What would you have done before pregnancy?

[ScotchEgg]

I've decided that I need a bit of a change in attitude with this TTC malarky. For the last year, I've rebelliously bought myself something each month when my period arrives. Something like a dress with a tight waist line that I could never fit into with a bump or something like that.

But this month, having found out we'll probably need help to get pregnant I just don't feel like that's what I want or need to do. I need to do something positive for the future, to feel like I'm preparing for pregnancy and parenthood.

We started to put money aside a year before we started TTC, but are there any things I could make a list of for making positive steps towards pregnancy? Anything you did or would have liked to have done before getting that second line? Anything you never thought of but which would have been useful?

Thank you ladies xxx

 

[Hunnie]

I didnt want to just read this and not reply with anything but I don't know if I have any proper suggestions. Before finding out I was pregnant I would most definitely have made sure we were 100% financially secure and had actually bought our house !

Overall, I would have saved and put more money to the side as I've discovered baby things are really expensive and there is so much to get that all adds up!

 

[Sleepy sue]

I'd have started to read up on pregnancy, birth and the early days. I feel like I'm trying to cram everything in!
I'd have also bought bargains in maternity wear, there isn't a lot of range out there and the really nice stuff is quite expensive!

Good luck Hun and love your pma x

 

[BabyBrain]

I always said to my friend that if I ever fell pregnant it would be when we were skint....and we are lmao. Finances would have been a definite for me, not much else to be honest xxxxxxx

 

[Lilelephant]

I would have got my thyroid sorted lol

 

[Olive]

I would have made more of an effort to lose my extra weight.

Hope you're doing ok Scotch

xxx

 

[positivity :)]

hello scotch - hope ur ok hunny.

like olive i would have got my body into better shape, i fell preggers after putting on a stone and a half due to steroids so not good timing at all. my skin therefore isn't coping well, lots of stretchmarks. so if i could go back that is what i would do.

hope you get things sorted out soon lovely xx

 

[pinkyprincess]

I wish I'd had more nights out with my friends! Getting drunk and dancing like no ones watching!

 

[Sarah13]

I got myself super fit inside and out so I was physically the healthiest I could be. I cut alcohol right back, looked at my diet and went to the gym more, it felt good to prepare my body while TTC like I was taking positive steps that would help. We also started to prepare our home, although this didn't get totally done as we're still in the middle of a loft conversion and don't have a nursery yet! It's good to spend time as a couple and enjoy things together that will be hard to do with a child, this will stregthen your relationship too.

 

[TundraOwl]

We would have tried to be more financially sorted, and not having to move house during my pregnancy. To be fair we didnt expect to have to move but deffo would have sorted finances out. My hubby is also not well, and has actually got worse during my pregnancy, which has been hard. We were told to TTC asap last year as he may have to have treatment that makes him sterile. Didn't think this would come around til next year but he now has an emergency appointment next Friday wish we had got some other stuff sorted first, wouldn't change things at all now and I'm so pleased we are having her, just hope her daddys still around to see her being born. Don't know what I'd do if something happens to him.

 

[Hunnie]

oh Tundraowl !! Massive hugs xxxxxx and to you also scotch egg xxxxx

After today I would also have read up a lot more on the whole birth concept and options that you have. Im no idiot and I understand how a baby is born lol but I would have prepared myself an awful lot sooner rather than feeling in a bottomless scary pit!

 

[BevG]

actually id have done nothing different. i decided to make my future what i wanted it to be so i applied for a college course with a view to going to university in 2 yrs time once i pass, work my job til uni and wanted to start a family. not stressing about what happened when. now im still working 30 hrs a week, going to college one and a half days a week and im preg. i think the key is to not stress and just move forward to make your life what you want to be so maybe ntnp for a while and set about whatever it is you want to achieve in life, wether ifs a brill holiday to somewhere exotic or saving up for something or getting the dreamed of job. you can do anything you set your mind to.

 

[Esperanza84]

I would make a 3 year plan for the things you want to do. I did this, and I put "getting" a baby NeXT year. This way, I acepted that it would take time and started to Get used to the idea of waiting for the baby and I started to live my life without thinking of ttc.

Lots of luck!!

xx

 

[l_maclean]

I'd have done some of the things that I'll prob struggle to fit in with kids. Like rake my motorbike test!! - not been allowed on bike since BFP, and cant imagine I'll have time or money to do lessons/tests for a couple of years now.
Or a non-child friendly holiday - Vegas wasn't much fun pg (no cocktails) and I was conscious of the money.

Have to say I disagree slightly about the finace advice above (sorry), only cos a baby coming is always gonna cost - no one ever has enough.
So not quite positive steps for pregnancy but might make TTC less stressful - enjoy your childless days.

Xxx

 

[Lucymay]

I would have liked to have lost some more weight. I have lost about 2 stone but could have done with losing a couple more.

 

[mustard]

We did quite of bit of travelling before ttc which I'm really glad about but the one thing we didn't get around to was a skiing holiday with our friends now they are all going this year and I can't go so I wish I'd done that. Oh and I wish I got up to date with all the boring maintance type things on the house like painting the outside windows and cutting back the trees in the back garden. I know I could leave it to my OH but then it won't get done so now will probably have to leave it or 'get a man in' which is silly because I could easily have done it just never got around to it and don't want to be up ladders while pregnant.

 

[ForestLas80]

I'd have gone on a wicked non baby friendly holiday and started saving more money so the baby stuff and money needed during mat leave was already taken care of. I did go out every sat night whilst TTC and partied a lot as I knew it would be my last chance to do that for a while when I did get the BFP xxx

 

[Coolbeans2010]

We used to save up and go on some great holidays so I would have loved to have one more of those! But the main thing I wish we had done was saved enough to change our car. We have a P reg golf, which is like a tank but has been very reliable but I would have preferred to have something newer for the baby to be in. We won't be able to afford to change it now for another year. Xx

 

[ScotchEgg]

Thanks for all your wonderful replies. They have fed into our chats this weekend and we have decided that we are going to go for one massive thing and move house. It's been on our minds for a while and we'd always said we'd have a child first as we have a two bed and could fit one child in there easily. Seeing several comments about homes on here made ys realise that this is an opportunity life is giving us to use this time to prepare.

So the next six months will be touching up the house and going through our stuff then we'll aim to buy next sumner

 

[Corrinne37]

Good luck Scotchie,
I think having another focus apart from TTC will really help you to be more relaxed about it!! And hopefully that BFP!! xx