A baby is the beginning of an amazing new chapter. But for those women on the cusp of pregnancy and new motherhood, we’re sharing some pre-pregnancy bucket list items from our Motherly mamas. Get to it while you still can!


1. Travel.

Roaming the ruins in Rome is totally possible after baby—it just gets harder. If having a baby is on your horizon, treat a trip you’d love to take as one last hurrah before things get more complicated. Think: Girlfriends getaway. Visiting a state you’ve never seen. A blowout trip to Europe (though if you go when you’re pregnant, skipping the wine and cheese can be a challenge).

2. Love on your body.

One day you might miss the way your body looks now. And you will also learn to love your new normal. But take it from the mamas who have been there: The sooner you learn to love the body you have, when you have it, the easier this whole thing gets.

We love how Ina May Gaskin put it:

“Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body.”

 

3. Make a leap at work.

Believe it or not, leaning in at work before baby arrives—asking for new responsibilities, applying for a more senior role, getting a raise—can give you more flexibility and ownership down the line, when you’ll need it the most.

The more essential your organization sees you, the more your supervisors will likely do to keep you happy. (Hello, flex time)!

So dig in and reap the rewards to come.

4. Eat all the unpasteurized cheese.

All the (non-vegan) pregnant ladies really miss it.

5. Sleep in late.

Pregnancy brings all sorts of sleep challenges (morning sickness, leg cramps, a constantly full bladder), and new motherhood—well, you’ve heard the rumors. Sleep now. For the rest of us.

6. Take a date night!

Winging date night (again)? Awesome! You don’t have to pay a babysitter in order to escape your house for a few hours. Enjoy all the date nights you can before baby is in tow.

7. Do crunches.

Pregnancy nixes traditional abs work for a while, and the postpartum body often needs some help in recovering abdominal strength. The stronger your core is before a baby is inside, the better. So rock those sit-ups and side planks.

8. Do just 1 load of laundry.

And be done. The job of cleaning once kids arrive reaches a whole new level. Enjoy the comparatively light load.

Just know that secretly you’ll one day love the tiny little socks you get to wash.

9. Get an OB checkup.

It’s one of the smartest things you can do for a healthy pregnancy. Bring *all* your medical and sexual history to the appointment, as well as all your questions about how to best prepare. Read more on what to ask during the pre-conception checkup.

10. Get so excited.

Your life is about to change in the most wonderful ways.