Most moms-to-be already know about or have created their birth plans or given many hours of consideration to boy and girl names. But many expectant moms or those planning to conceive don’t think about certain prepping items ahead of Junior’s or June’s birth.
Here are just a few tasks moms and dads should consider well in advance of baby’s homecoming.
- Baby’s gender reveal–to reveal or not?
- Capturing the baby’s heartbeat for family and as a keepsake
- Health insurance (not just for mom) but also for baby
- A physician for immediately after the baby’s birth
- Childcare
Pregnancy Checklist: Things to Get Ready Before You Have A Baby
Gender Reveal
There are hundreds of things you should do if you’re building or about to build a new family. While revealing the gender has only been a big practice in the past 10 years, there are many parents who want to stop sharing as much information with the world and keep it intimate among only close family and friends. If you do plan to do the reveal, however, there are so many options including using an ultrasound/imaging center that caters to this event and can help you set up everything from a cake and balloons to many other props for that perfect photo op.
Keepsakes to Capture Now
Hearing baby’s first heartbeat is a momentous occasion that can also be part of the reveal and one that most moms and dads never forget. But why not TRULY remember the heartbeat anytime you (or the grown baby) want to hear what his or her heartbeat sounded like in utero? Choose from many heartbeat animals based on your preference or nursery theme for instance.
Health Insurance
Once you give birth, your newborn will automatically be eligible for coverage from your insurance provider under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. No matter what time of year your child is born, a new baby qualifies for a special enrollment period. You typically have a window of 30 days to enroll your new child in your plan, whether you have coverage through an employer, spouse or partner’s plan, or through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If your current plan does not include coverage for your newborn, there are additional options that can provide coverage for your baby. If you have questions or concerns, be sure to reach out to a licensed, non-biased insurance agent who can review options with you and help you decide on the best plan for your newborn, your family and your financial situation.
Find a Pediatrician
There are many parents caught off guard following their child’s birth. Some learn right after the birth that they need to assign a pediatrician for the new angel. Since there are many issues to handle after birth (including learning how to care for a baby if it’s your first) it’s a sound idea to interview or vet pediatricians mid-pregnancy if not before. Ask friends and loved ones for their recommendations and search for reviews to give you peace of mind that you’re making the right choice.
Childcare
Last but certainly not least is locating childcare –even if you or someone in the family is going to stay at home with baby, there will be times that she or he needs to be babysat. And since more than 70 percent of American moms work outside the home, interviewing a childcare provider or daycare facility is one of the most important tasks during pregnancy.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2328413/
