You can write the dates or names of the months in the spaces next to the week headings to personalise your pregnancy calendar. Then you can follow the suggestions for each month and also make your own notes in the relevant spaces.
First Trimester
Things to do:
- Make sure you are pregnant.
- Visit your doctor to confirm your pregnancy
- Health insurance.
- Make sure your activities are pregnancy safe.
- Eating nutritious meals and drinking plenty of water.
- Going to bed early.
- Buy and borrow books on pregnancy.
- Starting taking a daily amount of folic acid (400mg).
- Avoid smoking, alcohol, caffeine, and taking any drugs or medication.
- Get in touch with local hospitals and see what facilities they have, or research home birth.
- Get relief from morning sickness. (Consider complementary therapies to keep morning sickness under control)
- Learn the signs of pregnancy problems.
- Follow your baby’s development.
- Keep a note of everything you read in pregnancy books and magazines.
- Start looking for pregnancy exercise classes.
- Start a baby name list.
- Making a list of baby products and furniture you may need and having a budget.
- You will be offered a 12 week scan – the first time you see and hear your baby for the first time.
- After the scan is when most people tell close friends and family the exciting news.
- Consider booking a maternity nurse they get booked very quickly so contact agencies now for a list of candidates.
Second Trimester
Things to do:
- Look into childbirth classes.
- Prepare older children.
- Think about your maternity leave.
- If your clothes are feeling uncomfortable, start ordering the maternity wear catalogues and visiting the stores.
- Book antenatal/parenting classes as they get booked up.
- Keep a track of baby’s movements.
- Chose a doctor for your baby.
- Organising you hospital and baby bag.
- 20 week fetal anomaly scan.
- 22 weeks: half way there!
- Think about decorating the nursery.
Third Trimester
Things to do:
- If you would like one last trip abroad, now’s the time to go. Some airlines won’t let you fly after 28 weeks. Also check that your travel insurance covers pregnancy. Most will cover to 32 weeks for the date of return.
- Think about whether you’ll be returning to work, and make arrangements with your employer. You can take maternity leave from week 29.
- If you are thinking of returning to work, register with your local nursery school – popular ones can have up to 1 year waiting lists.
- Order some of the larger items you will need when your baby arrives (such as prams, cots and car seats), as they can take 6 weeks to order.
- Treat yourself to a pregnancy massage.
- Consider body painting, life casting and pregnancy photography.
- Sort out all the things you need if you are having a home birth.
- Prepare your list of friends and family for sending birth announcement cards.
- Organise our Stem Cell collection kit.
- Stock your kitchen presses, fridge and freezer and get online with home delivery companies.
- Don’t get too fed up if your baby arrives after the estimated date. Use the time to relax, see friends and generally organise yourself.
If you wish, you can click here and download/print out the details above
to keep as a handy reference guide for yourself.
© Teresa Boardman, Nanny Options.
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