Updated February 25, 2015.
The second trimester is typically a heck of a lot more fun than the first trimester. You tend to feel better, love how you look, and aren’t yet experiencing many unpleasant symptoms of the end of pregnancy. That doesn’t mean that you should blow off all the things you need to plan for in the coming months. This list will help keep you on track!
- Register for baby items. Your baby shower registry is not only a place for people to look for gifts to purchase as you welcome your new baby, but it is a great organizing tool. You can use it to hold items that you want to compare, either for other items or by price shopping. It can also be a great way to start looking at a variety of the items made for babies. As a first time parent, it can be difficult and overwhelming to look at the plethora of items available. Rest assured, you do not need most of the items that are out there. Consider registering for the basics and nothing more. You might also want to consider alternatives to the traditional baby registry. Think outside of the big box store box, and look for registries for cloth diapers, birth and postpartum doulas, or other items that you might use. They don’t even have to be specifically baby related – think meal services for postpartum dinners.
- Get educated on birth topics. While you might feel like you are putting the horse before the cart by thinking about birth at this point in pregnancy, many of the options that you have will take conversations with your place of birth, your practitioner, and your support team. The sooner you know about all of the options available to you, you can figure out which options are right for you and your baby. It is also important to register for your childbirth class of choice early. Believe it or not, these book early. So take the time to look at the childbirth classes available in your area and sign up for the one that works the best for you.
- Get your baby’s nursery going. Don’t laugh but if you decide to order baby furniture for your baby, it can take a whole trimester to come in. That can cause a lot of stress when you are nine months pregnancy and informed that there is a delay in the production of the furniture. I also think that having a room or area ready for baby earlier in pregnancy can give you a place to go and relax as you think about your impending parenthood. You will also have more physical stamina to help at this point in pregnancy. Waiting may make it more difficult for you to participate.
- Take a vacation. Some people call these a babymoon. Basically, it is a last vacation before the baby is born. Some people try to live it up and go crazy – an overseas vacation, something on the beach, some wild travel plans abroad. That said, there are plenty who stick closer to home to enjoy a weekend away, or even a staycation. Whatever you decide on – get away and remember to have a blast. Be sure you focus on your relationship and not deal only with the pregnancy.
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