Celebrate Your Pregnancy

6 Great Ways to Prepare Before Baby Arrives

By Katherine Bontrager

You've been taking all your vitamins, watching your diet and are altogether prepared for your baby's big entrance, right? Well, maybe. The motto "always be prepared" also applies to parents, and here are just a few fun items you may not have on your detailed checklist:

"I tell all my pregnant friends to take a trip somewhere exotic," says Deborah Ely-Lawrence. "When I was 5 months pregnant, my husband and I went to Hawaii. We'd never been before and even though I was 5 months along and didn't look good in a swimsuit – we had a blast. We hiked to the top of Diamondhead, watched polo on the beach, went to a luau and toured the palace and botanical gardens."

Ten years later, the Bloomington, Minn., mom admits they've not returned to their tropical paradise. "Instead, our vacations are spent going to Disneyland or Disneyworld, or some kid-oriented trip," she says. "While I wouldn't trade those trips with my daughter for anything, the getaway to Hawaii with my husband is something I'll never forget, because we won't get back there until my daughter is off to college (and even then, we'll probably be too poor because we'll be paying for her tuition)."

So take this time, what little may be left of it, and enjoy a vacation for two – it will be a romantic excursion you'll always treasure.

"One of the best pieces of advice I received was to subscribe to a bunch of magazines about four to six weeks ahead of my due date," says Erin Cecil. "It gave me plenty to read and look forward to during my stay-at-home months with my baby."

Cecil subscribed to four magazines: two parenting and two general interest. It provided good advice, a much-needed connection to the outside world and a pleasant way to relax. "They started hitting my mailbox about two weeks after I delivered my son," she says. "It was great to have something besides bills coming in the mail, and I actually had time while the baby slept to catch up on the world. It was a nice treat for me, particularly at a time when I counted it a victory to be out of my pajamas!"

Cecil also recently subscribed to an online movie rental company, which allows her to rent DVDs over the Internet from her San Diego home and keep a revolving library of up to three movies at a time that she can exchange when she wants – with no late fees. "I can actually catch up on all the movies I miss, and because they don't have a tight deadline for returning them, I can do it on my own time," she says.

Want to see more?

• Go for It! 9 Reasons Why Now Is a Great Time to Have a Baby
• Write From the Beginning
• Ready, Set, Mother: Preparing for Parenthood Means Making Changes and Choices
• Talk about it!