15 Things to Do Before You Get Pregnant

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The fact is most pregnancies are not planned. But, don’t let that stop you from taking a look at this pregnancy bucket list. And even if you already have kids, here is a refresher for things that you may want to do before you add another child to the brood.

1. Leave the Country. The fact is, every pregnancy is unique. Even if you had an uneventful pregnancy last time, that does not guarantee that things will be smooth sailing the next time around. No one is saying that you can’t travel when you are pregnant, but there is no guarantee that you will get the green light from your doctor. And if you do, sometimes foreign countries may be off limits. So play it safe and get your passport stamped before- hand.

2. Get in Shape and Get Active. There are a couple of reasons why this is a good idea. First off, keeping fit before conception will get your body ready for the big changes ahead and help you carry the baby the best that you can. If you have been working out before conceiving (as long as you are having a healthy normal pregnancy), there is no reason that you can’t continue to work out while pregnant. There are magazines like “Fit Pregnancy” for a reason. Always check with your doctor before you start any exercise program.

The second reason is, working out before conception will get you in the habit of working out way before the baby is here. Keep this up while pregnant and the weight will come off more easily.

3. Take a Picture in Your Swimsuit. If you still look great in a bikini, good for you. Take a picture! Many women don’t have the luxury of returning to having a bikini body after pregnancy. You want to remember this. Or maybe you want to use the picture for inspiration to workout after the baby.

4. Do Something Adventurous. Ride a motorcycle, go horseback riding, try parasailing. These are activities that you will want to avoid while pregnant of course.

5. Eat all the Sushi You Want. As a rule of thumb, you should avoid all raw fish/smoked salmon etc. while pregnant to avoid harm to baby. So eat up if this is something that you enjoy.

6. Have a Coffee/Tea break. Studies have shown that expectant mommies should limit the amount of caffeine that they consume during pregnancy. In addition, because there is a lack of research establishing the safety of herbs during pregnancy, it is best to avoid them. Of course, while you are pregnant is not the time to drink alcohol either.

7. Take a Trip to Disney. I have seen pregnant mommies walking around Disney World with their glowing tummies and swollen ankles. God bless them. I would not do it. Not unless someone was driving me around. Or maybe I would do it if someone would just carry me around. Either way, it’s nice to make at least one trip to Disney sans kids.

8. Keep Up Your Beauty Treatments. Laser beauty treatments, retinoid creams and even certain hair treatments are off limits. So get your fill now. Be ready to be hairy, wrinkly and bumpy while pregnant. Ok, I am just kidding. Maybe.

9. Spend Some Time with your Child-Free Friends. Over the course of the pregnancy your conversations will change, you will develop new friendships and you will spend less and less time talking about things that are not baby related. So spend some time with your child-free girlfriends talking about “girlie” things. You will have lots of time to talk about baby things later.

10. Make a Preconception Appointment. A pre-conception appointment is a good idea to get baseline values for lipids, sugars and address any medical issues before you get pregnant.

11. Take a Trip to the Spa. A trip to the spa is so much more fun when you can start the experience in the sauna and end the experience in the hot tub. Expectant mommies should consult with their physicians or avoid the spa all together for the safety of their unborn child.

12. Say Cheese. If you like soft cheeses like Brie, Feta, Camembert you better eat your fill. Due to bacteria eating these cheeses can be risky for unborn baby.

14. Get Lots of Quality Sleep. It may be hard to get quality “shut eye” even while you are pregnant. All those late night trips to the bathroom, nausea and even body aches can prevent you from getting the sleep that you need. So get that quality sleep now, while you can.

15. Do the Hanky Panky. Of course you can get busy with hubby while pregnant, but there is no guarantee that you will feel up to it, he will feel up to it or your doctor will give you the ok. In some instances like bed rest, sex has to be avoided all together.

16. Dote on Your Husband. Your husband will miss all the attention that he used to get once the baby arrives and may even get tired of all the “baby” talk before hand. So take him out. Treat him kindly. Let him know that you appreciate him well before the baby arrives.