One of the most exciting times in a woman’s life can be the day she finds out she’s pregnant. The range of emotions she might experience can feel overwhelming and wonderful all at once.
Many women and their partners plan their pregnancies far in advance, but sometimes it can take months or even years before conception occurs. If you’re the type to want to plan, the following steps should help make laying out your pregnancy journey a bit smoother.
Planning for a Baby
The best way to ease nerves once you decide to start trying for a baby is to plan. The following steps will help make your pregnancy journey a bit smoother.
Learn to Track Your Cycle
One of the most important things a woman should understand is her cycle. Ovulation tracking can significantly improve your chances of getting pregnant because it narrows down the small window when pregnancy is possible each month. Many apps can assist with tracking your cycle, but a simple journal coupled with ovulation tests is also a suitable method.
Choose the Best Pregnancy Test
Once you’ve tracked your cycle and started trying to conceive, it’s time to choose the best pregnancy test. There are various options for testing, from simple strips to digital tests that give a clear “pregnant/not pregnant” result. For testing on a budget, strips that you dip into a cup of urine are more than sufficient, or you could locate a clinic or doctor’s office that provides free pregnancy tests in Illinois. The last thing you want is to spend hard-earned money on tests when that money could be put toward baby necessities like diapers, wipes, or clothes.
Stock Up
One of the best ways to prepare for your new bundle of joy is to stock up on all the necessities before your baby arrives. Plenty of diapers, wipes, onesies, socks, saline spray, and sleepers are all great things to have on hand. Having a stash on hand will help you avoid midnight trips to the store for diapers and let you spend more time focusing on your family.
Decorate the Nursery
Decorating the nursery is both daunting and exciting. Choosing paint colors, bedding, furniture, and decor doesn’t need to be overwhelming, though. There are many options online where you can look at pictures of other nurseries to get inspiration. You can also connect with mothers’ groups on social media to chat about what worked in their nurseries.
Prepare for Delivery
When you go into labor, the last thing you should worry about is packing a hospital bag. It’s best to pack about a month before your due date to ensure you have everything you need for your stay in the hospital. The following items are some of the most common ones women bring with them when they deliver:
- Robe
- Slippers
- Nightgown
- Books or an e-reader
- Cell phone charger
- Snacks
- Water
- Change of clothes
- Toiletries
- Going-home outfit for baby
- Change of clothes for your partner (if he or she will be staying overnight)
The above list may seem daunting, but your pregnancy journey can be an enjoyable one with the proper determination and planning.
