Pre-Baby Bucket List
Your pregnancy journey has started, and you can easily feel overwhelmed with all the things you must do, from doctor appointments and healthy eating (and foods to avoid) to nursery planning and budgeting for all that baby equipment and diapers.
It’s important to start thinking now about what you personally want to experience and accomplish before your baby arrives. This time is special and fleeting – embrace it fully by preparing for your baby and you.
- Prioritize your relationships. Especially if this is your first baby, a lot of your free time will become unavailable, especially in those first few months and years. Plan a babymoon or schedule regular date nights of uninterrupted dinners and activities you and your partner love doing together.
- Pamper yourself with a prenatal massage to relieve those pregnancy aches (especially in the third trimester), sleep in and take naps (those will be very few in that first year with your sweet baby), or indulge in a spa day with a facial and mani-pedi.
- Reach personal goals like finishing a book, watching a TV series, going to the movies, or seeing a play or concert. A goal could be to learn something new, like taking a class or workshop or experiencing something you’ve never done before. You may want to organize your space, and deep cleaning can help create a peaceful home environment.
- Set aside days alone where you can relax at home or go where you want. It might be a long bath, indulging in a hobby (baking, painting, etc.), or having a day just to stroll a store or be outdoors for moments of self-reflection and relaxation.
- Spend meaningful time with family and friends by hosting game nights, brunches, and parties, or go out together on a hike/walk, have a shopping experience, or attend a concert together.
- Make your live-in family members feel included and extra special by dedicating time to do things they love to do, like creating a special big brother/big sister day where they can do mini golf or go to an arcade, visit a zoo or local event – just lean into what experience would make them most happy and talk throughout the day about their new role and what questions or feelings they might have. You can also give your pet a special day with small gifts and a visit to a park.
- Make memories with a maternity photoshoot, create a time capsule of pregnancy, and start a journal detailing your inner thoughts anticipating your baby’s arrival.
- Prepare for childbirth and parenthood by attending childbirth classes, joining parenting groups, organizing your house and nursery, scheduling home updates, and visiting your hospital or birthing center to get familiar with the setting.
- Enlist help and support by talking with family and friends about showers and other celebrations (gender reveal events, baby showers, home/nursery prep parties), meal support through meal trains, and arranging for help at home in the early weeks.
