Pregnancy is the best time to…

Pregnancy sometimes seems like the worst time to do anything.

Is it a bracha? Absolutely. But not every bracha is easy.

Whether you’re nauseous, using the bathroom every third second, exhausted, or just plain huge (or all of them together!), pregnancies are generally not fun.

But just because pregnancies may be uncomfortable, annoying, or even worse, that doesn’t mean that they’re not the best time. Because they most certainly are. They’re the best time to…

Pregnancy is the best time to prepare

Pregnancy is not just about the physical state of being pregnant; it’s also about building a baby, and preparing to welcome that baby into the world.

That might mean you’re thinking about names, wondering if it’ll be a boy or a girl, or perhaps (if you know the gender) dreamily anticipating having this boy/girl join your family.

But that’s not the only thing to do when you’re pregnant.

You see, when you’re pregnant is the best time to plan for the transition that your family is about to undergo. You. Your husband and your marriage. Your other children - and, yes, your baby-to-be, too.

Whether or not you’re naturally a “planning” type of person, though, planning for all the upcoming changes and logistics surrounding a baby’s arrival - aside for the birth itself - can feel overwhelming - especially if things are not quite ideal right now.

So how do you prepare for this transition in a way that’s NOT overwhelming?

Step 1: Reach for the stars

What do you want this newborn/kimpeturin stage to look like for you and your family? Best case scenario, what would this upcoming newborn stage look like for you?

How do you want your kid(s) to go through the transition?  How do you want them to feel during the transition? Maybe you’d like them to…

• Feel loved and secure
• Not have regressions (or have minimal and manageable regressions)
• Sleep normally
• Love the new baby 

What would you love for your baby to be like during the newborn stage (make sure you have age-appropriate expectations, though!). Maybe you’d love for your baby to…

• Be able to be calm and happy when he’s up
• Sleep as well as possible
• Learn how to fall asleep on his own (yes, even as a newborn!)

And how about you, hmm? What would you like this transition to be like for you? Maybe you’d like to…

• Be able to have some kind of routine
• Have time to eat, shower, sleep - you know, those things regular humans do
• Be able to spend time with your husband, too
• Know what to do to help your other kid(s) and your baby - without feeling like you’re shooting in the dark.

Take a minute to think about what you want - really! - for your kids, baby and yourself. And don’t be afraid to reach for the stars when you write it out. 

Step 2: Take stock

DON’T DO THIS STEP TILL YOU’VE DONE STEP ONE.

Okay, you’re back? So now let’s take stock:

What’s happening now? How are your kids doing? How are you doing?

What is your current reality? 

Do you feel like your current reality will naturally lead you to the goals that you want for your baby, your other kids, yourself?

Or do you feel like there’s a gap? If there’s a gap, where is it? Is it in your knowledge about what to do during the newborn stage - because what you’ve done in the past didn’t work for you? Is it in the sleeping habits or other habits in your family right now? Is it in you just feeling like you’re overwhelmed and lost?

Step 3: Close the Gap

You know where you want to get to, you know what the gap is, and now it’s time to PREPARE.

Because I’ve got news for you: whatever those goals were in Step One, you can make them your reality (as long as those goals were reasonable, of course! No sleep-12-hours-at-night-from-birth babies that I know of...).

Newborns can be calm and happy when they’re up. They can learn to fall asleep on their own. And they most certainly can get the sleep they need.

And your other kids? They can sleep well, too. And feel loved and secure during the transition. And love the new baby (yes, even your jealous youngest!).

It’s just a matter of having a real solid plan (and one that evolves as things change!) that will work for your family and take everything into account.

And that’s exactly why I do what I do with my clients: starting with your family before your baby’s even born to help you get clear on those goals and prepare to MEET them (instead of watching them dismally disappear through your newborn’s wails).

That’s also why the best time to start working together is not after your baby’s born and things are going south, but while you’re pregnant -- my calendar opens up 6 months out, so you can book yourself in once you’re three months pregnant.

If you’re expecting now, now’s the time to talk.

Schedule your complimentary discovery call HERE - no obligation to you; it’s just me and you chatting about what you’re looking to accomplish and seeing if we’re a good fit to work together.

Looking forward to talking!