As a Bay Area mama, you don’t have to worry about snow and ice, but there are still precautions worth taking when having your baby in the middle of winter. As you near your 36th (or 42nd) week of pregnancy - make sure you’ve addressed the following items, so you and baby arrive safely to and from the hospital or birthing center.

Take care of yourself over the holidays

First and foremost, taking care of yourself is the priority. Having a holiday-season, third-trimester means getting clear on which activities are the must-dos, and which ones you can let go to get the rest you need.

Visit, How to Stay Healthy During the 3rd Trimester & the Holiday Season (and have your partner read it, too!), to keep personal, family, and social boundaries intact!

Don’t travel far from home or hospital

At this point in your pregnancy, you aren’t supposed to fly, but that doesn’t mean you’re not tempted to drive a couple of hours to spend a snowy weekend in Tahoe, or to get together with friends or family. As tempting as that may be, you’re better off forgoing any drives that take you further than 60 minutes away from your labor and delivery team.

You never know when a rogue storm will muck up the works. And, while a delay in arriving at the hospital is stressful, getting in an accident is far more stressful and dangerous. This year might be the one you and your partner tuck-in and weather the holiday season at home, safely in your own nest, confident that you’ll be right where you need to be when you go into labor.

Get the baby seat installed early

Along those same lines, winter weather (aka driving, pouring rain) means everything takes a bit longer to get done. That includes getting you into the car with your labor and delivery bag, and then back into the car again with your newborn when it’s time to return home. Get the baby seat in place now so you know it’s ready to go, and that all the kinks have been worked out before you absolutely need it.

You can also have the crib and all the rest of the newborn essentials ready a few weeks early so you’re not scrambling to do it all amidst the holiday - and your due date! Read my post about Must-Haves & Don’t Needs…, to make sure you’ve got what you need.

Stock the fridge (and freezer) with pre-made, healthy nourishing meals

It’s not as easy to get out of the house and run errands for those first few weeks and months after baby, but winter weather and a cold, rainy day further complicate matters. Stock your fridge and freezer with healthy, pre-made nourishing snacks and meals.

Are you and/or your partner more restaurant and take-out oriented? Consider using a healthy meal service to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need to heal and promote your breast milk stores. Visit, Why It’s so Important to Eat Well After Baby is Born for more tips and a recommendation for a fantastic, prenatal/postpartum nutritionist right here in the Bay Area.

Be careful about putting too many layers on baby

For the first several weeks, it’s good to wear/hold your baby as much as possible because his/her little body relies on you to regulate its temperature. After the six- to eight-week point, healthy babies experience their environment exactly as you do. When you’re hot, s/he’s probably hot, and when you’re cold, s/he’s cold too.

So bundle your baby as you bundle yourself - and remove layers as you remove your own. Always take baby’s jacket off when you load him/her into the car seat to prevent overheating (or smothering), and pay attention to his/her face. If it looks red and s/he’s fussy - take stock of the temperature and see if you need to adjust the thermostat or clothing layers accordingly.

Nurse if you’re able to during flu season

Your breastmilk is the best “flu shot” a baby could possibly get. It’s loaded with antibodies that adjust according to your baby’s needs and the viruses/bacteria your body perceives in the environment. Nursing doesn’t come as naturally as you might think, but most women (even my clients who really struggled) agree that the four- to six-week point is magic.

Enlist all the help you need via a postpartum doula, the La Leche League, or your birthing center’s lactation consultant. You can also visit my post, 5 Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms. Print it and put it on the kitchen or living room wall if it helps, ensuring you have the support you need when you need it.

My name is Marcela Limon and I spend my days taking photographs of expecting mothers and their beautiful newborn babies. Please contact me here at Lemonshoots, (510) 747-9019, if you’re interested in learning more about scheduling a newborn session and to get on my New Year’s calendar in time to capture that magical essence of newborn-hood!

Precautions When Having Your Baby in Mid-Winter