When you’re Trying to Conceive:

A time of excitement, trepidation and frustration. Know that you are not alone, and you have support and love around you.

• Start taking daily prenatal vitamins, and schedule a preconception appointment with your doctor or midwife for a check up, to ask questions and to ensure any medications you take are pregnancy-friendly.

• Check your insurance policy to know what prenatal check up visits and birthing stays will be covered and if needed, start saving for ou-of-pocket expenses.

• Go to the dentist for a cleaning and get any cavities or other dental procedures out of the way; you won’t want to do this when you’re pregnant or have a new baby.

• Find time for special activities that won’t be as accessible during pregnancy and having a new baby – get sushi, plan a weekend away, go to a spa, bungee jump, or anything you’ve hoping to experience.

• Consider your current movement routine. Will you be able to adapt or alter your current workouts and class schedules to be pregnancy-friendly?

• Envision and write about how you want your pregnancy and birth to look and feel. Think about how you make your home and daily routine support your vision, and who will be a best fit as a medical provider for your hopes and dreams.

First Trimester:

Time is about focus on yourself, listen to your body and get the rest that you need.

• Schedule your first prenatal visit with a medical provider. Based on the type of pregnancy and birth you’re looking for, explore in-hospital options including a family doctor, midwife and OB, or a midwife for out-of-hospital births at home or a birth center.

• Find gentle movement and time outside to relieve nausea, improve circulation and boost endorphins, such as prenatal yoga, a walk or a swim. If you’re experiencing morning sickness, ginger chews, acupuncture and chiropractic care can bring relief.

• Talk with loved ones and journal about how you are feeling. What have you loved about pregnancy? What has been challenging and unexpected? How would you like the next months until you meet your baby to go?

• Look into trusted resources. Follow IG accounts, read books and listen to podcasts.

  • Instagram Accounts: @blooma @throughthenightmethod @EvaRoseBirth @BadAssMotherBirther @MonetNicole @BirthBecomesYou @Trusting_Birth @DowntoBirthShow

  • Books: Transformed by Birth by Dr Britta Bushnell, Birthing from Within by Pam England, Crib Sheets by Emily Oster, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth & Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Sarah Buckley

  • Podcasts: Evidence Based Birth podcast, Evolutionary Parenting podcast, The VBAC Link, Indie Birth, Down to Birth & The Birth Hour

Second Trimester:

If you’ve experienced the fatigue and discomfort of the first trimester, hopefully that is starting to wane as you regain energy. This trimester, you will likely feel the first kicks of your baby, and can start to plan for your growing family!

• Planners, rejoice! Now is the perfect time to put dreams and ideas into action. For those who get overwhelmed by planning, this is a great time to practice delegating (a crucial ability in parenthood) to your partner, parent or friend.

• Explore childbirth education classes and sign up for the class(es) that best fit what you’re looking for in birthing and new parenthood

• Interview a birth doula and / or postpartum doula to be a part of your support team leading up to labor, birthing and the postpartum period.

• Start your registry for your baby, thinking of where they will sleep and how you want to go about your days with baby. Often, friends and family will have items they can share with you, as so many baby items can be used for a short timeframe.

• Shop, or rent, maternity clothes for yourself. Find clothes that are a mix of comfortable with room to grow, and also make you feel beautiful and sexy. High waisted leggings can be your best friend!

• If you found yourself needing a lot of rest in your first trimester, this is a great time to introduce movement into your weekly routine to build strength and flexibility in preparation for labor, birthing and beyond.

• Start planning for your parental leave for you and your partner by exploring what benefits your company has, and know your rights in the state of Minnesota.

• If both you and your partner will go back to work after your parental leave, look into childcare options.

• Find time to connect with your partner and dream together about the months and years to come. You can talk about and write down baby names together, share your hopes and goals for what laboring and birth will be, and how you want the first weeks of baby’s life to be spent.

Third Trimester:

Time for nesting. As your baby and body are growing, take time to relax and ask for help to prepare for your baby’s arrival.

• Continue attending your regular prenatal check ups, take childbirth education classes and find community by connecting with loved ones, having a date night, signing up for a Motherhood Series and other ways that are nourishing to you.

• Find out if your insurance company provides a free breast pump.

• Have kids or pets at home? Make a plan for where they will be when you go into labor that best supports your laboring in a quiet and relaxed environment, and is most comfortable for them.

• Find a pediatrician, asking friends for recommendations and interviewing a few to see who is the best fit.

• Feel prepared to bring your baby home by setting up their sleeping space, installing the car seat, planning your bag if you’re having a hospital or birth center birth – washing their clothes and setting up a feeding station with any helpful tools like your pump, bottles, clean cloths and snacks for you.

• As your baby gets bigger every day in preparation to come into this world, prioritize your own physical, mental and emotional comfort. Receive bodywork to alleviate aches and pains and relax, practice breathwork, continue moving your body, and support yourself with extra pillows and calming sounds to sleep at night.

Stay tuned for our birthing and postpartum checklists!