You take the pregnancy test. You wait. It’s positive! You’re either super excited, nervous, scared, anxious or all of the above. Then, of course, you take the test again. Same result. You’re pregnant, now what?!
Breathe Take this moment in. Your mix of emotions is extremely natural regardless if they are happy, sad or confused. Finding out you are pregnant is a MAJOR moment…so breathe and take it in. You have 9 months to process this so be easy on yourself.
Tell Your Partner There are some super creative ways out there online other than a text (love this one). Have fun with it! You only can say it for the first time once.
Eat Well Sure, you can devour that donut and that milkshake, occasionally. But for the most part, try to eat healthy and take your prenatal vitamins everyday! It is crucial for the development of your baby and maintaining your health. The baby is taking so many nutrients from you that you have to give back to your body. Eat a balanced diet, full of fruits, veggies, good fats and protein. Check out the recommended list of foods to avoid here.
Sleep Take advantage while you can! It may be hard to sleep with your emotions and excitement on overdrive but try to rest when you can. Your body is actively taking care of you and baby, so put your feet up and take a nap every once in a while.
Read (a little) It’s always nice to know where you (and your partner) stand on sleep training, co sleeping, breastfeeding, diapering. etc, but read more for fun than necessity. Babies are one of those moments when in person training is best.
Start Your Registry This is kind of like being hungry at the grocery store. You always buy more than you need or can eat! You will want it all but you won’t need half of it. Guaranteed, you will read this tip and still get more than you need. Remember the basics: feed, sleep, bathe and love. Must haves are a great breast pump, baby washcloths, diapers, bpa free bottles (if/when bottle feeding), crib, quality eco friendly mattress, sheets, bath seat, clean/natural wash and lotion (coconut oil/olive oil are amazing too).
Enjoy Every Moment Sometimes it’s much easier said than done. Especially when your back hurts and your feet are swollen but remember it is only temporary. Soon you will have the sweetest smelling (even when spitting up), the most beautiful, the cutest, the most precious person ever enter your life (if second or more baby, insert AGAIN here). Take that babymoon, go on that girls trip you’ve been putting off, take a drive down the coast, binge watch that Netflix series you’ve been dying to see and ENJOY the ride!