Welcome to the WTF lists. Being pregnant and being a new mom is super confusing. People tell you that you need a million things. You don’t even need most of those things. Let’s explore what you actually need and what’s a giant waste of money & time.

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Pregnancy is filled with so many tremendous decisions about things you know absolutely nothing about.

For example, how you plan to feed your baby when your baby enters the world.

You don’t need to have a firm answer to the how part, but you need to have options and things in place so that when the baby is home, the baby gets fed.

What are your options?

You can breastfeed, pump, or give the baby formula.

I always wanted to breastfeed and I plan to try that route when I meet my baby.

But the more I’ve looked into breastfeeding (I took a lactation class and I’m in a new mom group with a bunch of people who express how tough breastfeeding it), It seems like something I’m going to need a lot of support and help with.

I hope to hire a lactation consultant (because my insurance pays for one) but I also know that those appointments last about an hour and aren’t daily, maybe once a week.

So I’ve started exploring extra options to support with the breastfeeding journey.

I’m going to be using these and hope if you need them, you do too.

I imagine the postpartum journey is a lonely one and having support, whether IRL or virtually, could make a humongous difference.

Swehl:

I really adore this platform because of all the things they offer. A lot of breastfeeding resources just offer virtual sessions with lactation consultants or articles for you to read. But this platform take a more modern and interactive approach.

First, the offer community, which is BIG. I know I want to be around other moms going through the journey that I’m going through. One of the things they offer are curated Talk Circles, which are small groups of moms at a similar stage in their journey. I reached out to share I wanted to join one and they are putting me in a group with other moms who are almost giving birth or just had a baby.

They also have a huge library of videos on all different support around breastfeeding. When I took a look, it seemed like they had a video to match every single question, problem, or struggle a woman would go through when they are figuring out breastfeeding. This is SO much better than a list of articles to read. I can imagine no mom has time for…articles.

Finally, they have some fun products, all designed by women entrepreneurs to make motherhood feel more effortless and chic. I’m grabbing a few and will share what I think.

Okay, one fun fact, Mandy Moore is a supporter of the platform. Her doula is a part of it! So that’s…awesome!

Check them out here.

Will continue to share more breastfeeding resources here.

Have any you love?

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Welcome to the WTF lists. Being pregnant and being a new mom is super confusing. People tell you that you need a million things. You don’t even need most of those things. Let’s explore what you actually need and what’s a giant waste of money & time.

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As a mom-to-be, one of the first things you search for is a stroller. It’s an item that you’ll probably use every single day for a very long time.

But if you ever walk into a baby store and start test driving strollers, you’ll find yourself frustrated and confused.

A lot of these strollers look the same. Plus, most of them seem impossible to figure out. The whole experience made me wonder if I was ever going to be ready to be a parent.

I left the store that day and decided that before you shop for anything, you need to first decide what you care about, what is the most practical for your lifestyle, and since baby stuff is expensive, what’s the best product for your budget.

Here’s what I jotted down as my stroller criteria:

Safety: I wanted a stroller with a proven track record and one that came from a brand that had been around for a while, had positive reviews, and also was innovative - coming out with new versions of their products over the years because that shows they care about feedback and are always improving.

Easy to use: Figuring out baby products can seriously be hard and strollers seem so complicated. I wanted one that I could use without too much brainpower, which is actually harder to find than you think. I also wanted a stroller that could fold up fast, in case I was riding solo with it and only had one hand to use.

Good for our lifestyle: Because we live in city and find ourselves always on-the-go, we wanted a stroller that was easy to manuever and could show up for us in all-terrains.

Would grow with the baby: I live in a tiny apartment. I only have room for one stroller so I wanted one that works with a bassinet, a regular seat, the car seat, and can fold up for travel usage too. Also, I wanted one that folded up and wasn’t bulky so I could store it in our 550-square feet apartment.

After I decided what I wanted in a stroller, I decided to ask people in my life, with kids, what stroller they loved the most.

I started with the people in my neighborhood, who live a similar lifestyle to me. I live in Brooklyn, so I want a stroller that can sustain the impact of the stubborn sidewalks and glide with me as I walk circles around the nearby park. We also have a car and are on-the-go, so I wanted one that folded up quickly and easily. I asked neighbors and most people recommended the same stroller from the brand Bugaboo.

This step was super helpful because when you walk into a baby store, the salespeople will show you a bunch of different options, but strollers are personal. You want one that understands you and one that you understand.

I actually asked a neighbor of mine if I could push her Bugaboo stroller around for 30-minutes to make sure I liked it before buying it.

In a store, that’s tough to do. You can push it around their tile or carpet, but it’s not the same as pushing it around where you will be living your life with your baby.

In the end, I picked this Bugaboo Fox 5 stroller because not only did it meet all of my requirements, but when I gave it a test run, it was easy to use, comfortable, and very well-designed. Plus, it was good for all different types of terrains, from the park to the uneven Brooklyn sidewalks. It felt like the kind of stroller that won’t break in a year or two and can grow with our family over the years, making it worth the investment.

While the price tag might seem a little high, it was inline with other strollers I was considering. Plus, I felt it was worth the money because it comes with a bassinet, which is great for the newborn stage, a regular seat that will be good to use as the baby grows, and car seat adaptors, so I can use my car seat with it. It also folds up quickly and was light-weight, so it can double as our travel and weekend stroller too.

Rather than buy two strollers, we went with one that does it all.

Strollers are a personal decision. Know what you care about, ask people around you, take one for a test drive, and then make your ultimate decision.

Love,

Jen Glantz

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Welcome to the WTF lists. Being pregnant and being a new mom is super confusing. People tell you that you need a million things. You don’t even need most of those things. Let’s explore what you actually need and what’s a giant waste of money & time.

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A few months into my pregnancy, I realized I was going to need a bit of a wardrobe update. I sold 65% of my clothing on Poshmark and earned a few thousand dollars. I decided I wanted to use half that cash to pay for baby items and the other half to buy some maternity items. I tried to spend just a few hundred dollars on a few key pieces that I could style with existing items in my closet - from accessories to jackets.

One quick thing I noticed was that some maternity brands are super expensive. I didn’t find it worth it to buy things from Hatch or a Pea in the Pod because items were pricey and I knew that after 9-months, I’d never wear them again.

I spent hours researching different brands, bought a ton of stuff, returned it all and then decided I was going to grab items from brands I already knew and loved.

I ended up buying just a few things and wore these pieces over and over again during the past 9-months.

Here’s what I grabbed and loved:

Leggings

I tried on so many pairs of maternity leggings and decided to go with a pair that were so buttery soft and could be worn to workout or to go out and run errands. I picked these from Beyond Yoga and bought them in three colors. I wore them every single day of pregnancy.

Tank Tops With Bras

I’ve never liked wearing bras but during pregnancy I just couldn’t do it anymore. I bought a Beyond Yoga tank with a bra in it and wore it under sweaters, with jackets on top, and to workout. It was such a versatile item. I bought three.

A Bodysuit

I had bought this Old Navy bodysuit years ago and never wore it but when I got pregnant, the stretchy and performance fabric fit my body perfectly during pregnancy. The best part about this item is that how fancy it is depends on what you style it with. I wore it with a leather jacket to go out and with an oversized sweatshirt to wear errands. It felt like 5 outfits in one item.

Biker Shorts

I grabbed two pairs of biker shorts from Old Navy and they held up so well during my pregnancy. I wore them for workouts and for lounging around the house.

A Special Occassion Dress

I was pregnant during the holiday season and for a handful of other special occasion dresses. I wanted one outfit I could wear to all these events and I wanted something that felt like me - something with sequins. I grabbed this dress (it’s not a maternity brand) and bought it two sizes bigger than I’d usually wear. Because it wasn’t form-fitting, it fit well throughout pregnancy.

A Stretchy Dress Long-Sleeve Dress

Fore more casual nights out or dinners with Adam, I wore an Abercrombie dress I already had in my closet, similar to this one. It’s not made for maternity but if you buy it a few sizes up and it’s stretchy material, it works well!

A Comfy Cropped Sweatshirt

I’ve never really purchased anything from Lululemon before but this sweatshirt is the best and I wear it every day - honestly. It’s cropped so it doesn’t restrict your belly and the fabric is so soft. I bought in black and got it in pink when it went on sale - worth every penny!

A Robe Jacket

I love this brand and bought this because I thought it would look nice as a sweater robe over my bodysuit and with leggings - but I only wore it once and it’s not worth the price unless you adore it and will wear it a ton during pregnancy and even after.

A Soft Pajama Set

I was never a pajama girlie before pregnancy but Kindred Bravely sent me this pajama set and I love it so much. It’s super soft and relaxing to put on before bed.

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Welcome to the WTF lists. Being pregnant and being a new mom is super confusing. People tell you that you need a million things. You don’t even need most of those things. Let’s explore what you actually need and what’s a giant waste of money & time.

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When I stoped being in full-on denial that I was pregnant and that I would eventually be someone’s mom, I started devoting every second of the day to figuring out WTF I needed for a baby.

I knew nothing.

I didn’t spend a lot of time around other babies and when I walked into baby megastores, I found myself having panic attacks near the changing table in the restroom.

I read countless lists, stalked stranger’s registries, searched for honest reviews on Reddit, and made many spreadsheets of items that I thought I needed to buy.

But then I took a step back and realized:

WTF is all of this stuff? I bet I don’t need half of it.

Overtime, I continued to research and plan. I decided to ONLY buy essentials.

Now, as I await the baby’s arrival, I have an apartment stocked of what I need, and only what I need.

So if you’re wondering what to buy or what to grab for your pregnant friends, here are the lists of items I spent money on for pregnancy, labor and delivery, a newborn, and my own postpartum and breastfeeding needs.

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Maternity Clothing

Pregnancy Favs

Baby Must-Haves

Postpartum Essentials

Books for the Baby

Books for Pregnancy

Breastfeeding Items

Hospital Packing List

A 3-in-1 Convertible Crib - it’s awesome.

A Versatile Stroller

A lightweight Stroller for Being On-the-Go

What am I missing? Share below the items that you absolutely adored when pregnant, when the baby came, and as you figured out how in the world to be someone’s mom.

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Welcome to the WTF lists. Being pregnant and being a new mom is super confusing. People tell you that you need a million things. You don’t even need most of those things. Let’s explore what you actually need and what’s a giant waste of money & time.

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This week I met with a woman for our first session together to chat about comfortable ways to get through labor.

She spent a long time talking about the power of breathing and while it’s easy to say:

Come on, really? Breathing is a magic trick to help labor?

I have to sort of believe she might be right.

Think about it.

We need to breath to stay alive.

When we’re in panic mode, we take quick swallow breathes that don’t help us, they hurt us.

When you’re in any tense situation, the first thing everyone tells you to do is breathe.

So I’m listening to her. I’m learning this. Here are three kinds of breaths she taught me about.

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Calm Breath

This is a breath we can easily practice now and it’s important to do this when you feel a contraction happening. It’s easy. Inhale for 4: 1, 2, 3, 4. Exhale for 8: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Do this through your nose.

It will get your mind to focus on counting those numbers. It will help you relax - when the very last thing you want to do is relax.

Surge Breath

This a go-to for when you’re experiencing more painful contractions. You inhale the same amount as you exhale. I picked the number ten. It’s hard to inhale for 10 but you want to pull the breath up from your pelvic bone. Then, exhale. All through the nose. Will this make the pain disappear? I’m guessing no. Will it make it feel better than tensing up and focusing on the pain? It is worth a try.

Birth Breathing - to Push the Baby Out

This type of breath can help push the baby down and out of you. It replaces a lot of forceful pushing that we might default to. You can use this when you’re in labor and you start feeling the pressure that the baby is coming.

To do this, take a quick breath through your nose and then exhale with a long breath down into your birth path. I like to push my body down and back like into a J or C-shape.

She told me the best time to practice this is when you’re pooping.

I have tried it. It works.

More details here.

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Welcome to the WTF lists. Being pregnant and being a new mom is super confusing. People tell you that you need a million things. You don’t even need most of those things. Let’s explore what you actually need and what’s a giant waste of money & time.

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A few months into my pregnancy, Adam discovered a dad’s thread on Reddit that completely rocked his world. He spent hours reading people’s stories, tips, and advice.

He hid all of this from me until…

A few days later, a giant box came from Amazon.

This feels like a box of weights. I said to him when I tried to lift the box.

Even better. He replied. Books.

He ordered his own personal library of books based on recommendations he got from this Reddit thread.

The thing about books, sort of like working out, is that you have to actually do something in order to get the benefits. I feared this giant stack would sit unread, grow dust, and be donated to our local library in just a few months.

I was partly right.

Out of the books, he’s read three. I have read two.

I love to read but all of this pregnancy stuff is overwhelming. When I flip through pages at night, I can’t fall asleep and my dreams are haunted by placenta encapsulation.

When I read pages during the day, my chest feels heavy and I can’t focus on reading even one email in my inbox.

So because I couldn’t find a time to read, I didn’t read most of these books.

But you might be different and if you are, I want to share with you a list of books that people have recommended because they read these books and loved them.

Don’t read them all. Don’t read most of them.

No person should have that much information stocked up in their head.

Instead, pick a book, or two, and start there.

Okay, let’s read:

• Cribsheet & Expecting Better

  • Everyone recommends these two books. I read the second one and it was okay. I wished I read it before getting pregnant. It would have been excellent.

• The Birth Partner

  • Read this and loved it. Great to read during every stage of pregnancy. It felt like my own personal birth class.

• Pregnancy Day By Day

  • Wish I read this!

• What to Expect When You’re Expecting

  • This is a good guide book to have on hand.

• Bringing Up Bébé

  • A top recommended book from a lot of friends

• The Happiest Baby and Toddler on the Block

  • Currently reading this

• Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads

  • I read this one and loved it.

• The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide for Dads-to-Be

  • Adam read this and loved it

• Bumpin': The Modern Guide to Pregnancy: Navigating the Wild, Weird, and Wonderful Journey From Conception Through Birth and Beyond

  • One of top recommended books on Amazon for pregnancy. I didn’t know about it until today or else I would have read it.

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Welcome to the WTF lists. Being pregnant and being a new mom is super confusing. People tell you that you need a million things. You don’t even need most of those things. Let’s explore what you actually need and what’s a giant waste of money & time.

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The second I found out I was pregnant, one of the first things I said to Adam was:

I don’t want a baby shower.

I’m one of those weirdos who takes on extreme guilt when someone spends money on me or buys me gifts.

I feel bad.

I feel like I have to one up and then send them something back.

I feel like I have to thank them one million times and even then, it’s not enough.

Gifts send me into such a panic mode that I’d rather buy everything I need in life on my own and then sit beside the stuff as I quietly bark at my credit card statement.

But the thing about being pregnant is that people want to buy you things and if you don’t tell them what you need or want, they will send you things you DO NOT NEED and DO NOT WANT.

And you don’t want that because you don’t have the space or mental capacity for items you won’t know what to do with when the baby comes.

So eventually, I caved. I bought a few thousand dollars worth of stuff on my own and then made a list of things that other people could buy me, all under $200, that wouldn’t make me spiral in a strange state of commiseration.

Here’s my registry. A lot of what is on there are gift cards because that’s what I actually want and need. But I put a few things on it. TBH, during my midnight panic buying sessions, I bought a lot of things off of my own registry and then deleted the items once I purchased them. So, don’t follow this list closely. I’ll make another list soon of everything I bought for the baby.

BUT! If you’re on the fence about creating a registry, do it.

You need it.

So people will stop asking you about it and pick up items that you need ASAP.

The best advice I can give you, from my experience, is to make your registry on Baby List. I swear on my life this isn’t one of those sponsored posts. I’m not getting paid a dime to tell you this (I wish I was though). But here’s why I love it:

1. It lets you add ANYTHING from ANY store on it. If you do a registry through Buy Buy Buy or Amazon, you can only put their products on the registry. But you can legit put anything on Baby’s List so it gives you variety of what you can ask for.

2. Once you add an item, it gives people a handful of options of where they can buy it and the current prices from each of those places. For example, I wanted a breast feeding pillow and it told people they could get that exact one on Amazon, Bed Bath and Beyond, or Target and then shared the price next to each store. That way, you give your loved ones store and price options.

3. The return policy is beyond amazing. I felt pressured to add a bunch of stuff onto the registry and when I got some of it, I was like ooops I don’t need or want this. I was able to secretly return through Baby List without the person ever knowing and get a gift card that I could use on something I really did need - like a 250 pack of bamboo diapers.

I’ll do another post about what to put on your registry but if you have any friends who recently had a kid, and you like their style, google their name and see if you can stalk their old registries. I did that - a lot - and it really helped me get a head start on what I needed to buy.

Anything on yours that you adore? Share share!

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Welcome to the WTF lists. Being pregnant and being a new mom is super confusing. People tell you that you need a million things. You don’t even need most of those things. Let’s explore what you actually need and what’s a giant waste of money & time.

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I’m pretty horrible about asking for help. I’d rather try to do everything myself than ever accept an offer from someone to step in and take things off my plate to make life easier.

Which just goes to show you how scared I am to be a mom because for the first time in my life, I traded in my stubborn “I have everything under control” persona in to became the kind of person who says “yes please” when someone reaches out to be there for me.

I can’t believe I am saying this, but sometimes I even ask for help on my own.

I went through the address book on my phone and texted every single person I know who has a kid.

Give me your best piece of advice.

Most of them wrote back and I took their response as an open invitation to bombard them, randomly, with more intricate, personal, and absolutely necessary questions.

In life, when you’re going through things, you have to accept help.

The problem is, you don’t always know what kind of help you need.

For most of my pregnancy, I needed help in the form of advice and knowledge.

When I have the baby, I know i’ll need a different type of help that might come in the form of a friend sitting with the baby so I can shower or another friend coming over to force me outside for a walk.

Either way, here are some really awesome ways people have been there to help me during this pregnancy. I hope this list is helpful if you want to either be there for a pregnant friend or you’re pregnant and want to know how your friends can be there for you.

Ask if you can research stuff for a friend

There’s so much stuff to learn when you’re on your way toward becoming a mom. It’s overwhelming and it honestly sucks. One BIG thing you can do for a person is offer to research something for them and write them a recap. Things like this:

• A ranking of the top strollers and why

• The top recommended items on their registry

• A list of local doulas, postpartum doulas, nurses, pediatricians

• What the heck can go on a birth plan

• Local birth classes and prenatal classes they can attend

• The best FB groups or online communities they can join

Really anything. Ask them what’s on their list to research or learn this week and take something off that list for them and do it. This is way more helpful than just texting “how are you” or “here if you need anything”.

They need everything - more specifically they need help learning.

Call without strings attached

I will forever be grateful for my friend Molly. She’s a mom of three and a few months ago, she texted me that she plans to call me every single Sunday - no strings attached. I don’t have to answer, I don’t have to even pick up the phone and say much, but she will call, and if I do answer or want to talk, she will listen, she will help, she will be there for me.

Having this kind of ongoing support allows a self-conscious person like me know that a friend really wants to be there for me and they aren’t just offering, they are actually showing up.

I look forward to our Sunday calls. Sometimes we don’t even talk about baby stuff. Most of the time we do and I end the call smiling.

Offer to do a meal train

I haven’t done this yet but when my friend Michelle gave birth, her friends organized a virtual meal train for her. Each person picked a day and sent food. As I get closer to giving birth, I’m starting to see how the little tasks in my life will feel gigantic once a baby arrives.

Letting friends send food every day, or a few times a week, can be a huge relief.

This is a great free website that helps you organize that easily.

*This one is hard for me because I don’t love when people spend money on helping me out but think about it - it could be $15/$20 that a person spends and wow, what a long way that will go.

Claim a part of their lives

Think about what you’d honestly want to help the person out with:

• Doing laundry

• Walking their dog

• Taking the person on short walks to get out of the house

• Spending an hour a day/week with the baby so the person can nap/shower/etc.

• Sorting through mail/email/phone calls/text messages

• Doing research

Entertain their BS

While it’s on my to-do list to get back on my therapist’s schedule, I have to say that a big help during my pregnancy have been the friends who take me for coffee, go on a walk with me, or sit beside me and just let me vent. Sure, there are times I want advice, but there are also times I just want to rant for 5-minutes about how scared I am, and when I’m done, talk about something else - like mascara or ankle socks.

Ask a friend to meet. Ask them about their pregnancy. Let them feel open to rambling. Ask if they want advice or just want you listen. Then do that for them…please.

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Welcome to the WTF lists. Being pregnant and being a new mom is super confusing. People tell you that you need a million things. You don’t even need most of those things. Let’s explore what you actually need and what’s a giant waste of money & time.

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Helpful People to Follow on Instagram

Since I don’t have a lot of friends IRL who are pregnant and a lot of my friends with kids are probably tired of me asking deep, intimate, and intense questions, constantly, about pregnancy, labor, and being a mom, I have turned to social media for help.

Here are some random people I follow who I love. I’ll keep adding to this list as I find the good ones out there who are sharing FREE information over social media.

Ps. Most of these people are selling something - courses, books, etc. but I have not bought anything from them. I simply just follow them on Instagram and consume all their free information for now. If I do buy anything from them, you will be the first to know.

Mommy Labor Nurse

Right now, at 8-months pregnant, this is my ALL-TIME favorite Instagram account. She has taught me so much about birth, options that I have, what to ask, what to look out for, and so much more. I love this woman so much!

Karrie Locher

She’s just awesome. I really find her to be so helpful with postpartum tips that I know I’ll need in the future. I learn a lot from this woman she feels like my virtual BFF.

Dog Meets Baby

Making sure my dog and my baby are BFF’s is honestly something I worry about. What’s good about this account is that she gives you tips on how to get the dog prepared even before the baby is born and also what to do once the baby is born and the dog & child co-exist. Super important for me because we live in a tiny apartment that we all have to share.

Hey Sleepy Baby

I’m not ready to take a full-blown sleep course yet, but this account shares tips, tricks, and advice on helping your baby sleep. I feel like I need to learn this stuff and it’s easier to read through her account than reading another book.

Tiny Hearts Education

SO much education from this account that I feel like being on Instagram is actually productive. In the last week, I learned why to pack chewing gum in your hospital bag and some tricks on bathing a newborn - because that seems really hard.

Healthiest Baby

While this account isn’t for me yet (it’s mostly for parents with toddlers) it’s been cool learning more about what to expect when the baby grows up. Plus, she shares a lot of free content via graphics that’s just easy to consume when scrolling.

Birth Without Fear

This account shares a lot of stories and real-life talk around being pregnant, giving birth, and life postpartum. I don’t learn endless amount of tips and information from this account, but there are good stories there that I enjoy reading.

Ps. (again): You can follow me (Jen) here and Scared to Be a Mom here.

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Welcome to the WTF lists. Being pregnant and being a new mom is super confusing. People tell you that you need a million things. You don’t even need most of those things. Let’s explore what you actually need and what’s a giant waste of money & time.

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5 Classes to Prepare You for (Almost) Everything

A few months after getting pregnant, Adam got lost inside a Reddit thread for first-time dads and came out of there spending $150 on books.

Expecting Better, The Birth Partner, The Expecting Father, Crib Sheet

WTF, are we starting a book club? I yelled as I opened up the Amazon box and pulled out 10 different books.

I love reading. He doesn’t. My brain was too scattered to sit down these days and actually read stories and data, research and tips, on how to be someone’s parent.

I couldn’t understand what he was thinking.

But I was in no mood to start a fight.

So I took the books and I shoved them in a deep, dark, hole in the back of the closet.

It’s been 6-months. They haven’t been touched.

Every time I thought about the books, I thought about the point Adam was trying to make.

We had no idea how to be parents, take care of a newborn, even get through the impossibleness of giving birth. These books were supposed to help us, prepare us, teach us what we needed to know.

But our anxiety, excuses, and constant feeling of being overwhelmed by everything, made us unable to stay accountable and read any of them.

So instead, I figured if I signed us up for classes, blocked off those classes on our calendars, and paid money for them (more than a $10 book), we would show up and learn what we needed to learn.

I picked (5) classes only. Any more would just be too much for our brains.

Here are the classes I signed up for and why I picked each one:

A class to teach you about birth

I knew nothing about giving birth except that it sucked and was painful and for many people - the hardest thing they’ve ever had to do. But I needed more. I needed specifics - like how to prepare, what to expect, and what actually happens when the baby is sliding down your cervix. I wanted to take this class in person because (1) I hoped I’d meet some other people who were pregnant and make friends (2) being in person would allow me to stay focused, ask questions, and hopefully retain this super important information.

• Check if the hospital / birthing center / or if the birth care team you’re working with for a home birth offers any classes. Sometimes, these classes are completely free and you can meet other preg people who are in the same neighborhood/city as you are.

• Find a class that covers what you want to know. I did a 2-day one through Birthsmarter because it seemed to cover everything from what to expect days before going into labor, to the car ride there, how to stand up for yourself, ways to deal with pain, and so much more. I loved it so much and met three friends in the class who I now group text with every single day. The class was expensive (around $400) but that included a ticket for me and Adam and I thought it was worth every penny. They do offer alternative pricing as well.

• I found some other free classes that you can eyeball here - like this one, this one, or this one.

A class to help you figure out how to care for a newborn

Okay after I learned what prostaglandin was and what 4-1-1 contractions are, I thought it was time to learn how to actually take care of a newborn. I have NO IDEA how to change a diaper, swaddle a baby, use a nasal aspirator. This isn’t something I wanted to learn from a boring book. I wanted to see these things with my eyes and practice in front of a professional who could critique how well I am able to wipe a baby doll’s butt.

• I signed up for an in-person class to learn this because I wanted to make friends and it’s hard to do that virtually. I paid $120 for two tickets to this class. The only problem is, I’m taking it in mid-Feb which is super close to my due date - so fingers crossed I make it to this class or else I might be royally screwed.

• You can find free versions of this class on places like this or this - or through your hospital/birthing center/care team.

A newborn CPR class because that’s important

I wanted to cross off taking a newborn CPR class off my mental to-do list because it’s something I need to know so why not learn it now. The mistake I made with this class was that I did it virtually on a Tuesday night. While it was super interesting and the teacher was great, I fell asleep halfway through the class. Adam had to show me what i missed and well, It wasn’t a good enough recap to make me feel confident. I’ll retake this class when the baby is born, before she starts eating solids. This time - IRL.

• I took this class for $50 but you can find free ones online.

• If you have the time and budget, go IRL. They won’t let you fall asleep.

A lesson in lactation so I can understand WTF is happening with my boobs

I want to breastfeed - if I am able to and if it’s something I feel like I can do - but I also did buy some formula in case breastfeeding isn’t for me or the baby or my body says nooooo way, not today.

But how do you actually breast feed? It can’t be that easy, can it? Maybe it is. But I wanted to learn and find out so that when the baby arrives, I am not sitting in a hospital bed with bulging eyes trying to figure out how to feed this newborn. I heard some hospitals will send over a lactation consultant once you give birth to help you, but I assume they are busy and cut throat with their information. I assume this because my friend from birth class told me that her consultant, in the hospital, made her cry.

So I signed up for a class on lactation ($120 for two tickets) and because I don’t want to fall asleep again, I’m doing this IRL in February and making Adam come too. He needs to know. He needs to help. He needs to understand all that goes into this baby thing.

• Find free versions of this class or sign up for a paid one through a school that you are already taking classes at that you like. Because I loved my birth class, I signed up for two more classes through that school just because I know what to expect and like how they run their classes.

Pick a class that settles a fear

I’m trying not to go over the top and take a million classes before this baby arrives. I just know that it’ll stress me out. So I’ve decided I will pick one more class from these topics below. But pick a class that helps you understand a fear that you have. Knowledge doesn’t solve your problems, but it allows you to know what to expect and how to handle what is about to happen. Here are some of my fears / options for classes

• Sleep - There are a lot of “sleep specialists” that offer online courses. The problem with recommending on is that everyone’s sleep method and style is different. Let the baby cry it out? Help the baby the second it cries? Up to you. I decided not to take this class before the baby arrives and wait to see what’s up with the baby and her sleep patterns first.

• Painful labor - I haven’t taken any of her classes yet but I love how she has classes for people who want to do medicated births and unmedicated births. I actually might end up taking both.

• Push prep - Considering a class about how to push during labor because apparently it’s not as easy as just pushing like you’re pooping. If I do this, you’ll be the first to know all the details about this class.

• Being someone’s mom - There has to be a class out there for people scared to be moms. I’ll keep looking for us….

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