What to Do when You Are Expecting the Stork

Congratulations! You've just found out you're pregnant. If you're like most women when they first discover they are pregnant, you're probably about 5 weeks along. The road to delivery is long and bumpy. So how do you pass the time until your due date? There are a number of things that you should be busy doing!

During the first trimester, you should start looking for a prenatal care provider. You may chose a doctor, midwife, or even a chiropractor. Whether you open the yellow pages, use a provider you already have a relationship with, or visit someone a friend referred, it's up to you. Interview several candidates until you find someone you are comfortable with, and keep a few people in mind as back-up.

Prenatal care sometimes starts at 8 weeks and sometimes at 12 weeks, once the first trimester has passed. You should make your first appointment for sometime around then. You can wait as late as 14 weeks, but if you're planning on receiving formal care, it is best to get in during the 8-12 week time frame.

As soon as you find out you are pregnant, if you drink, smoke, or engage in any recreational drugs, you need to stop using them as soon as possible. If you can quit cold turkey, that is best. If that's not an option, cut back gradually until you break the habit completely. Even cutting back a little bit can greatly reduce the risks associated with these things, but only quitting eliminates them.

One of the first things you need to do is educate yourself about pregnancy. Start reading as much as you can. Learn about what is going to happen to your body. Find out what is and isn't safe during gestation. More importantly, don't just take in everything you hear. Do your own research to decide for yourself what risks you are willing to take or if you even feel certain things are risky at all. You also need to learn about common prenatal procedures: their benefits, their risks, when they are done, what to expect, etc. You should be thinking now about which tests you will do and which you will decline. Will you find out what the baby's gender is at the ultrasound, if you have one? Decide now.

Learn about prenatal nutrition. Take a class if one is available. Change your diet, if it's not already healthy. Start taking your prenatal vitamins as soon as you get your positive test result. You should be eating a balanced diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, and meat. You'll need to increase your water intake in addition to eating 300-500 extra calories a day. Think about what you put into your body, because you're putting it into your baby's body, too.

Support can make a pregnancy go much easier, especially if you have complications, mixed emotions, or severe symptoms. You'll want to establish and support network early in your pregnancy. Make some friends who are or have been pregnant. Join a due date club! These women will teach you so much about pregnancy, what to expect, and how to handle your emotions and symptoms. No one wants to think about loss, but if that happens, they can help you deal with it. Check out a few pregnancy and expectant forums on the internet. Talk to other moms in your provider's waiting room. These women will remain your friends long after your baby is born, from pregnancy to parenthood.

The second trimester is a great time to start stocking up on diapers and baby gear. Buy a few cloth diapers or packages of disposable diapers a month in several sizes. Begin shopping for all that you will need for a baby. Remember to think before you buy. Are you planning on wearing your baby in a sling? Then you might not want to spend your money on a stroller. Stocking up on items for your new baby will make everything seem more real and solid, as you realize, "Wow, we really are having a baby!" You don't need to have everything purchased until the baby comes home from the hospital, but it's best to start collecting early. You'll have more time to shop around for bargains and that perfect crib than if you wait and do it at the last minute.

During this time you should also start fixing up the nursery. Start collecting things gradually that you will use to decorate. Take your time. You don't have to have it all together until the baby is born. If it takes longer than that, she won't mind. The first thing you'll want to set up is probably the crib, as it's the first thing you need if you don't plan on cosleeping. Shop around for good deals. Check out nursery decor in magazines and even in other people's nurseries. Many people chose to have a theme. It is a good idea to at least pick a theme so that you know what to be on the look out for.

If you want to listen to the baby's heartbeat at home, now is the time to consider renting a Fetal Doppler or Stethoscope. You can use the Doppler at 8-12 weeks, and the fetal stethoscope will pick up heart tones around 18 weeks. Renting a Doppler is very affordable, only about $20 a month, but a fetoscope will only cost you a grand total of $20 for the whole pregnancy. This can be a fun and reassuring way to pass time until your baby is born.

Chances are, you will have a normal, healthy, and uneventful pregnancy. Nevertheless, you should still be informed about complications that can occur. The two most common are preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. As you approach the 25 week mark, you should be watching more closely for signs of problems. This is when they normally begin to manifest. Read what you can about these two complications, as well as placenta problems, signs of premature labor and how to stop it, and other conditions such as low birth weight or inadequate or excess amniotic fluid level. Don't worry yourself too much over these things though. Just be aware of their existence.

As you near the third trimester, you'll want to start thinking more about labor. Now is the time to think about what kind of labor you want and make a birth plan. Ask your provider any questions you might have. Research common labor interventions to discover when they are used, when they are really needed, and what the risks and benefits are. Decide which ones you'd be comfortable having and in what situations you'd use them. You also need to learn about labor complications: what they are, how they are handled, the risks, risk factors, etc. Once you have done that, though, put it all aside and focus on the positive.

Read baby name books, and start trying to pick a name. Even if you know the gender, pick a boy name and a girl name just in case. You'll want to have this ready before your due date, because you could go into labor early. You never know!

In the third trimester, you need to finish collecting your baby gear and setting up your nursery. In preparation for birth, you may want to take childbirth education classes. Meditate, and practice relaxing. Think positive thoughts about birth, and allow yourself to feel confident. Read birth stories, focusing on those with good outcomes that are similar to the kind of birth you desire. Surround yourself with love, and try to eliminate stress from your life. You should also pack a bag for the hospital.

Before your baby is born, you need to learn about newborn procedures such as the PKU test, circumcision, and vaccination. Research the risks and benefits, and decide now whether you will be consenting to these things. If your baby comes early, before you've made a decision, you should delay such procedures until he or she is stronger and healthier. That gives you time to keep thinking. It is best that you and your partner agree now about these procedures. It will make parenting a newborn much easier on you.

You should also read about newborn care and what to expect from a newborn. Before the baby is born, you and your partner need to agree on feeding, sleeping arrangements, and a general approach to parenting. Try to make some friends now that have made some of these same choices as you--and some that have different perspectives. The support and input may be something you find helpful later on.

Pregnancy usually lasts 40 weeks, but it can last several weeks longer, too. It's really closer to ten months than nine. It's a long time to wait for a miracle to arrive, but those bundles of joy are worth it. Hopefully you won't spend too much time feeling board. There are so many constructive things that you can do while you are waiting to pass the time. Have a happy, healthy pregnancy!