Tips for the First Time Mom
Life seems to turn to super-speed the second you get that positive pregnancy test. From that moment on, you join the world of parenthood. It’s a world filled with many different thoughts, ideas, products, concerns, questions, and decisions. In the beginning, the magnitude of that positive pregnancy test may not fully hit you. But once it does, you’re in for a ride.
With all of that being said, pregnancy doesn’t have to be stressful. Yes, there can be some stressful moments. But being mentally prepared from the beginning can really set you on the right path. So in order to help mentally prepare you, we’ve compiled some tips that may make your journey into parenthood a bit easier.
Prepare yourself for all the aspects of pregnancy
In the beginning, it may be easy to get overly-excited, and forget to prepare for pregnancy and all the changes it brings to your body. It’s important to prepare for the possible nausea/morning sickness, sleep issues, tight skin, and other various changes you may experience during your pregnancy.
Nausea/morning sickness
This is a very real symptom of pregnancy that many women suffer from. You may not experience it at first, but it’s very important to prepare, just in case. If morning sickness or nausea rears its ugly head, you don’t want to be stuck at home without remedies to help ease it. It’s very helpful to stock up on ginger ale, saltines, hard candies, and other products that can help relieve those symptoms. Getting these products after your positive pregnancy test can help ensure that you’ll be prepared for possible morning sickness!
Daily Comforts
Buying a pregnancy pillow is also a good idea to get in the beginning of your pregnancy. Many women use it their entire pregnancy, and even after delivery. Although it’s usually intended for your third trimester, you may enjoy its benefits from the very beginning of your pregnancy. As your tummy grows and you feel more pressure, it can be difficult to get an adequate amount of sleep. A pregnancy pillow is important to have on hand, just in case you need the assistance!
Glowing Skin
Tight skin is also a side effect to pregnancy that many women endure. This tight skin can often lead to stretch marks. Many experience this early on, but don’t have the necessary products at home to counteract the negative effects of tight skin. Buying these products early on can help keep your skin hydrated from the very beginning, so that you never have to experience the effects of a growing belly.
Preparing for these symptoms and changes to your body early on, will help you be ready for everything that’s to come!
Save everything from your appointments
Once you start getting appointments with your doctor under your belt, the materials you receive will start to add up. Here is all you need to know about first trimester visits! Some women bring home dozens upon dozens of ultrasound scans. Some mommas even receive little measurement strips to show how big the baby is at each appointment. Whatever it is that you receive at your appointments, consider keeping it in a box dedicated to your baby’s momentos. In the moment, they may just seem like clutter, but in a couple years, you’ll be glad you kept them.
Research foods/drinks you can’t eat
Wow. If you’ve never been pregnant before, the list of foods you can’t eat is a doozy. There’s a long line of things you should never touch. Some of them are pretty self explanatory ⸺ like alcohol and raw fish. Those are commonly-known items that pregnant women are told to avoid. But there are so many things that you should avoid which you may be unaware of. This can make grocery shopping a real struggle. Take the time to research foods, drinks, and ingredients to avoid, so that you’re always making healthy and safe choices for both you and your baby. Researching ahead of time may also ensure that you’re not at the grocery store for hours trying to figure out what you actually can eat! We wrote a blog post to help you out, click here for our list of what you should avoid during pregnancy!
Buy some looser clothes/maternity clothes
Every mom grows her belly on her own unique timing. Some don’t show until later in their pregnancy, while some show soon after their positive pregnancy test. Even if you don’t form your bump as quickly as others, you will experience bloating. And wearing tight jeans and shirts can be extremely uncomfortable with that new bloating. Stocking up on those loose fitting clothes can come in handy when you wake up one day and realize you can’t fit into your pre-pregnancy clothes anymore!.
Stock up on baby essentials early on
Buying size 3 diapers while you’re only 20 weeks pregnant may seem a little ridiculous, but it’s definitely a good idea. You’ll find that diapers go on and off sale every now and then. When there’s a sale, stock up on various sizes. You’ll most likely get a good stash of diapers if you have a baby shower, but you need tons. You’ll also most likely receive newborn and size 1 diapers, so stocking up on the larger sizes ahead of time will help you out when you have your hands full with your bundle of joy!
Same goes for medicine and other necessities. Things like diaper rash cream, tylenol, wipes, and bottles, are important to stock up on. Once your little one comes, you’ll undoubtedly become busier than you’ve ever been. A simple trip to the store to collect these items will become harder and harder. That’s why you should stock up on them before your baby comes. That way, you’ll never be in a tough spot!
Find free items for pregnant moms
Ahh, this is something you’ll love to do. From the very start of your pregnancy, companies will be throwing free samples, trials, and items at you. Take them all! These samples add up, and they can be good testers to try out products before you buy the actual thing. Registry sites will often offer you boxes filled with goodies as well, in return for you creating a registry on their site. It’s a simple trade-off, and you’ll end up getting some nice samples.
Most important of all, is free pumps. Some insurances companies offer free pumps for moms. It’s worth looking into, as it can be an expensive item.
Get the nursery done early. The nursery is a huge obstacle that many expecting parents push off until later in the pregnancy. It’s a large project to take on, so many people try to avoid it until it’s absolutely necessary to complete. Not only that, but with all of the new stress and changes that pregnancy brings, sometimes you’re too busy to get it done. However, putting a nursery together only gets harder as the weeks go by. As your tummy gets bigger, you’re able to help out less and less. Your energy may start to fade out as well, as you near the end of your pregnancy. Also, putting a huge project like that off until the end can cause a ton of unnecessary stress!
Find your tribe
This is definitely one of the very first things you should do after finding out you’re pregnant. Each stage of pregnancy and motherhood will have its ups and downs. Having a stable support group to rely on is extremely helpful. This world of motherhood can be daunting at times, but having friends to turn to is sometimes all you need. Whether you’re asking a question about a rash, or even looking for personal advice, your tribe will be able to have your back, and help you through. Sometimes you can find a tribe through local mom groups, or even Facebook groups. There’s a chance you may even find some of your best friends in these groups.
These are some very helpful things for you to focus on in the beginning of your pregnancy. Focusing on these things can help you have less unnecessary stress in your pregnancy!
Congrats on your pregnancy! Make the wait fun by getting a gender prediction on our site. Fast, affordable, and insightful!
