Here are some great ways to celebrate new beginnings!
Pregnant…….Congratulations!! Now, what…?!?! Where do you start? Everyone handles and distributes the news differently. After telling my husband that he’s going to be a Daddy, we took a few days to absorb the information before telling anyone else. It was our secret for almost a week. We talked about our thoughts, plans, and fears. We had been together for nine years, married for three, and planning this pregnancy- but the news was still somehow numbing.
As he began thinking of names and costs, I began thinking of ways to tell our parents and friends. Our parents were about to become grandparents for the first time- as this will be the first grandbaby in our family! We settled on buying them each The BIG BOOK of Grandparent Names (pages filled with options like Nanna, Papa, Granny, Gigi, etc.). We wrote them a note in the front of the book and told them “You are being Upgraded to GRAND-parents!” and they needed to pick out a new name.
We told our parents but then asked them to keep it a secret until we were ready to tell everyone (yes- this about killed them and of course that didn’t really work).
My mommy friends told me to spend the first half of my pregnancy focused on ME- and I totally recommend this to you! I read articles and blogs about what to expect during pregnancy, purchased maternity clothes, planned healthier meals, drank excessive amounts of water, and took some before pictures. I also signed up for weekly newsletters from several websites (TheBump and BabyCenter are my favorites, there are A LOT to choose from, I also liked Fit Pregnancy, What to Expect, and Everyday Family). Also, visit all the formula websites (Gerber, Enfamil, Similac, etc.) and they will send you samples, coupons, and free stuff (like bottles and books). To keep from getting my regular email bombarded with this kind of stuff, I opened another email account and provided that address to all these sites- an inbox saver!
I began looking for ideas of items I would want or need during pregnancy, and kept thinking “Why has no one made a step-by-step guide?” I quickly learned that every pregnancy is different, but there were several items that most pregnant gals need- here are just a few:
- Laundry Pen’s are the tool you need if anyone is loaning you clothing. I had a couple friends who loaned me their maternity clothes and mommy brain will prevent accurate memories of who loaned which items. So I got a marker and marked my initials in the clothes I purchased and (with permission) marked initials on the tags of the clothes that were loaned to me. A laundry pen is better than a regular permanent marker because it is made to stay put during washes and won’t bleed over to the cloth. I continue to use the pen on every baby item I buy as well, since I know that one day I’ll probably loan my items to friends/family.
SO…If you are pregnant- I hope these items help you deal with pregnancy symptoms a little more GraceFully!
Or- If you are a friend/mom/sister/mother-in-law to a Mommy-to-be, feel free to use this list of items to build a gift basket for her! Below are items I placed into a gift basket for a bestie!
Mommies add your comments below and let me know the items you would add to this list!
If you are looking for essential oils and essential oil-based products for your mommy-to-be or new baby, check out the Seedlings products from YoungLiving! I only use YoungLiving Essential oils due to quality reasons and I highly recommend their Seedlings line!
(**Just a little disclaimer- I actually use these products but I am also an Amazon Associate so some of the links are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Also- I’m not a medical professional, so don’t take or use anything that you believe to be unsafe for you and consult your physician)
