Get organized for baby and enjoy your first trimester with this helpful checklist
Congratulations, mama!
You’re pregnant!!
Whether it’s a complete surprise or a long hoped dream come true, this is a life changing moment.
And it can be a scary one – even if it’s your second, third or fourth pregnancy! But there’s no need to freak out.
Because I’m sharing a helpful list of 33 things prepare for and make sure your first trimester goes smoothly so you can get all the rest you need. And if you don’t have time to read this post, I created a first trimester checklist totally free! No need to sign up! Just click on the image below!
***Plus, download your First Trimester Checklist (no email sign up required) and follow along***
Take a deep breath, mama!
Keep Healthy Throughout Your Pregnancy
1. Schedule a Doctor’s Appointment
As soon as you see those little blue lines, you’re going to want to schedule a doctor’s appointment. Your doctor will be able to do a quick test in their office to confirm that you’re pregnant. And then they can get you on track for all your other appointments, scans and checks.
Don’t forget to ask about any existing medication you’re taking, to make sure that it’s safe to take during pregnancy and breastfeeding
2. Start Taking a Prenatal Vitamin
Obviously, good nutrition is vital in pregnancy. But if you’re suffering with morning sickness, that’s not so easy! So it’s vital to take a prenatal supplement.
What I found when I took my prenatal vitamins was to take them at night instead of the morning. The morning was a challenging time in my first trimester pregnant with twins.
I was still working so I had to eat something to calm my nauseousness. And taking a prenatal vitamin on an empty stomach or on a stomach with very little food in it only contributed to this feeling.
But by evening, my stomach calmed, I had food in it and it was no problem taking my prenatal vitamin.
Now would be a good time to take advantage of Amazon’s Subscribe & Save option, so you don’t have to worry about running out.
3. Take an Online Pregnancy Class
One of the scariest things about finding out you’re pregnant might be the realization that you’re going to have to give birth. Yikes! And fears around labor, childbirth and tearing are completely normal!
So put your mind at ease by doing a bit of research and booking a childbirth class that’s right for you. What’s great is that there are many online pregnancy and birthing classes that you can attend right at home.
Working all day and tired over the weekend? No problem. These online pregnancy classes are self-paced and can be done during a late-night lesson binge or before you go to work!
My favorite online pregnancy and birthing classes are:
- Mama Natural Birth Class – Mama, if your desire is to have a natural home birth, this course by Mama Natural is made for you! Genevieve and Maura Winkler walk you through comprehensive video lessons so that you no longer fear giving birth.
- The Online Prenatal Class for Couples – designed for BOTH of you in mind. This course is created by Hillary, a labor and delivery nurse, and she walks you through the labor process and more.
- SupportingHer – while this class is designed for the father to be, it can definitely be taken as a couple. This course takes the fear away from having a hospital birth by walking you through that process.
- The Ultimate Breastfeeding Class – seriously, this class is a lifesaver for when you have breastfeeding problems. And taking this before you have to breastfeed is a good choice.
- The Ultimate Back to Work Pumping Class – for those eager beavers, check out this class that helps you familiarize yourself with your breast pump, how to pump and ways to increase your milk supply.
4. Cut These Foods from Your Diet
We know alcohol in any amount is a huge no-no during pregnancy. But there are a few more foods you’ll need to ditch too:
- Deli meat due to concerns about listeria
- Fish with high Mercury levels including shark and swordfish
- Anything with raw eggs – look out for salad dressings and mayonnaise
- Cheeses made with unpasteurized milk – check the label to make sure they clearly state that they’re made with pasteurized milk.
For more information about foods to avoid in pregnancy, check out this helpful guide.
5. And Eat More Of These Foods
While you might miss your deli treats or raw egg mayo, you can add in lots more foods to support you in pregnancy.
Here are some delicious foods that are great for you during pregnancy:
- Green vegetables like spinach, broccoli and asparagus
- Lentils
- Beans
- Citrus fruits
- Yogurt
- Chicken and beef
Make things easy and use these ingredients in an Instant Pot recipe. I’ve rounded up 25 delicious, vegan Instant Pot recipes that are sure to be crowd pleasers.
6. Swap Your Coffee Order
Eugh! This was such a tough one for me! I’m a coffee addict and I really missed my morning coffee.
But too much caffeine has been shown to cause birth defects, premature labor and low birth weight. Unfortunately, it’s not clear how much caffeine counts as ‘too much’.
So why not switch your favorite caffeine fix for water? Staying hydrated is vital during pregnancy and when you’re breastfeeding.
Now is a great time to get into some good habits. Invest in a good water bottle and keep it close by. I love my Thermos water bottle because it keeps my water ice cold all day (and when you’re pregnant you might start craving ice and ice cold water like I did).
7. Prep Your Morning Sickness Kit
Maybe you’re already experiencing morning sickness. Or maybe you’re still dreading the thought of it. Either way, it’s a good idea to prep a simple morning sickness kit, so you can enjoy your first trimester as much as possible.
Here are a few life saving things to pack in your morning sickness kit:
- An acupressure wrist band – I used this every day at work during my first trimester. It helped me “ride” the waves of nauseousness that happened periodically at work.
- Preggie Drops Plus – I sucked on these a lot and had a stash in my purse
- A snack pack of biscuits
- A pack of hair ties
Here are 30 more tips for relieving morning sickness.
8. Start Doing Pelvic Floor Exercises
During pregnancy you will start placing a lot of weight on your pelvic floor – the muscles and ligaments supporting your pregnancy. It’s not a bad idea to start incorporating pelvic floor exercises (or kegel exercises) in your first trimester.
Here’s a 25-minute workout that you can start during in your fist trimester to get your body ready for birth!
9. Sleep When You Can
I know this is easier said than done. But your body is going through HUGE changes! So sleep and rest when you can. You might be tempted to add 100 things to your to-do list now that you’re pregnant, but don’t forget to listen to your body.
For a realistic guide to what you need to do before baby arrives, check out these helpful posts:
- The Most Essential Things Your Newborn Baby Needs at Home
- 26 Important Things to do Before Baby Arrives
10. Start Thinking of a Birth Plan
OK, so it’s early days yet. But it’s never too early to start preparing a birth plan.
And Heather over at A Life in Labor has a complete step-by-step guide to making a birth plan.
11. Help Prevent Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are a not so fun part of pregnancy and they can appear anywhere over your thighs, butt, tummy and chest! A good rule of thumb is to start applying stretch mark cream or lotion to those areas starting in your first trimester.
This can help minimized those marks and make your skin bouncy and resilient for when childbirth comes!
Things To Do with Your Husband Once You Find Out You’re Pregnant
12. Decide How to Tell Your Husband
You could dream up some super romantic way to tell your husband you’re pregnant.
Or you could just blurt it out!
My pregnancy story wasn’t a secret from my husband. We were going through IVF and with every IVF attempt I took a very sensitive pregnancy test and my husband was there each time I took the test. But once we saw that positive, we were ecstatic and we shared the joy together.
13. Decide How You Will Announce Your Pregnancy
Oh, this is a tough one! You might feel like shouting it from the rooftops. But it’s advisable to wait until you’re safely through the first trimester.
Since I had difficulty getting pregnant, this was definitely something I did to make sure I was pregnant. I waited until I was 17 weeks pregnant to announce my pregnancy on social media.
And there’s no need to rush. Just enjoy having this wonderful secret with your husband for a few more weeks
14. Boy Or Girl?
Don’t forget to have a chat with your husband to see if you want to know the gender of your new baby ahead of the birth or not. Some couples love the surprise while others find it helpful to be able to prepare.
For us, we we wanted to know what we were having! Finding out we were having twins was such a surprise that there was no way we didn’t want to know what we were having!
15. Talk to Your Children About Your Pregnancy
If you already have children, it’s a good idea to think ahead to how you’ll tell them about your pregnancy and the changes that are coming. And books are a great way to do that.
Here are some popular ones to choose from:
Fun Stuff to Do Once You Find Out You’re Pregnant
17. Download the App to Track the Baby’s Development
How big is baby this week? Download the Baby Tracker app to keep track of your baby’s growth week by week.
I loved learning about how my twins were growing and what fruit or vegetable size they were in my belly!
18. Do Some Reading
Head over to Amazon and fill up your cart with helpful books about pregnancy and childbirth.
Don’t go overboard and try to read everything! Just pick a few trusted guides – like Pregnancy Day by Day – that you can refer back to throughout your pregnancy.
19. Start a Pregnancy Journal
Start tracking your pregnancy now! From the less fun things like morning sickness symptoms to how much weight you’re gaining….
….through to the more light hearted things like colors for the new nursery and possible baby names. Track it now or you WILL forget it all later.
A bullet journal would be perfect. And don’t worry if you’ve never used a bullet journal before, I’ve got an awesome guide to getting started for you.
If bullet journaling is not for you, why not try this super cute pregnancy journal.
20. Start Thinking About Baby Names
Start now mama, because this one can take the whole nine months!
For us, my husband created a list of his favorite names and I did the same and on mini-road trips (oh, make sure to take some before baby comes because it might be a while before you can take a mini-road trip) we talked about our favorite names.
21. Track Your Pregnancy In Pictures
Pick one pose and set a reminder to take weekly photos. You could even pick one outfit to really show how your belly is growing!
Yes, weight gain in pregnancy is not so fun, but this one is a must-do!
22. Invest In Maternity Clothes
You don’t need to spend a fortune on maternity clothes, but comfortable, well fitting clothes for all stages of your pregnancy is a must.
Check out this guide to building a basic maternity wardrobe.
And don’t forget to include some fun maternity shirts!
Things to Organize Once You Find Out You’re Pregnant
23. Start to Declutter Your Home
Your baby might only be the size of a raspberry right now, but baby stuff will eventually start to take over your entire home! So now is a good time to think about what you can declutter.
Remember to take it easy and rest when you need to. Here are 9 surprising decluttering tips to help you get started.
24. Write a Shopping List
Baby things are expensive (and when you have twins, try doubling everything!).
But you can keep the list of things you actually NEED for baby in those first few weeks quite short.
Check out this list of essential things you need for your newborn. Use this awesome guide to help you stick to your baby budget.
25. Fall In Love With Freezer Cooking
Freezer meals are a mama’s BFF.
If you don’t already stock your freezer, now’s a great time to start.
When I became pregnant, freezer meals were the LAST thing I was thinking about. Luckily, my MIL and sister came to the rescue and provided a few freezer meals during the first month postpartum.
Because once baby is here, you’ll be too busy – and tired – to cook from scratch every night.
I’ve rounded up 31 incredibly easy freezer meals that the whole family will love. I wish I had that list when I was in my first trimester!
26. Sign Up For Amazon Prime
At less than $120 a year, Amazon Prime is perfect for new moms. As well as life saving free next day delivery, you get discounts on tons of baby products like wipes and diapers.
And you get access to Prime Video. Perfect for late night viewing when you’re too uncomfortable to sleep. Don’t hesitate, sign up for their free 30-day trial now and relax!
27. Sign Up for Childcare
No, I’m not joking!
It depends where you live and what your needs will be, but you might have to sign up soon. Where I live moms have been on a waiting list for childcare for years!
So take some time to do a bit of research into local childcare options – then you can forget about it and relax for the rest of your pregnancy.
28. Create Some Pinterest Boards for Inspiration
Everyone knows that Pinterest is a life saver for moms. So create some new boards to keep track of your favorite resources.
Honestly, I think I’ve used Pinterest every day since my twins were born! Here are some of my favorite Pinterest pinners for new moms to follow:
And don’t forget to follow Smart Mom Ideas on Pinterest for helpful posts on all aspects of mom life.
Financial Things to do Once You Find Out You’re Pregnant
Babies are expensive – especially if you’re having two! So it’s important to get the financial side sorted. And then you can get on with the fun stuff!
29. Check Your Insurance
The easiest thing to do is give your insurance company a call and simply ask what to do now that you’re pregnant. Be sure to ask about things like getting a free breast pump.
30. Plan Your Maternity Dates and Leave
Once you’ve had your initial doctor’s appointments and checks, you’ll be in a position to pick maternity leave dates.
While this might not have to be all planned out immediately, it’s good to think about these things sooner rather than later.
31. Plan Your Baby Budget
I get it, mama!
You want your baby to have the best of everything. But did you know that the average cost of having a baby is around $245,340?
Ouch!
So I’ve rounded up 24 awesome ways to budget for your baby.
32. Know Your Options
Once my maternity leave came to an end, I knew I didn’t want to go out to work. I just wanted to stay home to be at home with my twins. And I’m so grateful blogging has allowed me to do just that.
It’s early days yet, mama, but I just wanted you to know that you don’t HAVE to return to work once your baby is born.
Read about how I became a work at home blogger. And if blogging doesn’t appeal, here are 73 more ways to make money at home.
33. Cut Your Spending
If you’re still worried about how having a baby will affect your finances, take a look at this list of 63 ways to cut your living expenses.
And here are 11 helpful way to help you slash your grocery budget – without cutting coupons.
What to do When You Find Out Your Pregnant
Phew! I hope you find this list of things to do when you find out you’re pregnant useful.
This is a truly exciting time, mama – if you can cherish these moments through the morning sickness!
Over to you, what was the first thing you did when you found out you were pregnant? Did I miss any important first trimester must-dos?
Don’t forget to pin for later!
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