The Ultimate Pre-Baby Bucket List:

25 Things to Do Before Your First-Born 

For many young couples, compatibility and planning for the future begins with talking children.

• Do you want them?
• How many do you want?
• What age would you like to have them?
• And so on and so forth…

Just know this (from one mom to the next): once they (kids) come, it can be hard to focus on anything other than the new bundle of joy in your home.

Before delving into the grand adventure of child rearing, we advise you to have some fun. Spend a lot of quality time with your partner and do things spontaneously, while you still can!

Here is your guide to the ultimate pre-baby bucket list ^{1, 2}.

Go on Adventures

Whether it’s to the park down the road or to a country half way across the world, be adventurous. Once your baby comes it will be much harder to get away. It will also be near impossible to partake in impulsive adventures as a duo.

Here are some great ideas for adventures near and far:

1. Take a short weekend trip together

Sometimes when we think ‘adventure’, we forget that our own backyard is looming with them.

Spend some time exploring your neighboring towns, cities, or states. Make a game out of finding a favorite new spot.

If you’re having trouble brainstorming a weekend adventure, check out this list of Best Weekend Getaways from U.S. News.

2. Go on more dates

You will notice a direct correlation between the number of children you have and the number of dates you and your partner go on.

As your family grows in size, date night will become increasingly more difficult.

Having children requires a lot of energy. There will be times when you hire a babysitter, get all dolled up, and make exciting plans, only to use the time relaxing instead. As a full-night of sleep becomes harder to come by, naps become more and more attractive.

If you’re trying to save money or are on a tight budget, enjoy date night at home. Park yourself on the couch and stay up late talking over a bottle of wine.

You can always follow a great in-home Friday night with a lazy Saturday, indulging in your favorite Netflix series.

Whether it’s date night in or date night out, do it now and as often as you can.

3. Go to a professional sports game

There’s something alluring about attending a professional sports game and it always makes for a fun date.

Once a baby comes into the picture, it becomes increasingly difficult to switch the TV from ‘The Wiggles’ over to The Cowboys’ game.

Go get in the stands and cheer on your team without the fear of waking a sleeping infant – while you still can.

4. Attend a concert or spend a weekend at a music festival 

    

   

Concerts and music festivals can drain tons of energy, so enjoy them now, while you still have your pre-baby energy. Whether you love alternative rock, DJs, or old-fashioned jazz, there is bound to be something going on in a city near you.

If you’re more of a music festival connoisseur, here are some great options to explore and even make a trip out of:

• Burning Man in Black Rock City, NV
• Coachella in Indio, CA
• Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL
• Wakarusa in Ozark, AR
• Country Thunder in Florence, AZ
• Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, NV

5. Travel the world

If it is your dream to spend a week touring Angkor Wat in Cambodia, or hiking Machu Picchu in Peru, there is never a better time than the present.

If a romantic getaway with your significant other is more in line with your dreams, then check out all-inclusive couples-only retreats or romantic destinations. Enjoy the quality time now!

6. Take a class

With the invention Groupon and other deal-finding websites there are so many affordable options for taking fun classes with your partner. From salsa dancing to sign language to photography, explore something you’ve always wanted to try. It makes for a great date night and the potential to find a new life-long hobby.

Savor the Small Things

Some things that you might not think about often but will come to miss later on are the small things. These are definitely things that are taken for granted during our childfree years and you will come to yearn for them as your feeding your newborn at 4:00am. Here are some ideas of things to savor now while you still can:

1. Take long showers
2. Take even longer bubble baths
3. Sleep in
4. Stay up late
5. Read non-baby related books
6. Catch up on current events
7. Savor the uninterrupted silence
8. Spend a day doing nothing
9. Watch movies
10. Go on long walks with your dog (or even by yourself!)
11. Actually sit down for dinner at home

Socialize

Remember your best friend who only lives 30 minutes away? Go visit them, now. While 30 minutes doesn’t seem too far when you are child-less, as soon as you have your first baby it might as well be in another country.

Spend as much time as you can with your friends. Visit people who live in other states, call friends you haven’t seen since college, and go out to as many happy hours as you can. You will appreciate the time spent with them when you start your family.

This holds the same for family members that may be out of state or even out of the country. Plan a family reunion or take a road trip to visit Aunt Bernice in Arkansas, you’ll be glad you did later.

Take Risks

Not happy at your job? Hate the city you live in? Now is the time for changes. Taking a career risk before a baby is the right time to do it, not 2 years down the road when another life depends on you. If you’re unhappy with your company or the field of work you’re in, make the leap.

The same goes for the city you live in, or maybe even the state. Move to your dream city and find your dream home so that you can get all settled in before your first-born arrives.

Prepare³

After you’ve done everything you always wanted to do during your child-less years, it is time to actually prepare.

1. Put a stop to bad habits

Before having your first-born it is important that you stop all of your unhealthy habits (think smoking, excessively cussing, indulging on alcohol, not eating your vegetables). It will make for a much healthier pregnancy and you’ll be sure to not pass your vices on to your child during their most impressionable years.

2. Save money 

    

   

You should start saving money and even look into talking to a financial adviser. Diapers, diapers, and more diapers followed by everyday expenses and finally college. Children are expensive and it’s always better to be over prepared rather than under-prepared.

3. Have the hard talks

One of the most important things to do, and often the most difficult, is communicate with your partner. Babble puts together a great list of topics to go over before conceiving so that you can have a smooth pregnancy and be on the same page when your baby arrives.

4. Stock up

Babies require a lot of supplies. Diapers, changing tables, onesies, bottles, you name it they need it. If you are going to breast feed your newborn, but don’t want to take over the role of feeding by yourself, you may also consider getting a breast pump.

Conclusion

Make sure to enjoy your child-less years and spend alone time bonding with your partner while you can! Have other pre-baby bucket list ideas? Let us know in the comments section below or post on our Facebook page. Remember, once you have your bundle of joy, you are also eligible to receive an insurance covered breast pump at no cost from leading manufacturers.

Sources:

1 http://www.popsugar.com/moms/Prebaby-Bucket-List-Suggestions-18696170

2 http://www.weddingshoppeinc.com/blog/2015/05/28/the-pre-baby-bucket-list-you-shouldnt-ignore/

3 http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-life/preparing-for-baby/what-to-do-before-giving-birth/