Save Money and Get Organized During Pregnancy

Guest Article by Jenna Sherman

From the moment you learn that you’re pregnant, you’ll discover a million things to be excited and nervous about, oftentimes in the same minute. It’s a thrilling time in your life, but also filled with so many things to think about — surging hormones to contend with, plans to make, and worries to worry you like, how the heck are you supposed to pay for all of this?

Whew! No wonder you feel mentally exhausted. But fear not, we’ve got you covered here with some tips and ideas to make this a little less stressful and a whole lot easier to plan for.

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What the Heck Is Going on in There?

Except for the occasional ultrasound, your baby is pretty much invisible to you. What’s he look like now? Does she have her fingers yet? What am I supposed to be feeling? What about now? Well, fortunately, there are apps for that.

Pregnancy+ is pretty amazing. It’s available for both Apple and Android and is free, which is a great price. It will send you daily articles that are tailored to how far along you are and includes guides covering breastfeeding, exercise, and more. And it will even offer you 3D model renderings of your baby’s development, allowing you to zoom in to view intricate details.

Pregnancy and Due Date Tracker helps you track blood pressure, weight gain, tummy growth, and baby’s movement, which you can save and show your doctor at future appointments. The app also offers a contraction counter and nutrition and lifestyle advice. There is a small monthly fee to use this app.

Glow Nurture is designed to be totally customized to you and your pregnancy. You can set reminders for your appointments and medications and download PDFs of your symptoms and health data to share with your healthcare provider. This app is free to use.

Planning

If there was ever a time in your life when you really need to be organized, this is the time. As we’ve mentioned, there’s a lot to prepare for, and you’re not necessarily your most focused when you’re pregnant. That’s not just you; that’s every single mother since the dawn of time. Thankfully, there are also tools, tricks, and, yes, apps for that.

Create a pregnancy calendar. That can be a physical one on your desk, by your bed, magnetized to your refrigerator, or as a tool on your computer or smartphone. With it, you can keep track of pre-natal exams, bloodwork, ultrasounds, or any other medical appointments. You might also want to keep reminders of when you’re scheduled to get your hair done or attended pre-natal yoga classes.

Shop now for stylish labor and delivery gowns. Your labor and delivery is a time when you want as much comfort as possible. Choose a breathable, ultra-soft, cozy gown that works just as well for nursing your little one. You deserve to look and feel your best. This is one of the most beautiful times in your life, and your gown should reflect that.

Keep a list of tasks like when to create your registry, when it’s time for ordering a crib, arranging with your friend to have a baby shower, or finishing up work assignments before your leave. And what about your postpartum help? You’ll want to schedule a time to arrange for any help you’ll need once the baby arrives.

Keep all your important documents in one place, and make sure your spouse or partner knows where they are. Those would include your ID, like a driver’s license, your insurance card, and hospital pre-registration forms.

When You Need to Hold Down Costs

Having a baby shouldn’t just be for the rich or well-to-do. Excellent care can and is available to you no matter your financial situation. You just need to know where to look.

Consider using a nurse midwife instead of an OB/GYN. They are considerably less expensive, and if you’re planning for an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery, they are excellent resources. Also, they are covered by almost all insurance providers.

Shop for secondhand baby items. Many you can find online in places like Facebook Marketplace that are brand new with tags, and others that are only gently used.

Breastfeeding instead of formula feeding can save a great deal of money, about $1,200.00 a year, in fact. And besides that, it’s far more convenient.

Free or low-cost parenting classes and even prenatal exercise classes are offered at most city community centers.

about the author

Jenna Sherman hopes to help other parents acquire the skills they need to raise future leaders by providing a collection of valuable, up-to-date, authoritative resources. A mom of three (two girls and a boy) created parent-leaders.com as an avenue for parents who want to make sure their children grow up to be strong, independent, successful adults.

If you would like to write a guest article for Susan Newberry Designs, feel free to contact us.

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