Q: Tackling the to-dos?
Posted
Monday, March 10, 2008 1:35 PM
Q: My DH and I are planning
to move (new apt, same city) when I’m about 28
weeks. We won’t be able to get the
nursery ready until we move and I’m concerned I’ll be behind on all of the “to-dos.” What are some things I can get
done that won’t be affected by the move?
I just don’t want to feel like I’m leaving everything to the last
minute!
Erika Lenkert: Don't sweat it. At 28 weeks you've
still got plenty of time to prepare. Besides, truth be told, the only things
your baby will see when its born are items within six inches of his eyes -- and
I'll bet his preference will be a nice big boob or bottle and his parents'
smiling faces.
That said, the decorating tasks
that I put off until after my baby was born are still on my to-do list -- and my daughter about to turn three!
One thing you can do now is to
decide what nursery furniture you want and order it. Many mommies, myself
included, found that the items they wanted were on backorder and took far
longer to arrive than expected. Also, if you want any art for the room, you can
get it now and have it framed, if necessary. A trip to the framer is another
chore that will fall far down on the priority list after the fact.
You're probably itching to nest
and be proactive -- a classic pregnancy symptom. So perhaps you can direct that
energy into creating a birthing plan or learning about labor-coping strategies
(a good idea even if you're planning to get doped up the minute you walk in the
door). I definitely recommend reading up on breastfeeding, if you plan to
partake, and how to help your baby to develop healthy sleep habits. Those were
by far the most challenging parts of becoming a new mother for me, and it wasn't
all that much fun to begin researching when my daughter was not getting enough
milk and I was not getting enough sleep.
Guest expert Erika Lenkert is the author of The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy ,available in stores this March, and mother to one girl.
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