Things I Wish I Did During My First Pregnancy

A first pregnancy can be stressful and full of unknowns but it’s also so exciting. There are several things I wish I would have done during my first pregnancy, that I want to share with you so you don’t miss out.

It’s been just a few weeks since baby #3 joined the family and it’s had me thinking a lot about my other pregnancies and the newborn stage with my older kids.

With my third pregnancy, I did a few things differently than I have with my other pregnancies. Several of the things I did with this most recent pregnancy are things I wish I would have done with previous pregnancies.

Things I Wish I Would Have Done My First Pregnancy

First off before I get into the things I wish I would have known and done during my first pregnancy let me just say take this like any other pregnancy advice.

Take the information and use what works for you. Don’t feel like you have to do everything, just do what works for you and your family.

Taken Weekly Pregnancy Photos

My third pregnancy was the first time I took weekly pregnancy photos and I love being able to see the whole pregnancy week by week.

With my other pregnancies, I took pictures randomly throughout the pregnancy but I really wish I would have taken weekly pregnancy photos.

It’s such a fun way to document the changes that happen during pregnancy.

Get Maternity Photos Taken

Just like I wish I would have taken weekly pregnancy photos with all of my pregnancies, I wish I would have gotten maternity photos taken as well.

Even if professional maternity photos aren’t in your budget you can easily use a tripod and take some of your own maternity photos with a camera or your phone. So you can remember your pregnancy.

With my third pregnancy my sister-in-law took some maternity photos for us and I love the pictures with Jared and I.

Written Down Thoughts and Experiences

I have always wanted to do better at keeping a journal and overall I have done better when my kids are babies, but not so much during my pregnancies.

With my third pregnancy though I still haven’t done great at keeping a journal, I have shared some of my thoughts and experiences during the pregnancy when I post my weekly bump updates on Instagram.

It’s fun to be able to look back and see the things that I have thought about and experienced this pregnancy.

Purchased Maternity Clothes I Like

It can be tempting to just get larger size clothes to wear during your pregnancy so that you can wear them after you give birth.

Getting maternity clothes is not only so much more comfortable, but it can also make you feel so much cuter as your belly grows.

You can still wear maternity clothes during postpartum, shirts with the gathers for your belly will still look cute after you have your little one.

Used Oil on My Belly

With my first baby I got so many stretch marks and I really wish I would have been better at rubbing oil on my belly and trying to prevent those stretch marks.

While it might not have totally eliminated the stretch marks I really do think it would have helped me not have as many.

Learned More About Different Birth Experiences

With my first pregnancy I had a good idea of how I wanted my birth experience to go. Now it’s easy to look back and realize that no matter how much planning you do birth is always going to be at least slightly unexpected. Especially the birth of your first child.

With my first baby I wanted a natural unmedicated birth in a birth center near the hospital. I ended up being induced and then having an emergency c-section.

It would have been nice to be more prepared for that unexpected birthing experience. Even though something might not be in your birth plan it’s not a bad idea to learn a little bit about different birth options and situations.

Asked More Questions

With any pregnancy you should always ask any questions you have. I wish I would have asked more questions with my first baby.

Honestly I didn’t ask a lot of questions because I didn’t know what questions to ask. I wish I would have thought more about what might happen during the last few weeks of my pregnancy and labor and asked more questions about the options and what to expect.

With baby 3 I haven’t asked a lot of questions but I feel like I have learned a lot with my previous pregnancies and since I went to the same doctor and hospital I know what to expect.

What are some things you wish you would have done during your first pregnancy?