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Are you looking for a printable first trimester checklist to help you stay on track for your new pregnancy? You are in the right place! I’m currently expecting my second, and I’m sharing my personal experience as to what types of things should happen during your first trimester.
It’s an exciting and emotional time, finding out you are expecting. For some, it’s a dream come true, sometimes after years of waiting, trying & praying. For others, it may have come as a complete surprise. In the first trimester it’s important to ditch habits that don’t serve you or your babies health. It’s time to take care of yourself, find a doctor and do everything you can to grow a strong, healthy baby.
Related post: First Trimester Pregnancy Favorites That Will Help You Feel Your Best!
Contents
A First Trimester Checklist
These are 8 of the more essential to-do’s for your first trimester:
- Start taking prenatal vitamins if you haven’t already
- Find an OB you connect with that accepts your health insurance
- Get a planner to track and schedule your appointments
- Find a pregnancy app you like
- Research pregnancy safe foods
- Start planning a pregnancy announcement
- Tell close family & friends (if you want)
- Look after yourself! Rest, nutrition, hydration, exercise.
You’ll notice there isn’t any baby shopping or nursery decor happening on this list. I’m a proponent of waiting until the second trimester for those kinds of tasks when you tend to feel more energized and nesting instincts start to kick in!
Grab a free copy of this printable first trimester checklist in my printables library available right here:
Start taking prenatal vitamins (if you haven’t already!)
If you’ve been trying to conceive, chances are you’ve already started taking your vitamins. Don’t stop now! Talk to your OB about which kind is right for you. Some women need prenatals with iron, while others don’t.
Find an OB &/or midwife you connect with (that accepts your insurance!)
In my experience the best place to find an amazing healthcare provider is through word of mouth recommendations from your friends. You can also try asking moms in new mom Facebook groups as many are willing to share their experiences!
Once you find an OB &/or midwife you’d like to meet, check and make sure they accept your health insurance. You will have many appointments throughout your pregnancy, and the cost can really add up. It’s something to be aware of.
Also, it’s totally okay to meet a few and see who you feel most comfortable with!
Use a planner to track and schedule your appointments
If you are a journal lover, there is often space to do this in pregnancy journals. You can note down your appointments, who they are with, as well as any remarkable results. For example, the day you find out the gender, or the first time you hear the little heartbeat! These are special memories.
Personally, I’m a big fan of the bullet journaling system and that is where I note my appointments. It’s basically a planner and journal rolled into one. You can learn more here.
Find a pregnancy app you like
There are a ton of apps out there. During my first pregnancy I downloaded about 10… and kept switching back and forth because I liked different features of each. This pregnancy I’m sticking with Pregnancy+. I like their article snippets, how you can track appointments inside the app, and the space to upload bump photos too. They have everything you really need in one spot!
Research pregnancy safe foods
There is an absolute ton of information out there on pregnancy safe foods – and to be honest some of it is conflicting. Your best bet is to get a list from your OB. I’m not a nutritionist and am not here to give you dietary advice.
Obviously you also want to ditch alcohol and tobacco, amongst other unsafe drugs and certain medications. Again, your OB and birth team can answer all your questions.
Start planning a pregnancy announcement
One of the most fun parts of the first trimester, in my opinion!
Many expecting parents decide to wait until 12-14 weeks to make their announcement because that is when the rate of miscarriage drops, however, there are many others that announce right away. You should do what feels right for YOU. Nobody can make this decision for you.
There are a ton of creative ways to announce your pregnancy to friends and family. I love Pinterest for getting fun ideas.
The first time around we dressed our cat up in a tie and had a letter board that said “my parents are getting me a human”. It was pretty cute.
For our second pregnancy, we did a letter board with my toddler that said “one more to adore, July 2021”.
For 72 more great pregnancy announcement ideas, check out this article by TheBump. There are some really great ideas you can take inspiration from on that list!
Tell close family & friends (if you want)
Telling your friends and family is a completely personal decision. Some newly expecting parents simply can’t wait and spill the beans immediately. Others wait until the end of the first trimester, or even the halfway point. It depends on your level of comfort! There’s no right or wrong way to do it.
You can totally get creative with these announcements too. I’ve seen some adorable “Grandma/Grandpa/Aunt/Uncle established 2021” embellished items that make super adorable surprises. Stay tuned for full blog post on some of my favorites… coming soon!
Look after yourself: rest, nutrition, hydration & exercise.
It’s so so so so important. Words can’t even express how important it is. You are growing new life!
Now is the time to try to ensure you are getting adequate sleep. Pregnancy is exhausting – for good reason. Also… enjoy all the uninterrupted sleep while you can!
It’s also time to eat well. Food is fuel – you need vitamins and nutrients to feel your best!
Hydration is KEY. I don’t know about you, but I get massive headaches when I’m pregnant the second I’m even a little dehydrated. Get yourself a water bottle you love and keep drinking water!
Lastly, it can be soooooo difficult, but try to get some exercise. There are plenty of prenatal fitness programs out there, just make sure you get approval from your doctor. Recommendations will vary depending on how active you were prepregnancy.
If you are struggling talk to your doctor about how you are feeling. They have a ton of knowledge and there are medications available to help with extreme nausea and other first trimester woes. You are not alone!
Also, pregnancy takes a toll on your body (as does labor), so you want to be strong to help prevent injuries. I’m a huge advocate of seeing a prenatal physical therapist. They are highly trained to help you navigate your growing body and strengthen the appropriate muscles to help you feel strong and avoid some of those nasty pregnancy aches and pains.
Recap of this first trimester checklist
As you can see, there isn’t a ton to do during your first trimester. It’s important to look after your health during this time and get the rest you need. Later in your pregnancy you’ll start doing the baby shopping, nursery designing, and true nesting will begin!
I wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy!
Xo,
Kinzy
