investments, structured deposits and other investment products are not insured.
The regular endowment insurance plans and riders are underwritten by Manulife (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. These insurance plans are distributed by DBS Bank Ltd (“DBS”). They are not an obligation of, deposit in or guaranteed by DBS. You will find the precise terms, conditions and exclusions of these plans in their respective Policy Contracts. This is not a contract of insurance and has not been tailored to your specific investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs. You may wish to seek advice from a financial adviser before making a commitment to purchase these policies. In the event that you choose not to seek advice, you should carefully consider whether the policy is suitable for you. For the regular endowment plans, a Product Summary may be obtained from Manulife or any POSB/DBS branch. Buying a life insurance policy is a long-term commitment. An early termination of the policy usually involves high costs and the surrender values payable (if any) may be less than the total premiums paid. You have a free look period of 14 business days from the date you receive your Policy. If you decide to cancel the Policy within these 14 days, please inform the respective insurer in writing and they will cancel the Policy from its start date and refund in full premium paid provided no claim has arisen. These Policies are protected under the Policy Owners’ Protection Scheme which is administered by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC). For more information on the scheme, please visit www.lia.org.sg, www.gia.org.sg or www.sdic.org.sg.