Congratulations! What an exciting time for you! I’m sure there are a million thoughts and feelings running through your brain right now. Let us take care of some of the work for you – here’s a handy list of things you need to do in the first few weeks and months of pregnancy.
First things first – if you haven’t been taking Folic Acid, go out to a drug store and pick some up. This is important to prevent neural tube defects in your baby. No guilt though if you didn’t know this! It’s better to start late than never! Look for a supplement with at least 0.4mg of Folic Acid, or a prenatal vitamin that contains that amount.
Next, you will need to decide which provider you will use for your pregnancy. In Ontario, you can choose your family doctor, a midwife, or an obstetrician. If you know you have a condition that makes your pregnancy higher risk, an obstetrician may be the best fit, but your family doctor will be able to help you make this decision. If you’re hoping for Midwifery care, it’s important to apply to a midwife practice as soon as possible after you know you’re pregnant, because spots do fill up.
In Kitchener-Waterloo, there are 6 midwifery practices: Blue Heron Midwives, Genesis Midwives, KW Midwifery Associates, St. Jacobs Midwives, Born Midwives, and Cambridge Midwives. Check them out online to learn more about each practice. If you’re not from Waterloo Region, check out this link to find a midwife practice near you.
If you know that you will need child care after your parental leave from work, you should get ahead of the game by applying to “OneList Waterloo Region”. This is the central portal for child care applications and waitlists in Waterloo Region. The earlier you apply, the better chance of securing a place in your preferred facility. Spots are quite competitive, especially since the introduction of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Program (government-funded spots in licensed daycares).
Many people enjoy tracking their pregnancy on an app of their phone. These apps can give answers to common questions, help you visualize the size of your baby week-by-week, and can even connect you to an online community of parents with babies due at a similar time. Some popular apps for this include “Pregnancy +” or “BabyCenter”. Check out your device’s app store for more options.
Once you’ve got the above figured out, we highly recommend signing up for a prenatal class. It’s a good idea to sign up for a class when you will be roughly six to seven months pregnant, but classes often fill up long before that time, so do book early! Find out more about our prenatal classes here. We also offer condensed classes and other classes focused on specific topics (Infant Safety, Baby Care 101, or Natural Pain Management).
Once you’ve done all that and have some spare time, you might feel like perusing some books to learn more about this special time. There are so many pregnancy and birth books out there, so make sure you read some reviews or get some recommendations from trusted friends/family before you buy or borrow a book. Some books, while very popular, (ie. What to Expect When You’re Expecting) may provide more information than necessary and can make you worry about things that are very rare/uncommon. This may suit you if you’re not prone to anxiety, or are the type of person who needs ALL the information; but tread cautiously. There are lots of books that can inform you without stealing your joy about your little miracle.
It’s good to be aware that books on pregnancy can become outdated quickly as new evidence and guidelines become available. If the book you are looking at is more than 5 years old you may want to double-check important information or get a more recent resource.
Here are some books that we recommend at Balancing Birth to Baby:
- The Mayo Clinic Guide to Healthy Pregnancy
- Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
- Expecting Better by Emily Oster
- Birthing from Within by Pam England and Rob Horowitz
- The Mother of All Pregnancy Books by Ann Douglas (A Canadian resource!)
- A Good Birth by Dr. Anne Lyerly
- Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide by Penny Simkin et al.
It’s also a good time to begin to plan for your postpartum journey. Check out Balancing Birth to Baby’s very own 4th Trimester Guide and Workbook. This amazing resource will help you anticipate your postpartum needs and plan for them in a way that will help your family rest and recover well during that time.
Even though it seems like you have an endless to-do list, make sure you take some time for yourself. Self-care will be so important as you start your parenthood journey and it’s best to begin praciticing this while you’re pregnant! Find some activities you enjoy that relax and recharge you. It can be as simple as taking some quiet time to enjoy a cup of your favourite tea while you reflect on your day. You’re growing a human now – be good to yourself.
