The Art of Everyday Living - The Peaceful Nursery

Trimester Calendar
By Laura Forbes Carlin and Alison Forbes

A trimester-by-trimester guide to help you prepare your home, and yourself, for the arrival of your new baby.

First Trimester:

The first priority is to rest and take care of your body. If you are one of the lucky ones who feels great during this time you may want to create a Positive Vision for your pregnancy, delivery and even the first year at home with your baby. A positive vision is a series of affirmations that describe your ideal scenario. Affirmations are written in the present tense beginning with “I am,” for example “I am experiencing a healthy and easy pregnancy.” You can add as many affirmations as you like and get as specific as you like. Writing down your intentions is the first step toward making them a reality, so go for it. When you write down clear intentions you are free to surrender to the present moment—your subconscious will automatically guide you on the path to completion. So once you have created your Positive Vision, you can feel like it is already done—you are on the way to manifesting your highest vision.

If you have a lot on your mind and are thinking about all the things you want to get done before the baby is born—write it down. Just writing down everything on a To-Do list will make you feel better. Set aside some quiet time when you know you have at least half-an-hour when you won’t be interrupted. Have a calendar and a notebook at hand. Then take a blank piece of paper and write down absolutely everything on your mind—from choosing a crib to defrosting your freezer—no task is too small or too big so don’t stop to judge or organize what you’re putting on your list, just keep writing. The simple act of writing down all the things on your mind will help you relax knowing that you won’t forget. The next step is to organize your list. You may wish to first identify anything that needs to be done by a certain date or time and put those items on your calendar as well as on your list. For larger, more substantial tasks that may take time to complete, write down the first step that would need to completed next in order to achieve your goal. Breaking down large projects into smaller, more manageable tasks will help you feel more focused and less overwhelmed.

Second Trimester:
Decide who will help you and your partner after the baby is born. Talk to relatives or friends. If you plan on hiring someone keep in mind that many nurses and doulas book months in advance.

Take some time to “make space” for your baby by clearing away any clutter. Clutter zaps our time and energy and with the demands of a newborn you want o create and conserve as much time and energy as you can. Get rid of donate or sell anything that is not useful, beautiful or loved. Pay particular attention to things you have been keeping around for when you have more time—if you have not found the time prior to having a baby chances are you will not find it after you have your baby! Remember you are about to bring a lot more stuff into your house—if you are having a difficult time finding a place for what you have now, it will be especially important to make space for all the new things you are about to bring home.

Get organized. You are about to have another life to care for and manage—sooner than you think you will be scheduling doctors’ appointments, play dates, babysitters, etc… It will help if your own life is in order and running smoothly before you start to take on your child’s life. This is a great time to start tackling your To-Do list.

Complete any “unfinished business.” Take care of anything that has been weighing on you. If you have had something linger on your To-Do list for over a year either commit completing it or decide you’re not going to do it and cross it off your list. You will not want to bring unfinished things that are a drain on your energy into this next phase of your life.

Read a few books on caring for a newborn, particular about how to create good sleeping habits.

Choose a room or space for your baby. Prepare you baby’s room. Ideally you can start with a blank canvas by moving out any furniture you do not plan on using and emptying any closets. Clean the room thoroughly with natural cleaning products—or better yet have your partner clean the room so you don’t expose yourself to dust. Also consider cleansing the energy in the room.

Complete a “healthy home check.” If you have chipping or peeling paint have your home checked for lead paint, take care of any pest problems using non-toxic treatments (refrain from using any pesticides), repair any leaks, if your anything seems damp or smells musty in your home you may wish to check for mold, check existing smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors or if you don’t have any, install the them.

Start looking at nursery furniture. Towards the end of your second trimester is a good time to get your nursery furniture, not only because some items will take time to order, but also so that any chemicals found in new paint and finishes will have time to off-gas. If you buy new furniture, keep it outdoors, in a garage, or if you have to keep it in the nursery, leave the windows open to while new furniture off-gasses (the majority of chemicals should off-gas in two to three months). Alternatively, look for furniture that is chemical-free, made of solid wood and finished with natural finishes. Always look for curtains, fabrics and slip-covers that are washable so that you can avoid using drycleaners and upholstery cleaners that may use toxic chemicals. If your belief system doesn’t support buying anything for nursery in advance, then spend time preparing the rest of your home. You can also consider registering for the things you will need and ordering the furniture and essentials a few months in advance, but wait to pick them up or have them delivered after the baby is born.

Ideally any renovations such as painting the room or removing wall-to-wall carpeting would have been completed long before you were even pregnant. It is not advisable to risk exposing you, your fetus or your newborn to the dust and possible toxins that come along with renovations. If you must paint or change carpeting it will be very important to use healthy products such as no-VOC paints and follow healthy guidelines such as keeping your windows open and have someone else do the painting. Visit www.checnet.org for more information.

Start researching products and making a list of all the things you need. Keep in mind there is a lot of stuff you can buy for your baby these days. The key is to choosing what you need as opposed to what’s available. If you’re a first time parent, spend time with other parents whose parenting style you admire and see what they feel is useful.

You may consider registering at a baby store. If you know you’re going to have a shower considering registering. Registering cuts down on clutter because you’ll be getting things you really need or want.

Fix up your bedroom. Create a bedroom that supports your need to rest and spend quality time with your partner. Remove exercise equipment, computers, desks and if you can part with it, your TV, so the room becomes a place for rest and romance.

During your second trimester your baby will be able to hear your voice, so begin your relationship with your baby now, by talking to your baby.

Third Trimester:
(It is best to complete these items one month in advance of your due date so that you are prepared if your baby comes early or you can take the last month to just rest and enjoy your partner).

Purchase all of the things you need.

Create a list of phone numbers for all the people you (or more likely your partner) will want to call soon after the baby is born.
Pack for the hospital.

Choose a birth announcement and thank-you cards. If you have time you may even wish to address the envelopes now.
Install the car seat.

Take everything out of its package. Wash everything you can—all the baby’s clothes, linens, washable stuffed animals and car seat and stroller cover—in a chemical-free detergent. Hang clothes in the closet. Put away everything in the nursery. Find a place for diapers and wipes. Also sterilize bottles, and the breast pump.

Read instructions and learn how to use the stroller, breast pump etc... It is so much easier to take in new information when you are not sleep deprived and overwhelmed by your newborn.
Talk with your partner about your expectations regarding the delivery and the first few months at home.

You may wish to “stock up” on everyday household items so you do not have to worry about running extra errands the first few weeks at home.

Maintain the nursery—keep the dust out and let fresh air in.

Nurture yourself. Each week choose a few things you can do to take care of your body, mind and spirit. Spend time with friends and loved-ones with uplift your spirits, read a great book, see a great movie, get a prenatal massage, and rest.

Continue to review the intentions you wrote in the first trimester and visualize a healthy, magical delivery.