When you first find out you are pregnant, nine months seems like an eternity. But you will find that they pass very quickly. What should you do so that the next nine months do not become wasted time? If you plan, you will be able to get ready for the baby and enjoy these next months. These are ten things you will want to consider doing now that you are pregnant.
1. Take a prenatal vitamin. The first 12 weeks of pregnancy are a critical time for a baby’s development. This is the time they will develop their major organs and their basic skeleton. You will need to make sure you have enough folic acid in your diet. Prenatal vitamins will contain enough folic acid for your pregnancy. This will drastically reduce the risk of your baby to develop spinal bifida. If you are having morning sickness with nausea, it is important to take your prenatal vitamin to ensure that you are getting the proper nutrients.
2. Find a pregnancy caretaker. Most pregnant women go to see the OB/GYN. But there are other options. Now is the time to research them. Do you want to give birth in a hospital? Is there a local hospital that you prefer over another? Do you want a woman doctor or a man? Do you want to give birth at home? Would you rather have a midwife? Do you need or want a doula? Are there any doctors your friends do not recommend?
These are all very important questions and you will need to answer them early in your pregnancy. You should see a doctor at the beginning just to ensure that everything is okay medically with your pregnancy. Then you can switch to whatever kind of caretaker you would like. The next nine (or so) months is a time where you and your caretaker will build a relationship. You will learn your caretaker’s philosophies and bedside manner. Your caretaker will learn about you and your medical history. They will be building up a nine-month record of your body so they can take care of you as best as possible.
3. Find out family medical history. The doctor will ask you questions about your family so they can know the risks that may or may not be there for your pregnancy. For instance, if your mom and your sister had gestational diabetes, it will be important for both you and your doctor to watch for signs and symptoms of gestational diabetes. The doctor may also want to do some early tests on you so they can catch any problems that you may need.
You should ask your family about problems with their pregnancies, if they were ever considered high risk in pregnancy and why they were considered high risk. You will also want to find out if there were any problems with delivery. This is not to scare you, but so that you will have the knowledge if anything does happen.
4. Read pregnancy books. You will want to know what is going on with your body and the easiest way to know is by reading a pregnancy book. The knowledge that you can gain from one book, is the equivalent of hours spent asking the baby caretaker questions.
This is good so that the time at your prenatal appointment will not be spent just learning the basics. You will already have them down so you can find out deeper questions. You will be happier and more confident in your pregnancy if you have more knowledge. There are two different types of pregnancy books. One kind gives you the medical aspect of your pregnancy. Medical professionals usually write these books. The second kind will tend to your emotional needs. Women who have been there and know what questions and anxieties you have usually write these books. You will not get medical information from these books, but they will calm you and answer questions you are too embarrassed to ask you doctor.
5. Finish off old memory books. No one like to admit it, but most women have not finished their wedding albums or baby albums from the past. This is the time to finish those projects. You will not have more time to do this than right now. If you wait to long, you will just have another unfinished memory book to do when this child comes along.
6. Decide if you want to work after the baby is born. Yes it is nine months until the baby will actually be here, but if you decide that you want to stay at home or cut back on hours at work, you will need to start planning now. You will need to start saving money or look for a new job. Another reason why it is important to decide as soon as possible is so that when you tell your boss, you will be able to tell him or her what the future holds for you as an employee for their company and they will appreciate that.
7. Read parenting books. This is another thing that you will not have time for after the baby is born. You will at least want to know what your philosophies are and know what your partner’s are also. You can read books and mark things that you may want to use later. You may want to make note of an interesting way for your baby to sleep through the night or eat vegetables. If you waited until you needed the information to read it, you may not have the time or energy to do so.
8. Start taking pictures of your pregnancy. This is something that can go into a memory book or a scrapbook. You may not feel like being photographed right now because you are bloated, or your hair never comes out right during pregnancy. But it is important not to let this important time in your life slip away. You will want the pictures of yourself when you are sixty. Your kids would also like pictures of their mom during the time the pregnancy. There is something sentimental and beautiful about a pregnant woman even if she cannot see it for herself.
9. Take a trip. Celebrate this time in your life. If you have other kids, take them on a trip before the baby comes. Or if it is just you and your partner, take the time and enjoy when it was just the two of you.
Trips do not have to be expensive. You can go for the day, weekend, or week. Since you cannot do anything overly exciting, take a trip that makes you slow down and enjoy your family.
10. Start shopping for baby deals. If you just found out you are pregnant, you will not know the sex of the baby for a while. If you want to buy clothes, but generic ones that would look cute on either a boy or a girl. Start picking up diapers if you find a good deal. Usually when the baby is young, it doesn’t matter if they are generic or name brand. You will change the baby around 10 times per day. If you find out the baby is allergic to the diaper, most stores will let you take an unopened package back without a receipt or you can give them to a friend for a baby shower. Look for the items you will need when your baby comes such as a crib, mattress, car seat, blankets, or many others.
If you take the time now to get ready for your new baby, you will be able to enjoy the time with your new baby when the time comes. Nine months will be gone faster then you think.
