Pre-Prepping, Part 2

One of my educational philosophies is to operate in a way that my future self will thank me.  This idea helped me during my pre-prepping phase.  And every day I do thank the old Joanna who was smart enough to get things done early! 

•  Simplify your life.  My email inbox was always bursting at the seams.  Anytime I was sitting around waiting for an appointment, I unsubscribed to emails.  Soon, instead of getting 10-20 new emails a day, I was getting 1-3! I also deleted unused apps.
•  Fix what gets you in a time crunch.  I knew I wouldn’t have time for last second loads of laundry when I was taking care of a baby.  We stocked up on my husband’s undershirts, which he always seemed to be running low on.  It helps me a ton now! 
•  Decide how you want to do your “bump pics”.  Start taking them every week!  But you’re not pregnant yet?  Or are you?  When you get the positive test, you’ll be at least four weeks pregnant!  (Just snap a nice selfie or something for now.  If you make too big a deal out of it you might get even more disappointed when you get those negative tests.)  Check out Pinterest for lots of cute ideas for documenting your growing baby bump.  And if you accidentally miss a week, it’s okay!  Just keep going!  You can buy a Belly Book like the one LB and I used to handwrite notes in each week, or type something each week and have a book printed later!  

I love to read back through all the weeks of my pregnancy.  It's amazing how fast you forget all the precious little details!

We decided on weekly chalkboard pictures.

By the end of my pregnancy, I wasn't taking chalkboard pictures anymore.  But Big Sis told me to snap a pic anyway.  So glad I did!

• Check out local haunts.  Pay attention to which of your favorite spots have changing tables in the restroom and the type of high chairs in use.  It’s fine to run to the car for a diaper change, unless the weather is bad!
• Shop with bump and boobs in mind!  If you’re planning on having a baby in the next year or so, you can help your future self out by keeping some general ideas in mind.  You’ll end up with having a wardrobe that works preggo or no for at least the first couple months and after baby arrives, which will save lots of money on maternity clothes that you’ll only wear for a short time.

1.       Elastic or stretchy necklines and button-up shirts are great for breastfeeding!

2.       Skirts with elastic bands will grow with your bump!

3.       Look for a higher waistline on dresses and shirts. This accentuates the beauty of the bump without making people think, “Is she pregnant… or just getting fat?”  If it’s flowy, add a belt!

4.       The longer the top, the better.  As the bump grows, shorter tops turn into belly shirts.

5.       Open-toed flat shoes will work better with swelling feet.

6.       The bump will make short skirts and dresses appear even shorter.

7.       Extender slips are your best friend! I bought mine at Altar'd State, my favorite store ever!  (See middle pic above.  You can see it peeking out under the coral dress.)  You can find easy directions on Pinterest to make your own.