1. Meal Preparation!!
I cant stress this enough… the last thing you or your partner wants to think about is “what are we having for lunch/dinner” There are a couple ways to tackle this task.
a.) create homemade one-pan freezer meals to last you anywhere from 2 weeks – 1 month. There are great ideas here.
b.) utilize a meal delivery service. Like Hello Fresh, they are affordable, fresh, and unique. You can customize which meals you want and can generally see up to 4 weeks in advance on what is offered to come in your box. Ma Meal is also a local Chicagoland meal delivery service specifically for the postpartum time period, They have 3 meal options to choose from filled with Superfoods. One is inspired by ancient Chinese postpartum practices, one specifically for nursing and one for staying fit.
2. Deep-Clean Nesting
(or hire someone to do this possibly while you’re at the hospital/birthing center)
Nesting is a HUGE part of your preperations to transition baby home. Having a noticably clean home is an amazing perk. Have your air ducts cleaned, base boards and cabinets wiped, fans dusted, etc… you want to come home to a fresh house. have your carpeting professionally cleaned… things of this nature. It is well worth the expense to hire this task out! Especially if you like traditional cleaners which being 30+ weeks pregnant I’m sure you don’t want to be on your hands and knees!
3. Restock Your Essentials!
Toilet paper, paper towels, Q-tips, laundry soap/ baby laundry soap, chocolate and other snacks… these are just a few staples in my house! There are essentials that get overlooked once baby comes
home. Running out of TP is not the most pleasant thing to have ever happened to a new parent!! Be sure to have your reserves ready as I’m sure a trip to the nearest convenience store for diapers at 2am while your newborn is wet and crying is the last thing you want to do!!
4. Remember to DATE YOUR PARTNER!!
These are the last few weeks/months before your couple becomes 3! As easy as it is to get caught up in the excitement and whirlwind of baby stuff… you need to make time for each other! Hold hands, go for walks, drink lemonade (or hot cocoa) whatever you were doing before that feeling of someone being between you emerged (get it? because you’re pregnant? haha) I digress… Dating your partner is so important to maintain a happy and healthy relationship and home, and to help you to remember the reason you wound up with your little(s).
5.TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR PREGNANT SELF!
And have others take them for you too! My BIGGEST regret was being angry everytime someone wanted a photo of me. I have literally NOTHING to look back on except my professional maternity photos. Whether you are 4weeks or 8 months… let people take your picture. You will want those photos 2 years down the road when you’re reminiscing on pregnancy. AND you’ll want those photos to show your child(ren) and say “you were in my tummy here”.
I hope this list helps you to make a pregnancy “to-do” list. Because I only wish I had one!
Written by Labor and Postpartum Doula Kelli
