Is there ever a more anxious time in a persons life than when they're expecting a baby?
I doubt it. No matter how prepared you think you are for your new arrival, no matter how long you've waited, no matter how ready you feel - pregnancy is a time of worry.
A time of excitement and nervous anticipation too, of course - but it's only natural to find yourself stressing out when there are so many things to think about.
There are medical appointments to keep track of, lists of foods not to eat and foods you must eat, things you mustn't do and things you must do, names to choose, baby essentials to buy, budgets to stick to, nurseries to decorate, childcare to decide upon, birth plans to make, birth fears to deal with - the list goes on and on.
And as a first time parent, it can all get a little overwhelming.
You can only deal with so much at a time (and of course you're also ironically reminded that stress isn't good for the baby so you have to try to stay calm too!, but how are you supposed to know how to prioritise things? How do you know which of these things deserves your attention and which ones not to worry about?
Well I've got something that can help...I''ve recently discovered a fantastic New Baby Checklist which really helps to break everything down for expectant parents.
The checklist takes you through each trimester of pregnancy and the initial post birth period to help you keep track of the essential things to focus on, and when the best time to tackle each of them is...from buying breast pads to teething toys - this checklist has you covered!
I only wish this had been around during my own pregnancies as it is a really handy tool to have.
If I could go back in time and give my 2013 pregnant self some advice on what to focus on, it would be this:
* Don't spend so much time worrying about things like baby names and newborn outfits (and for goodness sake, don't buy so many of them! He doesn't need 12 outfit changes every day!) - instead focus your attention on the more important things like securing his future financially.
Get family life insurance organised right away, because once the baby comes along it's so much harder to find the time to do these things. That 7th Mamas & Papas outfit won't make a difference to his life in the long run, but securing his future will - and it will give you SO much peace of mind too.
You can do this quickly and easily with companies like Smart Insurance so there is really no need to put it off!
*Don't spend so much money on buying every single baby product you come across - most of them are totally non-essential, you will never even use that nappy bin you paid a fortune for! You already have a perfectly functional bin!
* Do spend more time enjoying your pregnancy instead of worrying about it all so much - it may feel like it lasts forever but you will actually miss that big old bump when it's gone. Take more photos of yourself, make a bump cast - do all of those self indulgent things you want to do but feel silly doing, or you'll only wish you had.
*Do your kegel exercises - you are not exempt from this rule!! JUST DO IT!!
*Make the most of your last days pre-motherhood - Sleep lots. Go out for dinner. See a movie. Your life is about to change forever, and although you will do these things again - it may not be for a while, and even then you'll usually be busy worrying about how the baby is! Even when he's four! (or fourteen, or forty two!)
If you could go back and give your pregnant self advice, what would it be?
*This is a collaborative post
If you enjoy my blog, please consider following me on Bloglovin'
