This week’s question is one that I wish someone had asked for me: What advice do you have for a pregnant woman on how to prep for a baby?
For your sanity...
Your number one priority should be to make other pregnant friends. Trust me, having a squad you can turn to in those early months are going to save your sanity. Focus on ones in your immediate vicinity.
In that vein, find a mom mentor at your job or in your industry. Someone you can turn to for advice in all those work moments.
Focus on reading about parenting, not pregnancy or birth. Birth is over in a few hours, but parenting is the rest of your life.
Get pre-warned on what your body will be like in the weeks post-birth. It’s bloody. It’s painful. And for some reason, no one tells you about this. Lucy’s list has the gruesome details.
For your vanity...
Get your nails done. Think about the number of photos that will have your hands in them during the first few weeks.
Pack makeup in your hospital bag. I did not do this my first kid and looked like a disaster in all the early photos. Don’t make my mistake.
If you are doing an announcement, get everything ready to go. Find your photographer. Pick out your design. And, get your mailing list ready.
With that nesting instinct...
Declutter your house. Trust me; this is more important than perfecting the nursery. Eliminating clutter eliminates 40% of the time spent cleaning the average home.
Have your carpets cleaned. Your baby is going to spend a lot of time on the ground.
Buy disposables. For the first two weeks, ask forgiveness to Mother Earth and just buy all disposable plates and cups. That way, all you have to do is wash silverware.
What to buy…
Don’t worry about buying everything. Amazon Prime means you can get supplies often by the next day. Somehow, the more you spend on that swing/cosleeper/etc, the more likely your baby won’t use it.
Some post-baby clothes. After birth, you are going to look still 6 months pregnant. For the first few weeks, you’ll be able to wear your maternity pants, but buy a few strategic shirts for breastfeeding. I’ve found that a loose-fitting top over a tank top works best. You pull the tank top down to give access to your boob and let the loose top drape over your baby’s face for coverage.
Register for help. Help could look like a housekeeper to come once a week, a sitter, or a mother’s helper to just straighten up or do laundry. I also found that finding babysitters pre-baby was good so that I didn’t have the stress of interviewing when I really needed them.
What are the tips you wish you knew?
(Also, do your pregnant moms a favor and forward this!)
