The overwhelming joy that arises within you the moment you find out you are expecting a baby is indescribable. It’s a feeling and moment in time that you will never forget. Soon after that joyful moment surfaces, so do all the overwhelming thoughts of decisions you must make before the baby comes. The list of advice and opinions is in no short supply either. Let’s face it, while having a baby is exciting, it’s also scary and overwhelming. There are so many decisions to make, so much research to be done, and the pressure to figure it all out before baby arrives is daunting. Before you know it, you’re an overwhelmed expectant mama.

If anything I have learned in having three children it’s that it doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems. We don’t have to have everything figured out before baby comes, some things can wait. Some things we will learn as we go, we will discover as we go, and may not even be as big of a deal as we think.  When we can separate what decisions need to be made sooner, and what we can make as we go along it can help things seem less daunting.

So for the overwhelmed expectant mama, here are some tips:

Make a List.

Write everything in your head down. Even if it seems silly, write it down. Even if you think you have it figured out, write it down. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed when our thoughts are racing in our mind. Writing it down, seeing it, helps you process it. When you make a list you can then see what decisions need to be made right away, and what doesn’t.

Focus on the immediate decisions.

Separate your list out. What on your list absolutely has to be decided before the baby comes? Circle those. Highlight them. Do what you need to so that they stand out. Then focus on those items.

For example, maybe you want to have a birth plan for your delivery. This would be something you need before baby comes. So do your research, find out what to include in your birth plan, and take it one step at a time. Pull all your information together and create your birth plan. Focus on every aspect of your birth, what you are wanting, but being open to changes. Birth is something you can’t completely plan for, so being open for change and holding loosely to your plan is my best advice. Trust your doctors, they’ll do everything they can to respect your wishes and keep your baby and you safe.

You may be facing the decision to preserve your baby’s cord blood and cord tissue, do your research. Cord blood banking is the process of preserving your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells for future use. Preserving your newborn’s stem cells may give your child, or an immediate family member, the opportunity for future use. Families that bank with Cord Blood Registry (CBR),  are given access to CBR’s fully certified team of Genetic Counselors who are there to discuss your family history and how it relates to the process of banking your newborn’s cord blood stem cells and educate you on your options. Your baby’s newborn stem cells have so much potential — preserving them may give your child or an immediate family member, depending on the condition and other factors, the opportunity to use this resource for current cord blood therapies. In the future, there may be other potential applications, like regenerative medicine.

There has been so much continued research into cord blood and cord tissue banking and the possibilities are growing as researchers learn more about these powerful cells. CBR believes in the power of healthy families and they have many options to make banking your newborn’s cord blood affordable. There are various payment plans available as well as a gift registry option where friends and family can contribute toward the cost of preserving newborn stem cells. They also have the Newborn Possibilities Program® which assists families with a qualifying medical need by covering all costs for preserving their child’s newborn stem cells and storing them for 5 years. You can’t go wrong looking into the amazing potential behind cord blood and cord tissue banking. Be sure to watch this video that breaks down how it all works.

If you’re interested in learning more or preserving your newborn’s cord blood stem cells, fill out your info here to get a promo code for $200 off of the initial fees!

Let everything else fall into place.

The rest, let it come as it comes. Babies are so different. You won’t be able to predict everything that is going to happen and how it is going to happen, so take it one day at a time. Take it one minute at a time. Don’t stress trying to figure out all the details, because once your precious baby gets here, you may realize some things need to change. It’s okay if things need to change, you have the freedom to make those decisions!

Don’t overwhelm yourself with things that you can’t fully plan for. Take what you can, a little at a time, and the rest will fall into place. You’ll realize that it works out. You’ll realize that you’re ready for this.

You’re going to do a great job mama.