“Congratulations” is the first thing you hear from people when they discover you’re pregnant. It is definitely a very exciting period in your new life, full of ups and downs and lots of changes everyday. Nine months can seem endless, especially when you cannot wait to see the little one who is growing rapidly inside you.
Educate Yourself
You convince yourself that you want to do the best for your baby, so you read a lot of books like the American bible, What to Expect When You’re Expecting; you eat healthy food, though you have many different cravings; and you try to avoid stress, which is not good for anyone but especially while pregnant. But there is much more you can do for yourself. Exercising like walking, swimming or yoga can keep you in good shape and prevent unwanted backache and swelling. There are very cheap or even free prenatal yoga classes in DC and very nice public pools in the area, so do not hesitate to dress in your swimsuit, though you will probably not be able to recognize your body in it.
Take advantage of the many classes offered by hospitals or specialized centers.
A one-day intensive class or a series of childbirth classes that prepares first-time parents for the B-day is a must. Another very useful class is breastfeeding basics, which offers useful tips for this most natural but often very challenging task. The Breastfeeding Center on K Street offers several free as well as fee-based classes on this and other related topics. But be prepared: these classes are often overcrowded, so register in advance and do not arrive at the last minute. Last autumn, WBFN also hosted a pilot prenatal workshop for several pregnant WBFN members led by another member with many years of experience as a midwife in the U.S. It was a great opportunity to meet other moms-to-be, ask questions, and share concerns and tips.
In this era of Internet discussion groups and blogs, you can also register with some websites like www.babycenter.com and periodically receive email updates. They will keep you involved with your baby week by week, send pictures of how the baby might look at that stage and inform you about the most significant aspect of growth for that week. They also share a lot of very interesting articles and advice.
Prepare the Baby Stuff
Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy an American tradition, a “baby shower,” which means a shower of gifts for the baby-to-be-born, but also a party for the mom-to-be and her friends. Usually, friends prepare several funny games with a baby and pregnancy theme, decorate a room, order a cake and coordinate the invitations. You can find a lot of inspiration for games on the Internet, such as miming different baby items or activities, guessing the size of the growing tummy, changing a diaper in pairs but using only one hand, matching party participants with photos taken of them when they were babies, creating an original maternity outfit or creating a Play-Doh baby. An important part of the baby shower is opening the presents, which vary from very cute baby outfits and toys to necessities such as diapers or even gift cards for items the future parents will need.
To avoid receiving identical gifts, you can open an online baby registry at one or several baby-oriented stores and send the link to all who intend to buy you something. The most popular are Buy Buy Baby and Babies ‘R’ Us. If you visit the shop, a salesperson will guide you through the store and explain all the merchandise that you will “definitely” need. You can then browse for hours and scan whatever you like and think you may need. Since the registry is online, you can add or delete items later, even from home.
Everyone thinks that the U.S. is a paradise for buying baby things. There are tons of items to discover, and so many brands, including many products that may be totally unknown in your home country. But remember: some are very useful and others are not. Enjoy every single shopping trip, get informed, but do not get overwhelmed by the many choices available—remember to take it slow!
To better understand the American market, get a very well written and regularly updated book, Baby Bargains. It summarizes and compares ratings, so you can avoid buying things other parents found problematic.
Even though you’ve read some books and have an idea of what you want, coming across hundreds of brands of strollers, for example, might still make you feel lost. You may long for interaction with a real human being—an expert. If so, then the Baby Blossom shop is the place for you. This is a small family-owned shop, located in Fairfax close to the Inova Hospital. David, the owner of the shop, and his team will explain to you everything about the baby articles in the shop, and strollers are their specialty. The team is very client-oriented and will actually let you test your favorite picks outside the store using a “plastic baby doll” that has the weight of a real baby. Make an appointment in advance, so they can take more time with you.
As we know, babies grow faster than we expect, so it is not necessary to buy everything brand new or to have very much of one size. To save some money, first, consider borrowing items from friends or colleagues with recent experience who know what you’ll be going through. Second, check the World Bank Bulletin Board where staff sell everything they don’t need at very reasonable prices. Third, browse the online Craigslist, where you’ll find nice and barely used baby articles. Last but not least, shop at outlets where you can find things at less than half the original price.
Don’t Stress—Enjoy!
The Washington metro area is a very baby-friendly area. You might hear people in the Metro, bakery, restaurants, and even at the hairdresser’s asking you how far along you are, whether you are having a boy or a girl, and they can really get excited for you, give you tips or simply share the joy, which makes your pregnancy feel even better.
A big plus is to have the chance to share this wonderful period of your life with someone else, and not only your partner. Your own family and old friends are likely far from you now, though reachable via Skype or email, so try to find some new friends while you live here in the DC area. You can join one of the WBFN Parents & Tots groups even before the baby is born. They usually meet once a week. The meeting is not only for kids to find playmates, but also for their busy moms to get some time for themselves, enjoy a little chat and have an opportunity to share many useful tips. Truly, WBFN is one big family where you can always find many others who love to share their diverse experience with you!
You will see that the USA is a country of possibilities. You can easily be carried away by so many choices—shops, safety issues, classes—what you definitely MUST do and not do. Remember to stand back, evaluate, pick what you think fits you and your baby best. And don’t worry if you do not do everything people say, or if you do not participate in all classes prior to the B-day. You are still going to be a good mother.
Daniela Drapakova, Belkys M. Lopez Rabello