What are some things I should do before baby arrives?

My clients ask me this question all the time. I guess it’s because I have four kids of my own. Or maybe it’s because I am a newborn photographer here in Dallas. Either way, I’ve heard so many suggestions over the years and tried a few things out myself while waiting for baby. It is such a joyous time waiting for your little one to arrive. And everyone is full of advice for you, both positive and negative. Well since this question of what to do before baby comes up more often than not, I decided to make a little list to refer to.

1. Go on a date with your spouse / significant other

No matter what you think might happen, you are likely to not get a chance to go out alone together for quite a while. And you likely won’t want to! But it’s so important to spend time together. Don’t forget each other in the whirlwind of nesting and getting your house ready. I still remember that 12 years ago on the weekend before our son and first child was born my husband and I went to see a movie and had dinner together. Not that exciting, right? Wrong. We still remember the movie we saw and talk about it fondly from time to time. And we have always been grateful that we took the time to acknowledge our relationship before starting this exciting journey as parents together.

2. Get your hair done and a mani pedi

This is pretty self-explanatory and I don’t mean to go negative but… You won’t have as much time for self-care after the baby arrives. It will be some time before you have the opportunity to go out. That’s why taking care of yourself is one of the most important things to do before baby arrives. Getting a mani pedi hand in hand with getting your hair done. See what I did there? 😉 You will feel so good with your hands and feet taken care of. Special bonus? They say that foot massages can induce labor so if you’re really wanting that baby to arrive it could be a great 39 or 40 week treat.

3. Get an acupuncture treatment

Acupuncture can assist in digestion and easing discomfort during pregnancy. It also can reduce stress and anxiety. Sounds like a great thing to do when you’re expecting, right?

My friend Emily Guevara of The Acupuncture Juncture here in Dallas, is an amazing acupuncturist. She is well known around Dallas as providing excellent care. You can read more about her here: Fertility Acupuncture in Dallas.

4. Fill your freezer

I hated nothing more than cooking after my babies arrived. And life is a bit more hectic than you would suppose. Having access to good healthy food at all times is a big plus. Cooking in advance and stockpiling a freezer stash of foods was a big sanity saver for me.

5. Hang out with friends

Make sure you and your spouse both take time to spend with friends. This is important for both of you. It falls in the column of self-care to make sure you have time to connect with your friends without the worry of leaving baby at home.

6. Get Adjusted

You read that right. You might want to consider chiropractic care during your pregnancy. It can help address issues that cause discomfort and it could prove to assist you in having an easier labor. My friend Erin Calaway over at Apex Wellness is a Webster Certified chiropractor. She provides amazing care to all of her patients. Read more about her here – Chiropractic Care in Pregnancy.

7. Sleep

Pretty self-explanatory as well. It is difficult to sleep in the last trimester. I had horrible insomnia and reflux with all of my pregnancies. That made it really hard to sleep especially near the end. But I tried my best to get in extra sleep where I could because I knew how much I would miss it once the baby came. Like all seasons in life the sleep deprivation eventually passes. But it is one of the less fun things about having a sweet baby around. If you have troubles sleeping after baby arrives call my friend Mary Cantwell of Rest To Your Nest. She is featured on my blog here – her service is amazing and will help you get some z’s.

8. Babymoon

Having a babymoon goes right along with taking time for a date night. But it goes one step further. Why not take a short vacation with your spouse. Could be you won’t go away alone together for a long time. Even a romantic weekend at a bed and breakfast would be a nice idea.

9. Read a good book

I don’t know about you but I love to read! However, this passion has taken a significant back seat to my kids. I definitely remember the last few books I read before my kiddos arrived. It’s hard to feed baby and read a book in the other. Although, you might try Audible as a great alternative to reading an actual book after baby arrives.

10. Go out to the movies

I love going out to the movies. So I definitely recommend doing this ahead of baby’s arrival. You won’t have as many opportunities to go to a movie theater afterward.

11. Have a phenomenal maternity photography session

What kind of maternity and newborn photographer would I be if I didn’t recommend scheduling a custom maternity photography session? When you schedule a portrait session with a photographer like me it is an incredible experience. You get hair and makeup, you get to select gowns from my studio wardrobe to wear, and you also get to help design your custom portrait session. Afterward, you get to keep your portraits in the form of beautiful keepsake artwork. You get to feel like a queen for the day and you will never forget the experience because you get to enjoy your artwork forever.

12. Schedule newborn pictures

While scheduling maternity portraits it’s a great time to schedule newborn portraits as well. Newborn photography is best done when baby is 7-14 days old – for a variety of reasons. This is why it’s important to schedule it ahead of time. What’s more, if you’re working with me you get to choose from packages that take you from maternity through newborn and tell the whole story of baby’s arrival.

Thank you for reading!

Thank you for reading about what to do before baby arrives. I hope you’ll comment below and tell me what you did or suggest to do before baby arrives!

Learn more about booking a session

Dallas Newborn Photographer Laura Levitan of Mod L Photography loves to provide her clients with helpful information and resources about pregnancy, birth, and parenting. Her blog is a helpful resource to parents all over Dallas, Forth Worth and beyond. Check out other entries in the blog for great local businesses.

What made you interested in prenatal yoga?

What are your goals while teaching prenatal and postnatal yoga?

Where are your yoga and infant massage classes located?

Bami Yoga is located in Frisco. You can schedule a class by clicking here: Bami Yoga Schedule

What types of classes do you offer?

Bami Yoga offers multiple types of classes:

Prenatal Yoga

Partner Prenatal Yoga Date Night

Yoga to Support Childbirth

Mommy and Me Yoga

Infant Massage

MUTU System – a total body fitness system for women to heal the body from the inside out, flatten the belly, improve pelvic floor function, strengthen the core, and improve health through mindful changes to eating habits.

Visit Bami Yoga to learn more and to schedule a class!

Contact Mimi via email: mimi@bamiyoga.com

how did you get started in fertility acupuncture?

I began as an intern for an established fertility acupuncture practice in 2004. That experience really helped shape and support my idea of where I wanted to take my practice. Working with them I moved to Dallas to open and direct 2 acupuncture clinics. In 2012 I decided it was time to go out on my own. Having the foundation of working with this practice gave me the confidence and experience to continue in this field of fertility acupuncture and I love it. I continue to grow and educate myself so I can continue to provide top of the line care for my patients and be informed by the most recent research coming out of our medicine.

Last week in my post Dallas Maternity Chiropractor Dr. Erin Calaway of Apex Wellness I wrote about meeting with Dr. Erin Calaway of Apex Wellness she is a pregnancy chiropractor in Dallas, TX. She is also an amazing family,and pediatric chiropractor serving Addison, Plano, Richardson, Carrollton and surrounding areas.

What is the goal of chiropractic care during pregnancy?

The goal of chiropractic care during pregnancy is to provide safe and effective relief of a variety of symptoms and to improve overall function during the pre and postnatal period. Some symptoms that may be alleviated with the help of your chiropractor are; nerve pressure and muscular strain, reduced localized muscle pain and extremity pain. Chiropractic care can also help your body to function better in general to reduce swelling, morning sickness, and hormonal swings. It can possibly help to make labor more quick and easy.

What is one of the main ways chiropractic care can help during pregnancy?

During pregnancy the growing fetus puts a great deal of strain on the mother’s spine, buttocks and legs. A common complaint during pregnancy is sciatic nerve pain. Chiropractic care can help to alleviate sciatica.

Read Dr. Calaway’s recent blog article about Pregnancy Chiropractic Care in Dallas, Tx for more information.

When can you start chiropractic care during pregnancy?

The earlier the better. Chiropractic care can assist in helping the body to run more smoothly during all stages of your pregnancy.

What makes your chiropractic practice different?

I look at my patients as whole people. My goal is to develop a program in the office and at home. I call it a whole body approach. In the office we use chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture and massage therapy. But treatment doesn’t end there. We send our patients home with a comprehensive plan. Exercises designed to maintain health. And diet recommendations to improve overall wellness. I don’t simply adjust you and send you on your way. I make sure to work on underlying issues so that you maintain your health over time.

What about pediatric chiropractic care?

We treat all ages of children at my practice starting with infants. Some things it can help with are colic, allergies, ADD, sports injury and cold and flu symptoms.

Visit Dr. Calaway at Apex Wellness:

Apex Wellness

6009 Belt Line Rd #110 Dallas, TX 75254

972-392-9402

In this two part series I’d love to introduce my friend Dr. Erin Calaway. She is an amazing Webster Certified Chiropractor located in Far North Dallas, right near my studio. At the cross streets of Preston and Belt Line, Dr. Calaway’s practice – Apex Wellness – is near Addison, Carrollton, Richardson, and Plano. Apex Wellness also offers acupuncture and massage.

North Dallas Maternity Chiropractor

I recently met with Dr. Calaway to interview her for a blog post about chiropractic care in pregnancy. We arranged a time so that I could tour her amazing North Dallas chiropractic practice and get to know her better. As we spoke we discovered that we had actually met years before! That was before our kids were born and careers were started. No wonder we felt so instantly comfortable with each other!

Planning for beautiful wall art

It wasn’t long before we decided that it would be fun to decorate one of the beautiful walls at Apex Wellness with some of my wall art. A maternity chiropractor with beautiful maternity pictures and newborn photography on her walls? Why not?

After months of planning and collaboration, I sent the design to be printed through my archival printing process. Soon the artwork was delivered and then ready to hang at Apex Wellness. I have been honored to work with some of Dr. Calaway’s patients so we were able able to incorporate some of their portraits into the design.

How to hang a large wall art collage?

I take great pride in proper installation of wall art. Especially such a large design. The first step is to carefully plan the pieces so that they fit properly in the desired location. Secondly, I use rolls of paper to layout the design and mark places for where nails will be located. Thirdly, I hang the paper on the wall and use it as a guide. Lastly, I hang the portraits and remove the paper.

I hope the patients and staff of Apex Wellness enjoy their new artwork. I know I am grateful for the opportunity to display my work.

Next week please join me to learn more about Dr. Erin Calaway and her extraordinary practice at Apex Wellness. Pregnancy Chiropractor in Dallas, TX – Dr. Erin Calaway. 

To visit Apex Wellness or to schedule an appointment for maternity, newborn, child, individual, or family chiropractic care please contact:

Apex Wellness

6009 Belt Line Rd #110, Dallas, TX, 75254, US

972-392-9402

What is community acupuncture?

Laura: Kathleen, tell me about Beachside Community Acupuncture.

Kathleen: Well so there are a few things that contributed to how I founded and structured my practice. First of all, it is very important to me to provide excellent care and access to Traditional Chinese Medicine in the form of acupuncture, diet therapy, herbal medicine, supplements and essential oils. I want every patient to be their own health advocate. They may have looked to western medicine and not found relief from their symptoms. So they come to my clinic for an alternative.

My intention is for everyone to be able to access affordable acupuncture care in a relaxing setting. My clinic is set up so that you may be treated in the same room as another patient. That can be an amazing plus as it allows you to bring a friend or family member with you to experience treatment at the same time.

Laura: Is that why you made it feel like a beach in here?

Kathleen: I love the beach. I grew up in South Florida so I wanted to bring a bit of that back here to Dallas and give people the feeling of being on vacation in the middle of their day. We have salt lamps, diffusers filled with lemon and orange essential oils, and the sound of the beach. People rest in leather recliners for an hour during their treatment, and many are so relaxed that they fall asleep

Laura: That sounds amazing! Any new parent would benefit from an hour of relaxation.

Kathleen: Definitely

Can you talk about acupuncture for fertility?

Laura: So tell me more about using acupuncture for fertility treatment.

Kathleen: With acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) we want to make sure all organ systems are in balance. That is also true for the reproductive system. By the time a woman comes to me with fertility concerns, she is usually frustrated from trying to conceive. I work with my patients to focus on their overall well being. If the body is stressed and fatigued you will have more difficulty getting pregnant. My treatments focus on bringing the body as a whole into good health, making lifestyle and diet changes, and may also involve adding herbal medicines.

I also work with mothers undergoing fertility treatments and can develop a plan based on that.

Click here to read more about acupuncture for fertility in Dallas on Kathleen’s website.

Acupuncture for Postpartum Depression

Laura: What about postpartum depression? Or depression in general?

Kathleen: Absolutely. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) we believe that emotions are the biggest internal factor in creating disharmony in the body. When emotions are intrusive and unmanageable, TCM can be helpful as a tool in treating those feelings. After pregnancy, many mothers (and fathers) are faced with depression, anxiety and a host of other strong feelings. TCM is a great way to bring the body back into balance through relaxation and resetting the body so that it has a chance to get into a restful state.

Visit Beachside Community Acupuncture on the web:

Beachside Community Acupuncture

Kathleen provides great helpful tips for living a more balanced, intentional and healthy life. Introducing TCM into your life can be beneficial and fun.

Thank you, Kathleen, for inviting me into your practice and discussing acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine with me. Book your appointment today at Beachside Community Acupuncture.

Dallas newborn photographer Laura Levitan of Mod L Photography gets a sneak peak at a Plano maternity workout session at The Barre Code Plano. Laura interviews Julie Godfrey the owner of The Barre Code Plano to learn more about the services they provide.

Scroll to the bottom to get your code for a FREE workout at The Barre Code Plano

Tell me a bit about how you got started with The Barre Code?

Julie: I’ve been involved in some form of dance or fitness basically my whole life. I have a degree in Dance and a Masters in Exercise Science and Wellness. I spent several years in Corporate Wellness, and taught group fitness and Pilates as my “fun job.” Finally I took the leap to open my own studio where I could inspire women to live healthier lives on a daily basis.

Scroll to the bottom to get your code for a FREE workout at The Barre Code Plano

What made you participate in The Barre Code? 

Julie: I actually discovered The Barre Code Dallas – Design District on a Groupon. After I took my first class, I was immediately hooked! It is like no barre studio I have ever been to. Once I learned more about The Barre Code’s mission to empower women in a community environment where they support one another, I knew I had to be part of the movement!

What can you help your clients with? 

Julie: So many of our clients tell me that they never liked working out. That they have never been able to stick with any type of regimen before they found The Barre Code Plano. We take pride in providing exceptional customer service. All of our clients are greeted by name and welcomed into our community. We strive to be the bright spot in their day and a place where they can work to be the best version of themselves. And we also offer specialty workouts for expectant moms as well so that they can maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout their pregnancy and beyond.

Laura: I love how you modify the maternity workout so that it is safe for pregnant moms. I wish I had had this resource during my pregnancies.

Scroll to the bottom to get your code for a FREE workout at The Barre Code Plano

What would you say your biggest accomplishment has been?

My biggest accomplishment is definitely the community we have built at TBC Plano. I often have to take a step back and just take it all in. It’s a wonderful feeling to be the place that women can go to feel safe, beautiful, strong, empowered, supported, and part of something bigger. We are honored to be named The Best Gym for Women in Plano by Plano Magazine for the last 2 years.

If you could tell people one thing about The Barre Code?

We are not your average fitness studio. Our community is one that will not only lead to proven results as you work towards your goals but is truly a place where women support one another. If you come to The Barre Code, you will not want to leave!

Visit Julie and her team at:

The Barre Code Plano

4757 W Park Blvd, Plano, TX 75093

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE WORKOUT CODE

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