You're in your 13th week, about to start your second trimester and here's 5 things you should do.
In case you missed what to do day 1 of pregnancy, here it is.
Step 1 - Announce it
Announce it to your family, your friends and whoever else you want! You don't have to make it super special, but do try to film it, it's a special moment and it is great to get back to!
Add these videos to your "Baby" album (see day 1 to-do).
Step 2 - Find a midwife
Find a midwife. It's more useful than you think.
She'll be like a friend who knows everything about pregnancy and birth. She'll have you review a few things you already know and will definitely teach you a few things you don't know yet and should. She'll also help you deal with the changes in your mind and body, and act a little bit like a coach to your partner and you.
It's not always easy to find a midwife. If you're in Geneva, Arcades is one place to look. We found ours on Facebook, thanks to a friend who reshared.
Step 3 - Get yourself some pregnancy clothes and a pillow
Make yourself as comfy as can be, you and baby deserve it!
But don't buy stuff all at once in anticipation of how you'll look and feel because every woman is different. You may not need as much as you think. Buy things as you start to need them. You'll notice when you feel tight or uncomfortable, and can buy what you need then.
Step 4 - Take the stairs, do Yoga, walk and sit straight
You may not notice it yet but your body structure is seriously shaken so even if you're tired, make sure you:
Sit straight, uncross your legs.
Take the stairs, always. At your own pace.
Go for a 20-minute walk around the neighbourhood, every day or every 2 days.
Do some prenatal yoga for 10, 15 or 20 minutes (or 40 if you love it), every 2 days or at least twice a week - there are some great YouTube videos.
Some weeks you will do none of that and that's okay. Have some guilt-free rest and get back to it.
Step 5 - Drink lots of water
If you're not used to it, it can be a challenge. I bought this 1.5L water bottle that I highly recommend. It's big and heavy but I drink 3L a day without a problem now. Being dehydrated will happen faster than you think.
Step 6 - Budget (optional)
Not everybody feels the need to budget but here's an example of what we did.
Setting up for baby's arrival cost us about CHF 6'000, but that is considering we decided to buy everything new. Our furniture is mostly IKEA and Orchestra, and our products are quality brands like Mustela. Have a look at the first-time parent shopping list I put together.
We budgeted CHF 5'000 for "running" costs year 1, which accounts for:
Insurance (basic + complementary as per Swiss system) is about CHF 160 per month, CHF 1'920 per year
Allowance for diapers, food and other is about CHF 200 per month, CHF 2'400 per year
Medical expenses (outside what is covered by insurance) is about CHF 360 for the year
We inflated our projected budget to be safe. It is very likely it will cost less than that.
Next will be on what to do in trimester 3. Subscribe to get an email notification when it comes out. I never send anything else, I promise.