Writing this while I’m currently at 18 weeks with a due date of June 2nd. This is such a lovely blogpost request from y’all! Below you’ll find a recap of things I did before pregnancy + first trimester, and things I’m hoping to do in the coming months before baby girl makes her debut. I’m warning you - this is a long post! I’ll update it as we go through this pregnancy.
Click here for my postpartum update.
*Disclaimer: I’m just writing about what works/worked for me. You do whatever is best for you!
before pregnancy:
read this book (and read it a few more times - SO GOOD)
basically talks about habits you can start now to help your health + fertility + pregnancy. because of this book I started taking a prenatal vitamin months before conception (and it helped me learn what to look for in a prenatal vitamin), implemented daily walks, bought only full-fat dairy (and why), etc. also talked about why doing exercise you hate can actually do more harm than good, and why we should all tune into what our bodies actually crave movement-wise. can’t recommend it enough.
started drinking daily smoothies
I used to be so much better about this in college + teaching. but then fell off the wagon. I had a moment where I’m like, 1) I’m old enough to eat a bit more produce + fill in some nutritional gaps and 2) I’m pretty sure I’m less anxious when I eat less processed crud. plus, it was a habit I wanted to have during/after pregnancy, so I started making smoothies a habit again six-ish months before I got pregnant.
this book + this instagram account is all you need to learn everything there is about smoothies. she’s THE BEST.
see the “smoothies” highlight on my Instagram for info
made a few greener switches
this is definitely a longgg process, but I started making greener swaps where I could (again, inspired by this fertility/pregnancy book). while I may not be ready to part with my beloved pinesol, I got dryer balls, changed our dishwasher detergent, and kicked our paper towel habit with these napkins and these rags.
started taking a prenatal vitamin
I truly think starting a prenatal monthsss early is the main reason why my bloodwork at my initial appointment came back labeled as “so fantastic.”
Here’s a complete list of my morning and evening routines, if you want inspiration.
full transparency: I’m glad I started taking this monthsss ago, because I truly struggled to keep a prenatal down in the first trimester. (in the first trimester I either took a gummy form, dumped the contents of this prenatal and this probiotic into a smoothie, or skipped the prenatal all together. )
overhauled our budget
we talked about what we want to prioritize and rearranged our budget so that we exclusively live on brett’s income. we cut a few things, we took fewer trips, we got really into eating at home + meal planning. this also means while we would love love love to go out to eat for date night on a frequent basis, we go on a long dog walk or do a puzzle instead - this can be so hard to do since we hear all the time, “you’re young! enjoy it now before you have kids!” but this was important for us to do before getting pregnant so that we could have options based on what works best for us once the baby is here.
see my instagram post about the small tweaks that help our budget the most. and here for my different savings categories.
I talk about our priorities + how that affects our budget/schedule/house/routine here
before having kids, I really made menu planning and freezer cooking a routine since they really help stretch our budget. read more about how I menu plan here
we love Every Dollar Plus for budgeting
this is our favorite puzzle board so I can move puzzles out of the way to work on flowers for weddings
talked to my doctor + added some more healthy habits
at my annual check-up in mid-August, I mentioned maybeeee wanting to get pregnant in the coming year. my doctor said, “make sure you’re 100% sure, because you’re veryyyy fertile.” to which I said, “pffft, what does she know?” and by the end of September I was five weeks pregnant. I share this because it makes me giggle - like, “really, haley? ‘what does she know?’ she’s a MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.” whoops. this really is the best case scenario for us, given that we reallyyy wanted kids, but kept talking ourselves into waiting longer and longer, ha (with reasons like i’m suuuuper selfish, I’m so scared of pregnancy/delivery/recovery, I like my sleep, etc). now we’re OVER THE MOON! so rest assured if you’ve had similar thoughts!
funny anecdotes aside, we talked about how I had read this book and this book six months prior, completely had a come-to-jesus (euphemism for meltdown on an airplane) with my lifestyle, and legitimately got hooked on a bunch of healthy routines/habits. (like, maintainable, manageable habits. I’m not cutting queso out of my diet and running marathons or anything way above my capabilities here.) my doctor - the blessed, amazing woman she is - said because I had gotten hooked on a slew of good habits before pregnancy, they’d supposedly be easier to maintain while pregnant + postpartum.
read about all my routines/habits here
TLDR: smoothies, walking, swimming, putting collagen/fiber in my coffee, filling up three 32-ounce tumblers with water every morning, etc — these have been SO helpful this pregnancy
here’s my post on how I create/maintain routines, what I do if they’re not working, and simple organizational tools I use to help
set all our bills to auto-pay + made a document with log-in info
not baby related, but still something I would have done before the delivery of this baby. wanted everything automated and also wanted an easy spot that Brett could find, say, the password to our water bill or car insurance. just in case.
I talk more in this post about how I created our log-in info document + all our other small things we do to help streamline our home
a few other things we did that weren’t necessary per se, but are definitely things we’re glad we did:
invested in a second freezer (and second fridge) for our garage
it was really important to us to prioritize space in our budget for house cleaning, weekly grocery delivery, weekly lawn care, yearly car detailing, and an unlimited car wash subscription - your priorities might look different than ours and that’s okay! see more about our budget here and here.
before having kids, I really made menu planning and freezer cooking a routine since they really help stretch our budget. read more about how I menu plan here
talked about traditions we’d love to start now + continue with kids. this was SO much fun to dream about. see our full list of current annual traditions here.
set up a few Subscribe and Save subscriptions on Amazon on things we use regularly (collagen/fiber for my coffee, our laundry/dishwasher detergent, brett’s gum, etc)
took a few trips just us two
here’s a list of everything I do or did at home before (and during!) pregnancy I’m so glad I did if you’re looking for organizing projects, routine inspiration, home ideas, etc
first trimester:
cancelled trips
ha. again, whoops. I never threw up, but the all-day nausea from weeks 5-10 was insane. so the thought of getting on an airplane was unbearable to me. trips were cancelled. bye, bye, Mexico City and London!
had weird aversions + other fun things
again, I feel like I can’t really complain here since I never threw up, but everything made me feel so sick. like, anything HOT - as in, hot in TEMPERATURE - made me feel so queasy. I would gag and dry heave ALL THE TIME, often while eating food, putting many things on the ever-changing DO NOT EAT list.
I could consistently swallow Cheetos, cheerios, yogurt, peanut m&ms, almonds, graham crackers, juice, sparkling water, popcorn, sprite/ginger ale, and Pringles, so we had copious amounts of those on hand. (I don’t think I can touch a Pringle again for a long, long time.)
smoothies and cold, sliced apples gave me LIFE. frozen grapes were fantastic. don’t get me started about my beloved dill pickles.
starbursts and lemon drops were the only remedy (I swear I frantically bought/tried THEM ALL, as my Amazon order history likes to remind me) that helped my queasiness. my doctor also recommended unisom+b6 and I’m not sure that helped, but I took it religiously just in case. and I was going to kick the next person that said the sea bands “cured” them. (false. they only convinced me that I must have chubby wrists.)
the house felt like it was moving. screens and cars gave me such bad motion sickness, so I limited my time on my phone and computer. I did, however, order a whole slew of used books off Amazon and read my way through that screen-free month of October - discovered so many new favorites!
see my ongoing list of favorite books here
see all my reading faqs answered here
I was not adequately warned about the constipation. I blame this for the majority of the first trimester weight gain. but I learned to use plenty of chia seeds and this prenatal probiotic in my daily smoothies, eat as much produce whenever possible, switch to high-fiber bread (this is our absolute favorite!) add fiber powder to anything possible (coffee, tea, smoothies, YOU NAME IT), and taking fiber gummies at night. now we’re back on schedule, praise Zeus.
discovered grocery delivery, because I JUST COULDN’T
game changer. oh my word. now we prioritize it as a weekly occurrence.
also took brett on a huuuuge costco haul and he stocked up on allllll the frozen food he could make himself. I spent most of weeks 5-9 holding a wet rag to my nose because I just couldn’t handle the smell of the oven. or anything. no cooking occured during this time, folks.
swam + walked
not because I felt great, but because they helped me feel normal - I needed to feel at least a littleee like my pre-pregnancy self. so I swam, and listened to a lot of Queen and Taylor Swift. and watched episodes of Sex and The City and Friends - particularly episodes where characters were pregnant, ha. (“Look! Rachel is having food aversions!!! I’m not alone!!!”)
I remember distinctly being at a 6:30AM swim practice, sucking on starbursts on the drive over, and drinking a ginger ale in between laps. but still gagging while swimming. and I only swam for 20 minutes, but being in the pool lifted my sprits IMMENSELY.
usually I walked every night, simply because the fresh air helped my nausea. ha. and, like swimming and the smoothies, the familiarity of an old routine was comforting.
started a registry (I used Amazon, but as I’ve received things I added them to this baby board in my Amazon store, if you’re curious)
I felt so much better week 11, so I started a registry. I know some people wait until their chance of miscarriage lessens, but I figured if that happened, I could just go delete it. it was nice having a place to brain dump the things I’d mayyyybe want as I researched possible items
side note: I love love loved looking at other people’s registries and those kind of articles on Pinterest, as registries are such personal things and everyone chooses different things they think would work best for them. Kinda like peeking in someone’s grocery cart. Like, “OOOOH, WHATCHA GOT THERE, KAREN.”
I do like to check it each morning to see if something went on major sale. Like, at one point the Haakaa was 75% off?? So I snagged it. :) Or I referenced it when people asked for Christmas gift ideas. You get the picture.
I did add a whole slew of postpartum recovery stuff, as well as household items I knew we’d need (laundry detergent, baby first aid, extra batteries, paper plates, toilet paper, dishwasher detergent, etc) and some nursing items I wanted. I added these mainly because of that 15% discount we get later on (only on eligible items)…but also because if someone wants to buy it, they’re still things that are so appreciated.
made two amazon wish-lists
because in my quest of starting a registry, I’d come across things that would be so cute to maybe have later on. Like, the past teacher in me lovessss a good picture book. And oh my GOSH look at that bath toy. But they weren’t things I wanted on the registry, necessarily? Because I’d rather have diapers or nipple cream, maybe? So I made a “baby kk” wishlist (for everything but books) and a “baby kk books” (specifically for books) wishlist for these things. Two lists I can send loving grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and uncles for holidays, birthdays, whatever.
let’s be real, these lists are really to ensure that I don’t buy these things. because often times “I don’t need that on the registry” can quickly become, “but I should get it now so I don’t forget.” LAWD. now I just put them on the wishlist.
made a baby binder
because I needed something to corral allllllll the current+future papers from my doctor/hospital, as well as all the handy papers/manuals/registrations/directions/spare parts/etc that come with all the new baby presents. so I got a three-inch binder and shoved it full of sheet protectors. It sits in the closet in the nursery. it seems I add to it at least weekly.
see my “baby prep” highlight on my Instagram for a visual of this!
purged medicine cabinet
threw away anything expired. bought lazy susans. took that list from my doctor of the “medicines safe to take while knocked up,” and I ordered one of each for my medicine cabinet. even for ailments I’d never had before. I didn’t care. I wanted to be prepared for when I’m sick/uncomfortable and so, so pregnant at 3AM. and because my husband doesn’t wake up for anything, so I wasn’t banking on him making a speedy 3AM trip to CVS. (for now. ha.)
see my “closets” highlight on my Instagram for a visual of this!
second trimester:
made two google keeps lists
trimester to-dos: just some things (they’re all on this list) I’d like to get done in the second and third trimester (mainly this is is so my anxious self doesn’t feel so far behind - insert eye roll here)
stock-up: a list of little things I’d like to add one or two of to our grocery cart each week so that we have plenty without having to make a $400 trip in May. and because I don’t know what unexpected costs will pop up once that baby arrives, and what last minute amazon purchases will be ordered in those first few months, I’m trying to stock up on things we’ll know we need now to help alleviate possible financial strain. am I making sense?
things like batteries, household stuff, diapers, wipes, baby fist aid, paper plates/bowls/utensil, breastfeeding goodies, postpartum recovery stuff — all of this is also on my registry, too
“Haley, can’t you just order stuff when you need it from Amazon?” Yes, but I’m a nervous hoarder - I’m calmer when I feel prepared. (Shouldn’t be the most shocking proclamation about myself, given that you’re reading my novel of a pregnancy list.) And, this way I can keep an eye out for great sales in the meantime - like I just got a boatload of toilet paper and dishwasher detergent because Amazon had THE best deal. And for Black Friday I loaded up on laundry stuff when they had a fantastic sale. Or Ulta had our shampoo on major discount in January. Or Amazon Basics batteries were weirdly an Amazon deal one day? Check, check, check! Slowly grabbing these things (and when they were on sale!) reallyyyyyy was easy on our budget.
(And, edited to add: having a stocked home has been SO nice with a newborn in a pandemic. And remember that toilet paper shortage? We were just fine. Just saying. See more about everything we do and keep in our home to feel prepared + avoid minor inconveniences.)
see my “Google Keep” highlight on my Instagram, too.
read (and loved!!) this book
also love the concept of this book (meaning I may not use the recipes, but I’m loving the message)
wanting to read this
I don’t plan on reading too many more books. I’m the type of person who does better researching things as they pop up - otherwise I hone in on the worst case scenario that OH MY GOSH WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS TO US and/or I set expectations of what should happen, which is equally, if not more, dangerous.
but, in full transparency, I did order this book, this book, this book, and a whole pile of books on picky eating and BLW - but we’ll see if any of these ever get read
ordered three pairs of leggings, because nothing else made me feel better than wearing leggings
and more of my favorite underwear. no one warned me about all the leaking-while-sneezing.
edited to add: speaking of a weakening pelvic floor, I started doing some exercises, and that fixed the leaking issue. I’m also looking into a pelvic floor therapist, lactation consultant, acupuncturist, etc. basically allll the possible help, inspired by this book. and brett works for the most amazing hospital, so the resources there are incredible.
I also ordered these bump-friendly leggings and LOVED them — but wait until they go on sale for half price! (but also know I love love LOVE these dupes on Amazon, too)
picked a name (edited to add this at 39 weeks now that we’re close!)
naming baby girl after my mom, Julie Kaye. (here’s my announcement post on instagram!)
calling her KK (my mom’s childhood nickname) for short, but Brett often calls her Jules and I call her Julie Girl, too
we wanted family names, and I wanted one of my kids to be named after my mom. it was also important to me that whatever name we chose for all our children either ended in the “-ee” sound, or could easily be shortened to end in the “-ee” sound. (like, one of our boy names is Joseph after my dad, but can be shortened to Joey.)
also, I used to be a teacher, so some names were like, OH NO HARD PASSSSSS! to me
failed my one hour glucose test. passed my three hour glucose test
everyone talks about how horrible these tests are. I’m here to tell you they are not bad at all. if you drink the glucose drink cold (my preferred flavor was the fruit punch one), it truly reminds me of a sugary gatorade.
for the three hour test, I brought my computer and had the best time working + people watching. I repeat: these tests are not bad AT ALL.
(I did have to get Covid tested at almost 40 weeks to prepare for my induction and THAT was bad. awful. horrible. just so we’re clear.)
did/doing some house projects that have been on my list for a hot minute
because I’m like, let’s do it now while Brett has a few days off for the holidays. and while I’m feeling myself. And in the chance that I go into preterm labor or have to be put on bedrest, I want as much done now as possible. And because I know myself and if I’m going to be fully sitting around and resting postpartum, I want my house to feel relatively “done.” :)
hung a chandelier in the breakfast room
fully converted our linen closet to a more functional space for us (added a door rack for gift wrap + lazy susans for medicine/first aid + slim filing cabinets for important papers)
see this instagram post for my filing system
see the “closet” and “filing system” highlights on my Instagram for visuals of this!
and totally not necessary, but we got a container store door rack for our pantry as a spot to store all of KK’s feeding things. bottles for now, plates/etc later on. I love that they’re all neatly corralled, and I love that they all dry here without taking up room on my god forsaken counter. this was a dreammmm!
switched out the towel bar in the baby’s bathroom for hooks
got a basic programmable coffee maker so that I can program the night before
see my coffee station here
added dawn-to-dusk sensor nightlights in the hallway between master bedroom and nursery
added a big bulletin board in the laundry room - plan on parking the stroller here, too
hung picture ledges for our books off the entrance of our master bedroom as you exit the kitchen
see this post for a visual of this + why I love it!
cleared out the guest bedroom to make it a nursery
kept the comfy queen bed (who knows - it may be easier to sleep in there some nights! or for when my mom/sister come to help!) (edited to add: this was a brilliant idea. many naps were taken here.)
hang a hook in the baby’s shower for the baby bathtub (here’s a photo of this in our home!)
add hooks in our pantry for bibs
added big lazy susans to underneath all sinks
bought long hooks for our tall doors - towels, baby stuff, whatever
cleaned out the garage, hung dog walking leashes, made room for our stroller to get in and out the garage door
hung hooks in our bedroom for robes, corralled all comfy slippers for pregnancy and postpartum - see a photo here!
ordered baby hangers and baby pant hangers for baby’s closet
also added white wire drawers from ikea and a rolling cart from ikea
ordered these labeled dividers to separate clothes by size
stuck a few wicker baskets up top (one being specifically for gifts — the kind of gifts that you know you won’t necessarily use, but need to hold onto for a hot minute to send the obligatory “thank you” photo? DON’T JUDGE ME)
set up high chair and newborn insert
see our breakfast nook here
see more home and organizing projects in this post
(see my “home” and “baby prep” highlights on my Instagram for visuals of these, too!)
learned people sell baby things suuuuuper cheap on Facebook Marketplace + neighborhood facebook groups.
keeping my eye on these places to see if anything worth grabbing on my registry would pop up. Scored some amazing deals already. this is how I got our our Babybjorn bouncer (and our Snoo!) for cheap.
and got the dreamiest flamingo pink Wildbird baby sling on Poshmark for pennies!
also learned that people’s handmedowns are JEWELS. received this awesome baby carrier, this Snuggle Me, and this mat + activity gym from a dear friend. I’m smitten.
and OH MY GAWD don’t get me started on thrift stores. found THE cutest clothes FOR CHEAP while vacationing in Santa Fe. now I hit Goodwills and other resale shops routinely. 99% of KK’s clothes are from Senior Day at Goodwill with my mom. Like, clothes for less than a dollar.
made decisions about babymoon + baby shower
wiil travel again when everyone is home, happy, and healthy. just not in our budget right now and that’s okay - we’ve never been the people to do things JUST BECAUSE everyone else is doing it. (I mean, did you see how unconventional our wedding was?)
slash, Brett works for a hospital. and has THE most amazing insurance coverage at that specific hospital. so I plan to stay in close vicinity to said hospital until after this birth.
my birthday is in March and our annual tradition is to do something spa-ish together. we’ll do that and go out for a great meal as our baby moon.
similarly, I decided I’m not having a baby shower. while some dear, dear loved ones have offered, I just want to go out for queso with my mom and sisters. and a few other favorite people have reached out to plan similar, intimate meals with me (another dear friend who knows my heart so well is planning a pedicure - BLESS). and that’s alllll I want. “(But Haaaaley! How will you get allllll the things!” It’s covered - don’t worry.)
as I always say, everyone should do what works for them. there’s no right or wrong way!
started a google doc of our food likes/dislikes
just a document with our address, known allergies, food dislikes, favorite foods/snacks (with amazon links, if applicable), and restaurant orders. just to have on hand when our loved ones ask if there’s anything they can make or bring - mainly so that I don’t have to type, “I am a picky eater I’M SO SORRY PLEASE LOVE ME but if I get something with red sauce, mushrooms, onions, peppers, sour cream, sliced avocado, ham, ETC ETC I won’t eat it BUT I’M SO HUNGRY Oh wait you’re wondering what I want from Taco Cabana/Whataburger/Starbucks/grocery store? Here’s what I like, okay? I LOVE YOU. I’M SORRY.”
this came about because as a person with no babies, I had NO CLUE what was helpful to bring to people that just had little humans enter the world. and I LOVE to feel helpful, so if someone had said “this is what I LOVE and this is what kinda makes me want to die,” I would have THRIVED. also bc as a picky eater when people say, “I’ll eat anything!” I’m like I DON’T BELIEVE YOU! TELL ME WHAT YOU LIKE!
obviously this is not to send out to just everyone, as I would never want to seem ungrateful for people’s generous offerings. but you know those people that you know really, really well? and they love you anyway despite how weird and horrible you are? they may or may not be getting this list. haley’s hungry, but picky - the end.
look into all the fun baby-specific health things
this means alllll the classes hosted by our hospital and looking into the pediatrician meet and greets. Lord in heaven.
edited to add: Covid cancelled our hospital classes (but I linked the amazing online courses I took below!) and I found out that my pediatrician of choice SWIMS with me, so no need for a meet and greet. small, small world!
keeping an eye out from some good things to wear now through postpartum
(I’m hoping to keep maternity-specific purchases to a minimum - I’m more wanting to make sure I have versatile, looser pieces to wear now through that fourth trimester, and potentially even beyond that) (edited to add: investing in flattering, flow-y pieces that worked both during pregnancy, during recovery, and still now, six months later, was BRILLIANT. i never went through a “ugh, I have nothing to wear with my post-baby body,” and I reallyyyy think that helped my overall mood and confidence.)
ordered several pairs of leggings
got these nursing friendly shirts and they’re heaven (but I sized up two sizes so that they’d be veryyyy drapey and longer)
these joggers
a whole slew of flowy non-maternity dresses, perfect for both pregnancy and postpartum (I loved Target, Old Navy, and Asos)
this loose, black maxi dress (wore it yesterday with a shirt over it knotted at the waistline like this look and Pregnant Haley was so, so happy)
another loose, black maxi dress (wore it with a jean jacket and leopard belt - the bump was so happy)
edited to add: wore this to my 6 week postpartum appointment and I felt so good..
my favorite go-to dress pre-pregnancy is still my favorite now (I have it in both gray and black)
grabbed two pairs of basic flip flops in nude and black - but sized up justttt in case
99% of the time time I’m in my birkinstocks (linked my two favorite pairs in my Favorite Things post)
did buy two of these maternity tanks and I LOVE them now that I’m halfway through my pregnancy with any of the above leggings (and I’ll wear a duster or sweatshirt or whatever over that)
loose house dresses (bump AND nursing friendly, but I totally wore belted or with a jean jacket before pregnancy because I lovedddd the comfort+length) like this (this is already a favorite) - edited to add: I’m still wearing these six months postpartum. best investment ever.
Nesting and Olive Robes (this one is my favorite in the history of ever)
headbands for pregnancy + delivery + postpartum + foreverrrrr
airpods - received these for my birthday, and it was so nice for postpartum to be able to talk to my mom on the phone, but keep my hands free for nursing or whatever
linked everything helping me with any pregnancy aches and pains and dry skin here.
I didn’t want to buy a pregnancy specific pillow, so instead I’ve been cuddling one of our amazing, favorite pillows and I’ve been sleeping like a dream (edited to add this at 39 weeks)
finish up some adult odds-and-ends - basically things that we were like, “What would be easier to do now vs with a newborn?”
update life insurance, get me a new phone, label which doctors are our primary care physicians (switch to the nearby clinic), get some overdue car repairs for Brett, got some overdue car repairs for me, update recalls on our cars, get annual car detailing, get Brett established at the nearby mechanic, switch to the nearby vet, get dog vaccinations for the year (um, do dogs need teeth cleaning?), renew my license (#officiallyold), get heartworm preventative for the dogs for the year, get taxes filed with CPA, see eye doctor, get some freckles checked out with the derm, etc.
have at-home maternity photos done with our amazing wedding photographer
(wanting to also document our home before the chaos of kids LOLOLOL)
trying to move daily
because labor looks like the hardest workout of my life and because my mental health needs movement
still walking and swimming, especially since I was so freaking nervous about, you know, actually having a baby
rediscovered my love for yin, stretch-y yoga. can’t afford a yoga studio membership - and I want something I can do at home even after the baby is here, so I’ve rekindled my obsession for Yoga with Adriene and Down Dog Yoga app, as well as searching “yin yoga” and “prenatal yin yoga” on youtube.
see my pregnancy board in my Amazon store for my favorite yoga goodies I’ve loved this pregnancy.
still waiting for the “pregnancy glow”
ordered this and this to combat my dry, sallow skin in the mean time - OBSESSED.
I use a warm washcloth to remove the cleansing oil - I love love love my washcloth warmer for this
also re: the broken capillary that made its debut on my cheek and just.won’t.quit - any magical tips? (edited to add: it went away at the very end of pregnancy!)
third trimester:
make three breastfeeding stations (I used this basket on my nightstand and I used this cart in my den)
More of a visual person? See my “baby prep,” “pregnancy,” “home,” “freezer,” “closets,” and “master bedroom” highlights on my Instagram!
for the nursery glider, my nightstand next to my bed, and the den couch.
edited to add: my neighbor put out the most comfortable, fancy rocker/electric recliner in pristine condition. it’s like the most amazing baby/breastfeeding chair. so now I’m making that a station (more so than the den couch — but the baskets/cart are portable, so really anywhere can be a station)
I keep this cart in my den next to the aforementioned glider
kept plenty of room for water, snacks for me (love that the top shelf of the cart is perfect for my water tumbler and food, ha)
threw in some burp cloths, wipes, and blankets (and kept plenty of empty space so I can throw in anything else I find useful once she’s here)
threw in chapstick and hairties for meeee
keep portable white noise machine nearby for soothing (I’ll link the classes I loved below that explain why I loveeee white noise for baby girl)
heard great things about having one of these nearby
got longggg phone charger cords to put near all comfy seating (+ to take to hospital for delivery)
going to get a few sets of these reusable breast pads to keep at each station and in my purse
wanting to try this nipple cream (bought a few jars for all the stations)
going to put my favorite hand sanitizer (splurging on a little luxury here) to put one in the cart and two in the changing stations
purchased a few other nursing goodies (but if nursing doesn’t work well for us, no big deal! i believe fed is best)
bought breastfeeding lamps (pack one for the hospital, too)
I put one in her nursery next to the glider, and one next to the changing station (more on that in a minute) in our Master bedroom. The light itself sits on a charging station so that I can pick the light up and take it wherever I need to nurse or could use a littleeee light.
investing in these just in case
I also heard great things about these silverette nursing cups so I may grab to have on hand
update: see my postpartum favorites blogpost to see a full list of what was reallyyyy handy to have in my nursing cart
some of these things may not work for baby girl and that’s ok! they may work with the next babies, or not at all. I’m just excited to try some new toys for this new chapter regardless!
ordered a few of these nursing bras and these (see second trimester for all the postpartum clothes I ordered)
since I’ll be giving birth at the beginning of Texas summer, I plan on living in the loose dresses I linked above, or tanks and high waisted bike shorts (like these and these)
edited to add: I lived in loose, flowy Old Navy nursing tanks. (Link no longer available.) Pre-baby I hated tight camisoles, so I wanted a looser nursing tank rather than all the tight camisoles everyone swears by and I was so, so happy.
I also ordered a whole slew of used books from Amazon + stocked my Kindle app + snagged a few audiobooks on Audible to keep at each station to read for fun JUST IN CASE - my mom said when she was nursing she read all the time
see my Amazon store for my ever-growing list of favorite books
(see my “books” highlight on my Instagram for visuals of this, too!)
edited to add: I’m SO glad I did this! I read so much - especially with my Kindle app - those first few months with all the healing and nursing.
make three diaper changing stations
More of a visual person? See my “baby prep,” “pregnancy,” “home,” “freezer,” “closets,” and “master bedroom” highlights on my Instagram!
1) the baby’s bathroom where we have this changing pad on the counter, 2) our master bedroom (where we got this changing table for cheap secondhand and added this changing pad with four of these baskets), and 3) my car (I want to keep something along the lines of these ideas in there!) using this changing pad that also serves as a travel bassinet for when we’re visiting family (more on the car diaper changing station in the next section!)
in our master bedroom, we also added a humidifier this wipes dispenser, this breastfeeding light (the charging pad will be here so that I can pick the light up and take it wherever, if needed. or it can stay put for nighttime changes), and - eventually/hopefully - this diaper pail.
side note: keeping this changing pad, this to go version of my favorite hand sanitizer, and this bag dispenser in my purse
other items I’m hoping to get: my favorite hand sanitizer (this to go version for my car + my purse), this diaper pail, this wipes dispenser, and this diaper cream applicator
make “blow out/baby emergency” kit for the car - see my “baby prep” highlight in my instagram feed if you want to see a photo!
I want to keep something along the lines of these ideas in my car - I searched things like “blow out kit” and “baby emergency car kit” on Pinterest for ideas of what other moms did/loved
I linked all my baby favorites here, if you’re wanting to know some products I’m trying
adding things to my blow out kit like this baggie dispenser, extra just-in-case things (baby outfits, outfit for me, diapers, wipes, baby blankets, etc etc etc), gallon sized baggies, spray bottle of water, hand sanitizer (wipes and gel - simply because I don’t know which I’ll prefer!), disinfecting wipes, a bigggg blanket (like, to lay on in grass), stain spray (could spray dirty things with stain spray or water and throw in gallon baggie, is my thinking — stinky diapers could go in the aforementioned baggies, or double bagged in a baggie + gallon baggie?), towels, etc
also keeping this travel bassinet (can work as a changing pad and play pen, too) in the car for when we’re out or visiting family
probably keeping this smaller, cheaper changing pad in the car, too (I have a hatchback SUV, so easy to use the back part of my car for this)
edited to add: JUST POPPING IN TO SAY THIS WAS THE BEST THING EVER TO PREP. KK IS NOW 7MONTHS OLD AND STILL GETS USED AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, EVERY WEEK. Please please please make yourself some sort of car changing station. It has been SO nice to have.
stock baby medicine cabinet
I registered for all that I thought I needed, so I just need to see what’s left to get
one of the lazy susans in our medicine “cabinet” (aka the repurposed linen closet I mentioned above) is designated for baby things
while we’re at it, check our adult meds - anything expired? anything need replenishing? (double check what is and is not breastfeeding friendly)
get stroller set up
add organizer - getting allllll ready for our daily walks + weekly farmers market date
order mattress protector
I heard it’s great to add for just in case your water breaks + for postpartum night sweats + for leaking boobs. Oh, boy!
make three postpartum recovery baskets - brace yourself. I ordered way too much I’m sure, and I know the hospital can provide goodies, but I wanted to have more than I needed, than not enough. worse case scenario, I have extras for the next baby, or I can gift some to an expectant mama! (updated to add: I’m SO GLAD I had all of this!!)
More of a visual person? See my “baby prep,” “pregnancy,” “home,” “freezer,” “closets,” and “master bedroom” highlights on my Instagram!
using three of these baskets - one for each bathroom
I registered for all I thought I might want, so I just need to see what’s left to get (and I know I’ll be getting some from hospital - I’d just rather have an influx of things when it comes to battle wounds down there, you know?)
side note: packed two reusable grocery bags in my hospital bag to make it easy to bring home any and all postpartum/baby things from hospital
things like a peri bottle, perineal spray , pain spray, cooling witch hazel liners, witch hazel foam, sitz baths salts, etc. I’m under the mentality of “let’s-stock-up-and-see-what-we-like” - see my postpartum favorites blogpost to read what I was suuuuper glad to have. (spoiler: I’m so glad I had all this on hand!!)
copious amounts of pads of different thicknesses, and some adult diapers YAYYY THE BEAUTY OF CHILDBIRTH
aaaand disposable underwear, ready to go padsicles, and perineal ice packs - again, probably overkill. but I’d rather have a buffet of choices and see what works for me - see my postpartum favorites blogpost to read what I was suuuuper glad to have. (spoiler: I’m so glad I had all this on hand!!)
a few packs of high wasted postpartum underwear to make me feel human again once things, ahem, calm down. and more of my favorite underwear.
definitely getting a donut to sit on
getting those high waisted leggings and shorts I mentioned previously - I heard the compression and support in these is amazing for postpartum
but in case the idea of leggings/bike shorts makes me want to die, I have several Nesting Olive and Dwell & Slumber house dresses (perfect for postpartum!!)
see my postpartum favorites blogpost to read what I was suuuuper glad to have. (spoiler: I’m so glad I had all this on hand!!)
make sure I have multiples of things that can get dirtyyyyy super quick
things like crib sheets and mattress protectors and Snoo sheets - things that if they’re soiled in the middle of the night, I can just quickly change it out with a fresh one and add the dirty one to the laundry basket to deal with later
take all the courses to help my confidence + Covid cancelled our hospital classes
take this sleep course!!! (edited to add: LOVED this class! can’t recommend enough!!!)
watch his class (and/or read this book) + andddd order the snoo bassinet (I got one secondhand to help with price + in case baby girl didn’t like it!)
edited to add: this was the first video we watched and we love love LOVED starting with this. this video + the first one are so far our favorites - and the first video refers to this video, so they’re perfect together)
take this birthing course (I love her Instagram) + her newborn basics course (LOVED THESE)
(edited to add: I watched a few other courses on various topics and these were the only ones I loved)
see what else I’m doing at home during Covid here - I wrote a whole post on 50+ Things To Do at Home, Haley Wynn Style!
work through this list of financial/legal things
assemble high chair + newborn insert
pricey, but I wanted something that was long-lasting, durable, easy to clean, blends in with our decor, would work from birth, good for all ages, and could be used for many babies!
get cars detailed
ordered this insert to put into a tote as a diaper bag
I “borrowed” a big Louis Vuitton tote from my sister and the insert fits perfectly- I found I don’t like typical diaper bags, so I love this combo so, so much
I should have a photo of this in my “baby prep” highlight on my Instagram
ordered a changing pad to keep in the tote, too
hang portable white noise machine on car seat (or keep somewhere nearby in car)
bought a Snoo secondhand on Facebook Marketplace for a reallyyyy good price. purchased a second set of sheets + swaddles. I can’t recommend enough
edited to add: KK transitioned to her crib at 6 months old. here’s how it went.
sanitized all baby bottles + pump parts + pacis
edited to add: a friend gifted me this automatic sterilizer/dryer and I’m excited to try - I’ve heard amazing things!
similarly, we were gifted this formula maker (it’s been called a Baby Keurig!) for if nursing doesn’t go well for us - we were told to also order a spare funnel (and, edited to add at 8months pp: I’m SO GLAD we did this since it’s made cleaning a BREEZE. we just throw the funnel in the dishwasher and pop the spare funnel in the Baby Brezza. SO MUCH YES.)
(and I’m planning on supplementing anyway with one bottle of formula a day from day 1. read more about that journey under the “october 11” section of this post. you do you!!)
splurged on a DockaTot…mainly because they came out with a leopard print
again, baby girl may hate everything I bought and that’s okay. there were just fun baby goodies I personally wanted to try on this new adventure. and, we’re having multiple kids so what may not work for baby KK may work for her future siblings. or for my sisters’ kids.
finished a few random house projects
get rocking chairs for the porch
we know people that would sit outside in the rocking chairs with their baby to get some fresh air and I’m like BRILLIANT
also got this gate to keep the dogs contained
started a new weekly grilling tradition - something we could do even when bebe arrived
installed three of these ikea units for our hallway (aka a lovely, concealed place for kid things to go at the end of the day - I’m mainly hoping to avoid baskets of kid toys in the main living spaces for as long as possible) - see this post for finished product!
hoping to change out the knobs to something like this
upgraded to a smart doorbell (turned off the bell - changed it so that we get phone notifications) and frosted the glass windows on our front door
hung the prettiest “no soliciting” sign
spring cleaning
I have a Google Keep list of “yearly tasks + expenses” - things we/I do every year, month by month. (More on that here.) In March, I have a few Spring Cleaning things that I’ll definitelyyyy do this year with it being the third trimester
wash all bedding/blankets/shower curtains
get windows washed
wipe down pantry/fridge
wipe down kennel + wash dog bed covers
change out smoke alarm batteries
get new air/water filters
wipe down cabinets/closets
see full list of yearly routines here (like what we do in March, April, etc)
we budget for weekly house cleaning, so the house should be clean - if I didn’t have this, I would be budgeting for a deep clean in the third trimester
scheduled an induction for her due date. WOOOOHOOOO!
***I’ll spare you all the boring, typical things - like packing hospital bags, installing car seats, going on tours, ordering breast pump, whatever. Just know we’re doing them!
side note: heard good things about ordering breast pump through here. for those wondering, I’m planning to pay a little extra and go with this pump. (I picked that one versus similar ones just because my insurance was willing to cover part of that one.) edited to add: LOVED THIS THING.
side side note: I’ll hopefully at some point add what we brought to the hospital, but know that we had to pack wayyyy differently, as Covid regulations meant we couldn’t have visitors, Brett wasn’t allowed to leave, and a L&D nurse called to tell us, “Overpack. Bring anything you could possibly need for a 2-3 day stay. We’ll bring a cart to your car so BRING IT ALL.” Also, I scheduled an induction so we were planning on some relatively lengthy downtime before the party got started.
talked with Brett about three non-baby things he could do every morning once she’s here to support me - wrote them on our white board
give dogs food and water
fill my three 32-ounce tumblers with ice water for the day - set in my nursing spots
make morning beverage (hot lemon water, loaded coffee, tea, whatever I’m feeling)
see this Instagram post for more on my postpartum plans + routines
my expectations actually might surprise you
edited to add: having these expectations HELPED TREMENDOUSLY.
start a memory box for baby girl’s childhood
something like this idea
I know some people do a baby book, but I wanted a system that I could continue to add to as she gets older
so I bought this file box, these amazingly pink file folders, and for now only labeled three of the folders: “birth,” “baby,” and “cards”
makes for an easy spot to throw any sweet things from her birth, darling momentos from babyhood, and a place to keep any cards from loved ones in the coming year. as time goes on I’ll label the rest of the file folders with things like “first grade,” etc
we’ll be storing her memory box in her closet :)
birth plan
I know it seems a big, trendy thing is to write a detailed birth plan, but my plan is this: healthy baby, healthy mom, EPIDURAL. the end. you do you, boo!
edited to add: my epidural didn’t work until the last minute. so glad I took this course that taught me what to do!
got a push present. I think.
yes, I know there’s some debate surrounding this idea, but I’m not sure what else to call it. but brett said so sweetly when I was talking about a pricey leopard baby carrier I loved: “You know, you’ve carried this baby for months, have made so many sacrifices already, and will be the one delivering our child. If there’s something that makes you feel a little more like yourself - and excites you - as you navigate this new role of ‘mom,’ I say let’s get it.”
edited to add: this carrier was and is everything. worth every penny.
talked about our announcement plan in the hospital
for us, we decided that I’m keeping my phone off and Brett will send a text to both parents essentially saying “hi hello baby is here all is good but we’re stepping away from our phones to enjoy this magical time together and we’ll call when we’re more settled!”
we wrote a script together that all he has to do is update it with her details (DOB, time, weight, etc) and copy and paste it into a text
we set the expectation also with family that I will NOT be near my phone before/during/after labor. (right now the thought of dealing with texts/instagram instead of enjoying this new baby just sounds awful — we wanted to have plenty of time to soak up being a new family of three.)
postpartum food
make a list of no-brainer meals, snacks, and go-to foods we love to have on hand always (ie whole organic milk, sandwich/toast stuff, etc) to make or pick up (mainly so that when my mom asks postpartum, “Hey, I’m at such and such store - what can I grab you?” I’m READY) - list is divided up by HEB, Trader Joe’s and Costco
for example, “if you’re at Costco, can you grab us our favorite fish sticks and any fruit that looks good?”
grabbed a boatload of paper plates, paper bowls, and disposable utensils because sister here doesn’t want to touch a dirty dish for a hot, hot minute
and, let’s be real - a sink full of dirty dishes makes me feel SO anxious. so this is our short term solution as we make it through the fourth trimester
here’s my postpartum menu plan, if that would help ya!
annnd see my ongoing list of postpartum freezer foods here
shop my favorite freezer goodies here
would rather see my normal menu plan? see my weekly menu plan (with menus dating back to 2015!) here
aaaaand go with the flow.
kind of a weird thing to end on after SUCH a lengthy preparation post, but know this: I’m prepping what I can in the months before KK gets here. and then once she arrives, I’m resting, doing as little as possible, and going with the flow. I know you can’t 1000% prepare for baby, but there were things I did want to do that might make things this big life change a little easier. (slash there are things I’d rather knock out while pregnant than with a baby.) and if it turns out these things don’t make anything easier, then so be it. I enjoyed preparing for this new phase of our lives regardless as it excited me, it helped me deal with any anxieties (plus killed some time during the seemingly endless Covid quarantine, let’s be real), and it caused me to feel connected to the whole process. you do you, boo!
Wooooo! I love me a good list. I’ll add to it as I think of more. Do whatever works best for you - this is what works best for me so far!
Curious about what I loved postpartum? Click here for my Postpartum Favorites post!
Photo credit: Hannah Black Photography
