5 Things You May Have Forgotten To Do During Your Pregnancy

All systems are go in the nursery decorating department, you’ve got a pile of diapers so high it competes with the Empire State building, all those baby showers are either underway or have already commenced, and you’ve got your hospital bag packed and ready to go. You, dear parents, deserve a hearty pat on the back.

But wait… there’s more! We hate to add anything else to your already full plate, but you may have forgotten some pertinent details. These five “must do” items can often get overlooked.

Updating Your Will

Updating your will may seem a strange (perhaps even morbid) item on your pregnancy planning checklist, especially if your nugget hasn’t even entered the world, yet. However, updating — or simply creating a will if you haven’t yet — yours to include your newest family member will prove to be a weight off your shoulder. On that same note, you should also update the beneficiaries on your 401K and other retirement accounts.

Purchasing Life Insurance

Researching and purchasing life insurance, or adjusting your current policy accordingly, is another not-so-glamorous pre-baby preparation. However, you should trust us on this one. Life insurance is relatively inexpensive to buy, and it’s yet another way to help you feel at ease as you transition into this new phase of your life. You can find additional information on life insurance, rates, and pregnancy here.

Preparing Baby First Aid Kits

It’s always good to be prepared, especially where your child’s health and safety is concerned. Note that you can purchase prepackaged first-aid kits, which are affordable and include the basic essentials. Consider getting more than one, as well, and storing them in places you’ll frequent. That includes your home, your car, the nanny’s house, or your parents’ homes. Add to each first aid kit a list of emergency names and numbers. Whether you want to create your own first-aid kit or purchase a pre-made one, this link is a great place to start.

Get Your Car Seat Inspected

In line with preparing those baby first aid kits, it’s wise to take some preventative safety measures, too. First and foremost, get your child’s car seat inspected to make sure it’s up to snuff. Get the most up-to-date information from HealthyChildren.org.

Baby Proof Your Home

On that same note, you should also go through your home to baby proof everything. While we doubt you overlooked this one, it’s possible that you might have missed a few things in your first round of baby proofing, so give everything a second go. Seriously — you’d be surprised at some of the hazards that present themselves!

For example, you should soften all those sharp corners with covers, put safety plugs in your outlets, baby proof those stairs, make sure there’s no easy-access to poisons, and even inspect all those toys you received at the baby shower. More information on baby proofing your home can be found here.