While I know that nothing can prepare me for what’s coming in seven (or less!) weeks, I’m trying to get all of my ducks in a row to prepare things ahead of time before we have this baby. Obviously I have a Google Doc (ok fine, two) because I’m insane. I wanted to share what’s on it, so I pulled this list directly from it.
Anything with an asterisk is already complete. Go me!
*Finish the nursery. We are actually shooting it today so it’s pretty much done. The only thing left to do is to organize the closet and dresser. I just bought drawer dividers and tiny pink hangers on Amazon, so will finish that up as soon as they arrive.
Pack hospital bag. I’m doing a full post about what’s going in my hospital bag next week, but I’ve been slowly filling it up with things we’ll need at the hospital. I’ve asked dozens of friends for their recs, and am building mine based on what they’ve said. It’s full of the obvious things like socks and underwear, but also some items to make my labor a little more pleasant, like a diffuser with essential oils, and my favorite pillow from home.
Finish hypnobirthing course. Anel and I have been loving our virtual hypnobirthing classes. I’ve mentioned them before, but we’re taking a class called Blissborn with a hypnotherapist that I’ve been working with for years on my insomnia issues. She has truly changed my life over the years, and with this iteration of work, has finally created a space for us where we’re not terrified of labor anymore. We’ll see how it actually goes in the moment, but going through this process with Anel has been wonderful so far.
Install car seat. My grandparents bought us a car seat as a baby gift so we’ll be installing it as soon as it arrives next week. We ended up going with the Uppa Baby MESA because it clicks into our stroller easily. I’ll review everything on our registry soon… Man I have a lot of posts to write!
Make padsicles. This might be TMI for some of you, but many of my friends have suggested making “padiscles” out of maxi pads smothered in coconut oil, aloe vera, and witch hazel. Pop them in the freezer and use them post-labor to soothe… down there.
Stock up on frozen foods. My mom will be arriving a few days after I give birth, but we want to be prepared with lots of frozen food that we can pull out and heat up in a moment’s notice. I’m planning to make a bunch of sauces that I can put over pasta, brown rice, or veggies, and we’ll probably buy some Amy’s frozen meals too.
Create blog posts… for the first month after the baby arrives. I have a few amazing friends who are writing guests posts for me (covering topics like how to pack for summer travel, great healthy recipes, and postpartum tips), and I’m trying to prep a few posts myself. If you have anything you’d like to see, definitely let me know!
*Sign up for a parenting class. Anel and I are excited to start a series of classes with The Parent Collective, a local course for first time parents that is judgement free. It consists for four weekend classes covering labor and delivery, breast feeding, newborn care, and The whole thing seems awesome, but will report back after we complete it.
Book a newborn photography session. This one seems a little frivolous, but I know those newborn days are going to fly by in a blur and I want to capture them before I forget everything.
*A plan for the dog. When I go into labor, we want to make sure that Boots has a safe place to stay. We’ve asked two friends to be on stand by so that we can call them to take him for the two nights that I spend in the hospital (or five if I end up needing a C-section for any reason). We’re lucky to have doggy-loving friends who have volunteered for this!
Update health insurance. Because Anel and I both work for ourselves, we have to pay for insurance out of pocket. It’s a seriously steep bill every month, and it’s about to get a lot worse! I need to call Anthem in the next few weeks to add the baby to our plan. Fingers crossed that it doesn’t add too much to our monthly payment.
List of chores. I talked about this briefly before, but my mom, Anel and I put together a list of everything that needs to be done around the house on a daily and weekly basis and created yet another Google doc with roles and responsibilities. The idea is that my main focus is the baby while they handle tasks like laundry and washing dishes. We’ll see how it goes but at least we’re trying to be prepared!
*Pick a pediatrician. I interviewed a local pediatrician and fell in love with her. She’s been in the business for 20 years and is flexible on timing for vaccines and even believes in the melding of Eastern and Western medicine (her sister is an acupuncturist), plus she’s known to be one of the best around. We have her locked in, and I feel so safe knowing that our baby girl will be in good hands.
Practice self care. Ugh, bloggers and their “self care” am I right? But in all seriousness, this is an important time for me to feel calm and healthy so I’m doing a few things to ensure that I stay that way. I’m getting acupuncture from Sarah every two weeks. She helps with my nausea and anxiety.
I’m also getting a prenatal massage once a month. I’d love to get them weekly but they’re not cheap! I always feel so much better when they’re done. In between them, I love getting $12 10-minute massages from my nail salon. They feel amazing and I indulge in them while my manicures dry. At home, I’m making sure to stretch and do yoga daily. In order to save for the massages and acupuncture, I’ve started doing free online classes as opposed to going in person. They’re great and I can do them in my living room!
Lastly, I found a chiropractor after throwing out my back a few weeks ago. It turns out, my insurance covers chiropractic visits and they help a lot with my back and hip pain. I’ve been trying to go weekly since I started and it’s made a big difference.
Am I missing anything? Let me know!
