What an amazing rush of joy and excitement when you see that positive pregnancy test! You are giddy, share the news with your partner, start daydreaming of a beautiful nursery, names and tiny baby toes … then your mind starts racing. The overwhelm starts to set in with all the things you need to do. Pregnancy is an exciting and wonderful time, so try not to let all those to-do’s bog you down. Here you can find a checklist of things to do during each trimester. This list is by no means exhaustive but will at least get you started. And if you’re like me, a list is absolutely necessary because pregnancy brain is real!
Trimester One (weeks one through 12)
- If you haven’t already, start taking a prenatal vitamin. Prenatal vitamins are important for the growth and development of your baby and are one of the most important things you can do, besides regular prenatal care.
- Speaking of prenatal care, schedule your first OB/GYN appointment. If you don’t already have a doctor, ask around, as there are many amazing ones all over the metro. At your first appointment, your pregnancy will be confirmed, and you can discuss what your prenatal care will look like for the duration of your pregnancy.
- Figure out how you and your significant other will share the news with others and when you are both comfortable doing so.
- Take time to rest. Andrea Yang, a Leawood mom of three, shares, “It is important to rest as much as you can and accept that you probably won’t accomplish much during this first trimester. I experience a lot of nausea and fatigue, so giving yourself permission to lie down is crucial, even if you have other children to look after.”
- Focus on making healthy choices. Quit smoking, limit your caffeine intake and avoid alcohol.
- If you are already exercising, continue to do so as long as your doctor is OK with it. If you are not exercising, be sure to discuss with your doctor what healthy options would be good for you.
- Buy a journal to keep track of all the special milestones along the way. There will be many things you think you’ll remember … but won’t!
- Download a pregnancy app like Pregnancy + or Baby Center to help educate yourself and your partner on all things baby, from development to all the changes happening with you too.
- If you need daycare, research early. Find out what maternity leave you have from work and then go from there. Daycare options can be somewhat limited, fill up quickly or involve wait lists, so looking early is important!
Trimester Two (weeks 13 through 27)
- Begin brainstorming and discussing baby names. If you aren’t finding out the gender, having a list of three or four monikers for each can be helpful.
- Seek out options for pediatricians. You will want to find out who is in-network for your insurance, as well as who is taking new patients.
- Register for all the baby gear. I found registering to be quite overwhelming the first time, but many sites have a suggested list of gear. You can decide what items you actually want to register for and which you don’t find as important. People love shopping for baby stuff, so be sure to include many options at different price points.
- Plan to take a childbirth, CPR and/or breastfeeding class. This will help inform you and your partner on what to expect during pregnancy and delivery, refresh your memory on infant CPR, as well as the ins and outs of breastfeeding.
- Sing and read to your baby. Around 27 weeks, your baby can hear sounds outside the womb, so what better time to start!
- Continue exercising or stretching. Caroline Ellis, Overland Park mom of one, shares, “I was having a lot of hip pain and difficulty sleeping, so I started doing a stretching routine, which helped relax some of my overworked muscles. I found great videos on YouTube that helped me set a routine of stretches. Once I started stretching more frequently, the pain lessened. This helped me feel better and sleep well at night.”
Trimester Three (weeks 28 through the end)
- Practice self care. Whatever this might look like for you, do it! Get your hair done, meet a friend for lunch, get a prenatal massage or have a pedi so your toes look nice during delivery!
- Find and book a newborn photographer if you decide to do photos. If you aren’t sure, consider finding a photographer that will do an in-home session to capture the most natural moments of life with your new little one.
- Celebrate with a baby shower! Many family and friends are interested in showering you and Baby with love, so enjoy this special time.
- Stock your freezer. “We love good food, and I usually cook for the family, but with a newborn, there isn’t time for that. The weeks leading up to delivery, I just cooked more and froze the extra portions,” says Yvonne Bair, Overland Park mom of two.
- Prepare Baby’s nursery by making sure all the furniture is put together that is needed. Now is a good time to wash all the new baby clothing you have received, have the crib or bassinet ready, and set up a changing station (sometimes in multiple rooms!).
- You’ve heard it before … but rest is so important. You will feel like you have a million things to do, but resting should definitely be one of them, especially as you get closer to delivering.
- Pre-register at the hospital and complete the hospital tour. This is a great time to ask questions and have all paperwork complete while you can still think straight.
- Pack your hospital bag … sooner rather than later! My doctor had said to have my bag packed at 38 weeks, but I went into labor early and didn’t have anything packed at all!
- Install the car seat because you won’t be able to leave the hospital without it. Check with your city to see whether they do car seat safety inspections if you’d like to have it double-checked. Some can be quite tricky!
According to Forbes.com, here are the top pregnancy apps of 2023 to help you along your journey:
- Pregnancy +
- Pregnancy and Baby Tracker: WTE
- Nurture Pregnancy Week by Week
- Ovia Pregnancy Tracker
- BabyCenter Pregnancy Tracker
Julie Collett lives in Overland Park and is a mom to four children. She has found with each pregnancy there is less and less on her pregnancy to-do list!