Posted by Michelle Kersey on Wed, Jun 23, 2010 @ 01:21 PM
The last few weeks of pregnancy become a waiting game. While you're waiting, here are some things to do... and some not to do.
Do...
- Keep your gas tank above ΒΌ at all times
- Make sure the car seat is properly installed
- Keep accessible a list of phone numbers for people that can take you to the hospital
- Plan meals for the first week (or two) at home.
- Make sure your hospital bag is packed
- Go to sleep at a reasonable hour every night to be well rested for labor
- Prepare the baby changing area with wipes and diapers
- Make sure the crib mattress support is at the highest level and dress it with a waterproof pad and a sheet.
- Pack a diaper bag to keep in the car.
- Put a waterproof mattress pad on your bed, just in case your water breaks at night.
- Keep a towel and a change of clothes in your car, again just in case your water breaks.
- Make sure all necessary maintenance for your vehicle is done
- Oil Change, Break Pads, Tires, etc are so much easier to do without a newborn
- Get a pedicure
- Prepare a postpartum "first aid" kit
- Nursing Pads, Lanolin, Peri Bottle, Tucks Pads, Stool Softener, Super Absorbency Pads, Tylenol
- Keep your feet up as much as possible to help with swelling
- Fill in as much as the baby book as you can now
Don't...
- Put off quality time with your husband
- Once the baby is born, a spontaneous night out just won't happen
- Skip any doctor's appointments
- Stop counting fetal kicks
- Ignore signs for labor
- Quit exercising (But, don't overdo it!)
- Lifting small weights will help prepare your arms for constantly holding a newborn
- Try to drive yourself to the hospital if you think you're in labor
- Listen to negative comments about your size/weight
- Feel free to also ignore the "You look like you're about to pop!" comment from strangers
- Forget to take pictures of yourself
- Forget to set up a list of addresses for birth announcements
- Even better... pre-address the envelopes
Posted by Michelle Kersey on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 @ 09:43 AM
My Pregnancy Buck List... Top 10 things to do before the baby arrives!
At the halfway mark in my pregnancy I am starting to think of all the things, big and small, that need to get done before the baby comes. Some things should get done sooner rather than later, others could possibly wait until after the arrival. But, it all makes my head spin once I start to think about it.
My Pregnancy Bucket List:
1) Refinish a piece of furniture for the nursery: I have picked out and purchased my crib and dresser (future blog post to come), see a sneak peak of what I choose below. I'm very excited about the furniture, however I wanted to add a personal and unique touch to the nursery by getting an older antique piece and refurbishing it to add a bit of uniqueness to the room. I hope to find a vanity/desk that I am going to use at first as a changing table and later my little daughter will have somewhere to sit and do her makeup. Since we're not in yard sale season yet, I'm going to rummage around the local Peddlers Mall.
2) Make Crib Bedding: Another crafty thing I want to do is make the crib bedding myself. I have found the perfect fabrics, but need to determine how many yards are needed. Before the end of February, I plan on getting together with my mom to plan out how much I need and go buy it! I am buying sheets however, so I also have to find some of those too.
3) Make Window Coverings: #2 needs to be done first, but I'm going to use the same fabric to make, window drapes, a bed skirt, and a blanket, which I hope to get done in the next few months.
4) Paint the Nursery: A trip to Lowe's is in order by April! We need to pick out the paint colors and get the room painted a few months before my due date. Even with low or no-VOC paint, I want to give the room some time to air out before bringing the baby home in July!
5) Learn how to make homemade Baby Food: I want to learn how to make and store baby food. Since having my first, we're eating healthier and I'm cooking more than ever before. So, I would love to learn how to turn food from our meals that I'm already cooking into food I can give the baby. I plan on my food processor being my best friend.
6) Create a Safe Play Room: Probably the biggest item on my list is to organize the basement into a safer play area. It's slightly set up as one now... but a lot of childproofing and rearranging is in order to optimize the L-shaped space.
7) Make Space: While I'm thinking about re-arranging, I really want to move the computer desk out of the living room! The computer will probably migrate to a smaller/unused corner of the living room and the desk will go into storage. The space that my pretty, but large, desk is taking up needs to be devoted to some baby gear for a while. The swing or exersaucer will require a nook so the dogs don't run the baby over on their way through the living room.
8) Pick a name! Thankfully, I have quite a few more weeks to come to a final decision on this one. My husband and I can't figure out what middle name to use... we have narrowed it down to six options.
9) Start exercising! OK, I laugh a little even while writing this. I can't walk on the treadmill inside with my toddler running around me. So, give me Spring, and we'll walk down the street again. I just have no motivation during winter.
10) Make a growth chart: I bought one with my first, but I have since found directions online to make one myself.
Now, so I don't feel so unaccomplished, here's what I have done so far:
- Purchased the nursery furniture! Should arrive any time now!
Cocoon 4000 Series convertible crib and 6-drawer dresser.
- Picked the general color scheme for the nursery.
- Purchased a mini blender to aid in my homemade baby food quest.
- Cleaned all the toys out of the nursery... it used to be my toddler's playroom.
- Pulled out all the gender neutral clothing from my first and have them organized by size in the closet.
- Divided up all the boy clothes into boxes by age so I can sell them or give them away once this baby arrives.
- Bought and started filling in the Baby Memory Book.
- Narrowed down the first name to two choices!
What is the biggest thing on your Pregnancy bucket list? Do you have a plan on how you will accomplish everything, or at least try to? Please share.