baby by Jaclyn Small
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A Healthy Start for and Your Baby You
The Waiting Game Our very own Jaclyn added baby number three to their family in early 2020! In every issue this year we are going to hear from her on the ups and downs of parenting as a family of five. This month, she is talking about the pre-baby preparations and how her family used checklists to stay organized during the transition. There are so many emotions that arise when you find out that you are expecting. One minute you are jumping for joy with excitement and the next minute you are frozen in fear and anxiety; it’s safe to say if you have been on this journey you can relate! It does seem with each addition to the family the months pass so much quicker. While pregnant with our first child, I read all the books, kept track of all the “fruit sizes” the baby was being compared to, and at any given time I could give you the exact week and day of where I was at in my pregnancy. Now, the third time around I’m certain most of the time if anyone asked how far along I was my response was, “I’m not sure!” It seems this time around the days flew by and suddenly it hits you that the 40-week mark is right around the corner! Whether you’re expecting your first or fifth, one thing that doesn’t change during the last few weeks, is that daunting “to-do” list before baby comes. The end of a pregnancy feels like it takes an eternity, but I’m convinced that is for good reason. All those last-minute
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February 2020 | thehoodmagazine.com
tasks can take time...from getting the nursery ready, installing the car seat, and just the overall “house stuff”, you can be left feeling like there are never enough hours in the day. It also becomes daunting when items keep popping up in your mind and you’re constantly thinking, “I need to grab some of those” or “I need to pack that” and of course, “Don’t forget this!” During the last few weeks while you’re playing the waiting game, staying organized is the key. When it comes to having a baby, it’s safe to say nothing will ever go exactly as planned; but having lists can help when preparing yourself as well as the rest of your family for the new arrival. If you are expecting, check out ‘Hood’s hospital bag checklist to help you prepare for the arrival of your sweet bundle. I created this list based on the items I included in my hospital bag, as well as suggestions that other friends and family have said they couldn’t live without! Hop over to Hood Online to download the checklist for free and shoot us a message to chime in with your hospital bag essentials too! l
