A Little Guide to the First Months of Pregnancy – What to do & What to buy as a FTM

August 12, 2018
Family, Fashion + Beauty

You’re pregnant. Now what?!

Most, so overwhelmed with excitement and shock want to shout out their newly discovered pregnancy from the rooftops! But, there are a few good reasons why you should wait a little while to do that.

A major problem with not being able to share the news right away: it can feel a little lonely and even scary in the first few weeks. Sometimes, but not always, you will be blessed with a loving partner for support, and maybe a parent or sibling to confide in as well. But, they typically don’t have loads of advice to give you as you navigate through this BIG life change.

As a FTM (first time mom), and someone who really didn’t know “what they were doing” in the beginning stages of this pregnancy, I think I can share a little bit about my experience.

So, test is positive, confirmed with your provider…

What to do?

Find an Ob that you are comfortable with, and have a rough plan for delivery location.

I searched online for highly rated Ob’s and birthing centers. Consider if it is attached or within the hospital you will actually give birth in, and how close it is to your work and home. This may seem early, but it’s nice to stick with the same provider throughout the entire pregnancy.
- For anyone in MN looking, my Ob is Clinic Sofia, connected to the Southdale Hospital, where our baby will be delivered. (They also have a brand new facility in Maple Grove too!)

Find a Pregnancy App that suits your needs.

If you were tracking your menstrual cycle already, that app may have a sister-app that helps you transition. For example, I used the Ovia Fertility tracking app to track my cycle, but switched to Ovia Pregnancy once I found out we were expecting. I also downloaded BabyCenter to provide more insights into the pregnancy.

Slow Down, Look, & Think

Slow down, look and evaluate what you put in or on your body. No need to be extreme, but it’s easy to continue in your usual routine without thinking about the little peanut that is growing inside you and how it will affect them!
- For example, I tried getting my eyebrow microbladed when I was 6 wks pregnant… nope not allowed, I even tried researching it before I went in and asked my provider, but I don’t think she knew hat it was. I should have just ask the provider of the service instead of assuming it was OK! I was embarrassed that I didn’t consider it more.
- I also was using pre-workout with more than the allowed amount of caffeine in it, I was checking the labels but the caffeine amount wasn’t on the nutrition label! It was in the fine print. Again, I felt stupid for not being more cautious.
- Make sure to check your beauty products, supplements/vitamins too.

Start a family / nursery Pinterest inspiration board / Journal

Maybe this is silly advice, but it helps you enjoy and envision what your life will be in the coming months. It was a creative outlet for me to get excited about having a baby without announcing it to the world!
Check out my Pinterest and see the few boards I’ve been adding to since I found out we were pregnant. So much cuteness.
If Pinterest isn’t your thing, consider journaling!

Start Your Registry

Again, this may seem very early, but it’s really not. As you come across resources and feedback, it’s a great way to keep note of products that you want to consider down the line in your pregnancy. I started ours with BabyList and have been adding things on it since the very beginning. It’s more of a good note taker for now, until we actually have a shower approaching.

How about What To Buy Right Now?

Of course I was tempted with a few things early on, and pulled the trigger. Although, even at 23 wks we haven’t accumulated much and I am intentionally being patient to make sure I don’t go overboard. Here is what I did buy pretty soon after discovering that we were expecting:

Prenatal Vitamin

I was already taking one, but continued to buy the NatureMade Prenatal Multi + DHA from Target, but turns out it’s ranked pretty highly by this resource of the the top 10 prenatals.

Belly Oil / Cream

The first oil I bought was Weleda Pregnancy Oil, it’s been great for me. But, a later suggestion was for the Zoe Organics Belly bundle, if it’s sold out, check here! It is oil, cream, and scent roller. Love these products. If you have a friend who is expecting this is a GREAT “just because” gift for them.

“Mommy” Coffee

I was gifted this Mommee Coffee by a friend, it’s really tasty and they have options with 1/4 and 1/2 the amount of caffeine! It is also low acid, better for Mommy!

Baby-Safe Pre-workout

Later on in the pregnancy, consider investing in a prenatal workout app. I am currently using the Aaptiv App, and going through workouts in their maternity program (let me know if you want to try a free week, I think my membership can give 10 free passes!).
- Here are a couple other resources that have been suggested to me: The Bloom Method & Expecting and Empowered Maternity Guide

Baby Book

This was actually the first thing I bought, I came across it on another bloggers page and fell in love. It’s SO adorable, and a great price for how robust the interior pages are. I definitely plan to use this same book for future children as well. > Le Petit Baby Book by Anthropologie. A great gift for someone expecting as well!

Doppler

We actually didn’t buy one of these, honestly, just because I kept forgetting to order it. Now I feel like I am far enough along, and feeling movements helps me know baby is alive and well!

Items You KNOW You’ll Want, On Sale

Take advantge of items you find on sale that you KNOW you will want! I came across this Dock-A-Tot at target… on sale! I heard they never go on sale, so I pulled the trigger at only around 10 wks. It was an online special item return, which was the only reason it was marked over $50 off.

Check Off some “Big Ticket” items to offset spending

We had walked through Pottery Barn and West Elm a few times to get an idea of what furniture we wanted in the nursery. Greg was incredible keen on wanting a rocker that rocked, spun, and reclined. Which – was a tall order and I knew would be expensive. We ordered this PB Modern wingback Glider at around 16 weeks. Since we knew it was the chair we wanted, I thought it was a good idea to buy it now to help offset some costs when it came time to buy the rest of the furniture.