Pam Socolow's Family Facts Pregnancy Organizer & Planner can help you have a little less stress and a little more organization. It's a six ring binder, so it's easy to open and write in whether you are in the doctor's office writing down your newest appointment, or scribbling by the phone - it even comes with a pretty purple pen inside, so you always have a pen handy. (No digging around in your purse or diaper bag!) What I seriously LOVE is that this planner has a sturdy clear plastic cover around it - if you've ever had a planner in your bag or purse, you know that often they can be destroyed by all the clutter rubbing against it in there. This won't be the case with this planner - you should be able to put it aside as a memento at the end of your pregnancy journey if you'd like to, and it will still look nice.
The inside has four different tabbed sections: a calendar section, a contacts section, a health section, and a baby planning section. The tabs make it super easy and quick to get to the section you need.
The calendar section, while it has a page with the months and dates up until December 2013, has all of the pages without a date, so you can pick up no matter whether you are in the sixth week of your pregnancy, or the thirty-first week. It also has little tabs at the bottom right hand corner that you can easily rip off, so when you are flipping through this section of the book, it's always easy to find your current page this way. There are also stickers that you can use to start off Week 1, etc, as well as important milestones, such as when you felt your baby kick first. And each section has a shaded and unshaded area, so you can keep track of changes or cravings that are suddenly popping up, as well as your day to day commitments. It makes it easy to separate your personal and business life if you need to, and simplifies clutter that you are carrying around!
The contacts section is probably pretty obvious, but it has plenty of room for all the doctors you might be seeing, as well as referrals, and even neighbors - something that could come in handy if you go into labor unexpectedly and have pets at home that might be needed to be taken care of. There's also a page for who you want to call when you go into labor or the baby is here - it seems obvious again, but if it's your husband/significant other, or another family member doing the calling, they might not know who to call - this will help cut down on extra stress.
The health section covers everything from prenatal visit recaps, to a place you can write down questions you might want to ask your doctor or midwife on the next visit. It also has a section for Health Insurance Claims, which as you might know, can be a headache. (!)
The Baby Planning section has pages for writing down favorite names, to advice you've been given, and even a gift log. There is a little zippered pouch, perfect for keeping receipts in, to a page that you can slide your ultrasound pictures in, and a place to slide appointment and business cards in. Also, throughout the book at the bottom of some of the pages, are little tips, like reminding you to drink enough water.
Because Pam Socolow's Family Facts Pregnancy Organizer & Planner is so thorough, it's great for first time Mom's, and even those who have several kids already. This is the perfect little "congratulations" gift! I totally give it two thumbs up!
Pam Socolow's Family Facts Pregnancy Organizer & Planner has a suggested retail price of $16.95, and you can purchase it online. Pam also has a few tips that I'd love to share with you today just in case it's helpful:
Countdown… 10 Important Tips to Getting Organized Before the Baby Arrives
•Mark your calendar so you always know what week of your pregnancy you’re in. Also mark in the recommended time frame which prenatal screening tests you will need. If you’re taking maternity leave, mark your calendar when it’s too close to your delivery date to travel and start planning when and for how long you’ll be on leave.
•Mark when to exercise. Make notes reminding you to drink lots of water and eat certain vegetables.
•Write down all the mothering advice you’re friends and family have given you in one place.
•Make lists of things by category of what you need for yourself and the baby. Suggested categories for baby include: the nursery, changing supplies, clothing, medicine cabinet, getting around gear and feeding. Suggested categories for you include: maternity clothes, for breastfeeding and stationery.
•No later than half way through your pregnancy set up a baby registry at your favorite baby store.
•Make a list of possible baby names. With so many things to remember, simply write down all your favorites. When the time comes it’s easier to eliminate from the list than to have to remember the ones you’ve forgotten.
•Create a list of what you want to include in you “delivery day” bag. So start your own list and add to it the minute you think of something new. When the day comes your customized delivery day bag won’t be missing anything. Do the same for Dad so he has a jump bag ready when the time comes.
•Mark on your calendar the date you schedule for a hospital/birth center tour (if you haven’t delivered there before).
•Mark on your calendar the dates for any and all classes you take for new moms now, while you have the time.
•Make 2 very important contact lists: (1) who to contact when you go into labor and (2) who to contact after you have the baby. You’re not always thinking clearly during each of these times so a list always proves the most successful. If you have a C-section, you might not even be doing the calling! Don’t forget to add to your “after delivery” list the store(s) that are waiting for your call that you’ve had the baby so that they can deliver the goods.
By the way, you can follow Family Facts over on Twitter, or "like" their page over on Facebook!
I received a planner in order to share my thoughts on it. All opinions are my own.
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