When Should You Start Preparing for a Baby?

With trimesters, months, and weeks to keep in mind, remembering what to do when can become overwhelming. Take a look at this guide to figure out when you should start preparing for your baby.

Pre-Pregnancy

Before you get pregnant is the best time to stock up on baby gear and convert a room of your home into a nursery. You won’t have pregnancy fatigue yet, so you’ll be able to take an active role in the planning and get your home set up just the way you’d like it.

First Trimester

Once you know you’re pregnant, acquire prenatal supplements with at least 400mg of folic acid. These will reduce the risk of defects in the brain, spine, or spinal cord of your baby. This first section of your pregnancy is all about creating good habits that you maintain for the duration, so make a system to remind yourself to take your vitamins.

During your first trimester, find an ob-gyn and make an appointment sometime during your second month for a checkup. In month three, start taking tests to determine the risk of Down syndrome and trisomy 18.

This is also your time to start preparing for pregnancy symptoms, like morning sickness, fatigue, cravings, and breast tenderness. While these symptoms are normal, they can get pretty unpleasant. Essential oils can reduce nausea symptoms and calm anxiety, but ensure you use them safely.

Second Trimester

Most women notice pregnancy symptoms easing during the second trimester, so this can be a great time to finish up any of the baby prep that you were unable to complete before your pregnancy began. Make your birth plan now, too. Figure out what you want the labor experience to look like and talk your partner through it.

Childbirth education classes typically take six to 12 weeks, so enrolling in one early in your second trimester is a good idea, just in case of early birth.

Third Trimester

Get your hospital bag ready! The third trimester is the last hurrah in your pregnancy, and it can be a doozy. You could feel yourself losing your appetite, fatigue might resurface, and you might experience shooting pains in your pelvic area.

Make sure you buy a car seat now, too. You won’t be able to leave the hospital with your baby without proof that your car has a car seat that meets safety standards in your area.

Other than that, take all the time you can to relax. The prep is done, so get ready to meet your child! More information never hurts, so feel free to browse for more things to consider during your pregnancy. Now that you know when you should start preparing for your baby, enjoy this time while it’s here. Amid any unpleasantness, you’ll make memories that you’ll want to remember forever.

Sincerely,