What I Wish I Knew (Pregnancy)

The other day Nathan and I were laughing about things that we bought/did that we thought was silly before Emma arrived. Ex: The bumbo. Granted, I'm sure some people love theirs.

I thought it would be fun to make a list of stuff I wish I would have known throughout pregnancy, birth, PP, and toddlerhood. I'm clearly no expert, but it's fun to look back at the past 2 years.

What I wish I knew (Pregnancy)

:: Wait on maternity clothes. You may be one of those freaks (!) that doesn't get a huge belly. You may even lose weight. I know it's hard to resist, but buy pieces as you need them. If you're working in a professional setting, this may be different for you. Pea in a Pod was adorable but expensive. If I could go back I would probably just live in Gap Pure Body stuff.

:: Sleep. Take a vacation. Sleep. Watch movies. Sleep. No description necessary.

:: Take lots of pictures, write everything down and keep everything. I was actually very good at this-- I wrote down things on the Notes section on my phone, in my journal, and I had a pregnancy book. I took a lot of mirror selfies. I kept all the print outs from my Dr-- they said things like my weight, how far along I was, and what we discussed.

:: Professional maternity pictures are not necessary. But you may want them. ;) Seriously! If you have a friend who can turn a camera on, you can probably get a decent photo. I wasn't one of those people who wanted to look at pictures of myself pregnant on our walls, but that's just me.

:: Your husband doesn't have to go to every appointment. Besides ultrasounds, appointments are very boring and last about 10 minutes.

:: You can't feel your baby for a while. It's different for everyone, but don't stress if you can't feel your baby yet! Without digging into boxes to get my journal, I think I felt Emma for the first time after 15+ weeks!

:: Do your research. There are so many things that need to be researched. For example, those fancy ultrasound places? Not so safe. Take your time and make educated decisions on everything.

:: Pregnancy is long. It's a long time to be uncomfortable-- so if you want a new pillow or running shoes? Get them.

:: Tell a few people. We waited a while before we even told our parents! Looking back, I wish I would have told our family sooner. They would have prayed and been excited for that much longer. After I was 14 weeks, we told everyone else.

:: Don't overshare. Please. Nobody cares about how much weight you've gained, if you're able to not wear maternity clothes, or how many centimeters dilated you are. Sorry.

Okay I think that's it! Emma has a yogurt pop and she's smearing it everywhere. Gotta fly.