Setting up baby stuff while waiting?

jwpbride · April 2012

Just wondering if anyone sets up the baby's things (room, etc) while waiting. We haven't been waiting long at all and I don't really have the desire to go ahead and put the crib up or anything. However, we do have a son who is 2.5 and we have been talking to him about the baby and reading books about babies and talking about adoption with him, and sharing his mommy/daddy/toys, etc. but I think so far it's just a nice idea to him. He and the baby will be sharing a room so I'm wondering if we should start to re-arrange and "make room" for the baby so to speak so that he sees that things are changing and there is a new family member coming.

I would think he would deal better with that than if we just came home one day with a baby and were like "ok, your stuff is moving around to make room for this little one!" and then his world was suddenly rocked (in multiple ways!).

Thoughts?

Dr.Loretta · April 2012

As someone who had a quick match, I think it's a good idea to be preparing now. GL!

pinkzebra · April 2012

Dr.Loretta:
As someone who had a quick match, I think it's a good idea to be preparing now. GL!

I agree! We waited a while (14 months) but we found out about our DD on a Monday at 5pm and picked her up and brought her home on Tuesday at 11am!!!!!!! Luckily we had the nursery set up and just had to go buy some pink stuff the night before we brought her home.

amm78 · April 2012

We've been waiting for 15 months, but we started working on the nursery during our home study... now it's just about complete. It's been comforting to work on it and has kept me hopeful. Plus, I'm a planner by nature, so it feels good to know that we could bring a baby home today and have everything ready.

Julie721 · April 2012

We had to set up some stuff for our home study anyway, but I would definitely set things up because of your other LO.

We are matched, and have had a longer time between match and placement (~2 months), and I am doing the same thing with our dog. I know it is much different than another child, but he is a border collie and pretty sensitive. I moved all of his "stuff" that needs to move for the baby already (i.e. moving his bed because that is where we will put the bassinet), so he won't correlate getting moved with the new baby. GL!

Art Teacher · April 2012

I would prepare now as long as you are okay with seeing the baby things set up. I'm a planner, so I definitely had the room all set up and ready!

KdgTeacher · April 2012

I'm showing this to MH tonight. I asked him the same thing the other day, even suggested just going and "window shopping" to get an idea of how much we would be spending. He said he'd rather wait.

With our luck we'll either get matched right away or we'll wait a while from from match to taking baby will be like 2 days!

lady_chance_99 · April 2012

We are doing foster/adopt but we have the nursery completely set up already... I thought it would bother me, but honestly I walk by the nursery every single day and it gives me hope that good things can and will happen for us- soon... LOL GL

christineandaaron · April 2012

Although we are just starting the process I plan to set up some stuff while waiting. We have two cats and change can throw them off so I figure a little at a time is good.

c&dwaiting4ourmiracle · April 2012

We got our nursery ready while we were still going through the home study process (it was my idea, but hubby was very supportive and he knew it was what I wanted). For me it has been an important part of our adoption journey b/c I was working on something that I love and it gives me hope. I know our little one will be in our home someday soon. I wanted to be prepared and not have to worry about getting a nursery together if baby comes without much warning. I want to be able to enjoy our new miracle instead of having to worry about decorating a room. I have had fun decorating the nursery. I think you should do what feels right for all of you.

Good luck!

hlsgrad · April 2012

We were trying for months to move our 3 y/o DD out of the nursery in anticipation of a match. We wanted her to move before there was any baby on the horizon. Thankfully she made the transition 3 months before DD2 came home or I think that would have caused some adjustment issues. I hated the idea of walking by an empty nursery (residual pain from the 3 years of IVF pre-DD), but I am SO glad lwe left the baby stuff up in her room. I also washed and reorganized all of DD1's old baby clothes by size/season at the same time in case of a surprise baby match.

Good thing we did! We learned DD2 would be ours on Thursday afternoon, and flew to pick her up on Friday morning. There was NO time to get that stuff done and it felt great coming home to a functional nursery with the basics already stocked - where I could focus on adding a few cute new decorative things for DD2 rather than having to start from scratch with crib assembly and buying onesies.

adoptivemama · April 2012

We started to set up ours right before the home study took place. We already had the crib set up when our social worker came over. She thought it was great. We haven't finished decorating, but we have purchased a few things here and there (a bookshelf, a rocking chair, a couple toys, a crib sheet, tons of clothes). We also bought a carseat. We were really particular about what carseat we wanted, so we wanted to make sure we had it already in case of a last minute call. Our friends surprised us and bought a couple bigger things that we'd be needing (pack and play and a stroller). So really we have a lot. It doesn't make me sad. I love walking into the baby room. It gives me hope that one day there will be a baby sleeping in that crib.

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