There are a lot of things to know before getting pregnant – but most of the time, you don’t learn them until you’re already deep in morning sickness, anxiety, or Googling things at 2 a.m. While pregnancy is often painted as s glowing, magical experience, the truth is… it’s a whole lot more complicated than anyone tells you.
Before I got pregnant, I thought I had a pretty good handle on what to expect. But looking back, there’s so much I wish someone had said to me beforehand – not to scare me, but to prepare me. Things like how much pregnancy can physically and mentally wreck you (in ways you don’t see coming), how your relationship might shift, or how even basic stuff like dental work can becoming a huge issue once you’ve got a baby on board.
So I’m putting it all in one place: the unfiltered truth about what you need to consider, prepare for, and talk about before trying to conceive. Whether you’re thinking about getting pregnant soon or you’re just curious about what lies ahead, this is for you.
Take Care Of Your Health Before You Get Pregnant
One of the most important things to know before getting pregnant (and simultaneously the least talked about) is the fact that your body is about to become a 24/7 construction site – and the project manager is hormones. So if you’ve been putting off things like that weird tooth pain, back problems, or a med you’ve always meant to talk to your doctor about… now is the time.
Take it from me: I have impacted, broken wisdom teeth on both sides that I’ve been conveniently ignoring for a while (because… I don’t like dentists). But no one warned me that pregnancy hormones make your gums swell like overwatered houseplants. And let me tell you – those wisdom teeth woke up. I’ve been in so much pain, but guess what the doctor says I can take? Tylenol. That’s it. Not even the fun kind.
And just to keep things spicy, I also have TMJ, which flared up hard during my first trimester. Usually I get an anti-inflammatory injection that keeps it in check, but surprise! Anti-inflammatories are on the no-no list when you’re pregnant. So I’ve been raw-dogging jaw pain and living off ice packs like it’s a new personality trait.
Oh – and as if that wasn’t enough – I also have fibromyalgia. Going nine months without anti-inflammatories really opened my eyes to just how much pain I had been masking before. Spoiler: A lot. A lot a lot.
Moral of the story? If there’s anything in your body that’s already aching, cracked, or inflamed – handle it now! Because once you’re pregnant, you’re not just uncomfortable – you’re uncomfortable and out of options. And no, Tylenol will not save you.
Start Making Lifestyle Changes Before Pregnancy Begins
If you’re thinking about trying to get pregnant, one of the smartest things you can do is start making small lifestyle shifts early. Trust me, it’s a lot easier to quit certain habits before you’re nauseous, hormonal, and crying over the fact that you can’t eat deli meat anymore (me).
This is one of those things to know before getting pregnant that people gloss over. Everyone says “you’ll stop drinking and smoking once you’re pregnant!” But the reality is: cravings don’t vanish overnight. If anything, pregnancy just adds a new layer of emotional chaos that makes giving things up even harder.
Cutting back on caffeine, quitting smoking or vaping, reducing alcohol, switching up your diet – these are all things you might be told to do once you’re pregnant. But doing them before that second line shows up? Game-changer. It gives you time to adjust without also dealing with first trimester exhaustion, nausea, and food aversions from the pit of hell.
Even stuff like managing stress or improving sleep habits makes a difference. You’ll want those tools in your toolbox long before you’re up at 3 a.m. Googling if sneezing too hard can hurt the baby. (It can’t, but welcome to the rabbit hole.)
Bottom line? The sooner you start aligning your lifestyle with pregnancy and parenthood, the smoother the transition will feel – at least as smooth as anything involving swollen ankles and 3 a.m. pee breaks can be.
Understand The Mental & Physical Toll Pregnancy Takes
Let me just say this: If you think pregnancy is all glowing skin and belly kicks while smiling at your partner over a salad – bless your heart. One of the most crucial things to know before getting pregnant is that your body and mind are about to be taken on a rollercoaster you didn’t even know existed. And there’s no getting off once you’re strapped in.
Physically, you’ll experience things no one talks about at your OB consult. Sure, everyone knows about morning sickness – but did they mention round ligament pain, or how it feels like your hips are slowly dislocating one click at a time? Or how your feet may never be the same size again? And if you’re lucky like me, your tailbone might just become a full-time enemy.
And mentally? Whew. It’s not just the hormones – though those will have you crying because someone ate the last croissant. It’s the emotional load. You’re worrying constantly, questioning everything, and losing your identity just a little at a time. You’ll forget what you were saying mid-sentence (hello, pregnancy brain), and you might find yourself spiraling into Google black holes at 2 a.m. more than once.
Some people genuinely love being pregnant. That’s amazing. But some of us are just trying to survive the 9-month-long body and mind takeover with our dignity and pelvic floor intact. And that’s okay too.
So if you’re prepping for pregnancy, prep your expectations too. This journey is incredible – but it’s also messy, exhausting, and not at all like the maternity photoshoots suggest.
Communicate Clearly About Your Partner’s Role
This might be one of the most underrated things to know before getting pregnant: your partner cannot read your mind. I repeat – your partner cannot read your mind.
A lot of couples go into pregnancy assuming they’re “on the same page.” Spoiler alert: they’re not. Because while you’re growing a whole human and surviving off two hours of sleep and cereal crumbs, you will start to notice who’s actually carrying the mental and emotional weight. (Hint: it’s probably you.)
Even the most supportive partners need things spelled out. You need to have real conversations – before the bump, before the hormones, before the third-trimester meltdowns – about who’s doing what. Who’s going to appointments? Who’s making the late-night store runs? Who’s cooking dinner when you can’t even smell food without gagging? Who’s going to take the baby when you haven’t showered in three days and you’re crying into a burp rag?
Because assuming “we’ll figure it out” leads to resentment real fast – especially when your definition of support is “help me survive,” and theirs is “rub your feet once a week.”
I had a friend who waited to get pregnant until she felt her husband was finally mature enough. But once she got that positive test, it was like he emotionally checked out. He avoided talking about the future. He refused to help her pick out a going home outfit. He even stopped having sex with her – with no explanation. And when she brought up how unsupported she felt, his response was, “I just figured you’d ask for help when you needed it.” She felt completely alone her entire pregnancy – disconnected, disappointed, and devastated.
So please: have the hard conversations early. Talk about expectations, emotions, division of labor, and what support actually looks like to you. It won’t guarantee perfection, but it will save you from a lot of quiet resentment, solo suffering, and “why didn’t you just know?” arguments at 3 a.m.
Know That Your Lifestyle Will Change – During And After Pregnancy
One of the biggest things to know before getting pregnant? Your life will change – and not just in the “awww tiny baby socks!” kind of way. I’m talking about your daily routines, your social life, your independence, your ability to shower without someone crying (including yourself)- all of it.
Pregnancy starts the shift slowly. You might cancel plans because you’re too nauseous, too tired, or too over it. You might stop going out because you can’t stand the smell of other people eating. Or because your maternity jeans now feel like a punishment. You start adjusting… whether you mean to or not.
But once the baby arrives? That lifestyle change goes into full swing.
Spontaneous date nights? Rare. Sleeping in? Hilarious. Going anywhere without three bags, snacks, backup clothes, wipes, and a plan for poop? Good luck. Even the way you eat changes – I can’t count how many cold meals I’ve scarfed one-handed while holding a baby like an emotional support football.
And just to prove how much people don’t realize what’s coming, let me tell you about my friend. She just had her baby, and I’m due with baby #2 in the next two weeks. Before she gave birth, she floated the idea of a road trip to Georgia – with both of our newborns, our husbands, and my 4-year-old daughter Everleigh. I asked when she wanted to go, and she said, “after we heal up… like 6 weeks after birth.” SIX. WEEKS.
I nearly passed out laughing. I’ve done this before. A 17-hour road trip with two newborns and a preschooler? Absolutely not. There’s no reality where I’m cramming into a car full of diapers, leaky boobs, and sleep-deprived husbands that soon after giving birth. And now that she’s had her baby? Our text conversations are mostly, “hi, are you alive?” followed by a reply 12-24 hours later. I think she’s starting to get what I meant.
And this isn’t to say life becomes miserable – it doesn’t. It just becomes different. Slower. Louder. Messier. Sometimes lonelier. But also… fuller. It’s not about giving everything up. It’s about knowing that your world will shift, and that shift is worth preparing for – not pretending it won’t happen.
If you go into pregnancy thinking your lifestyle won’t change much, you’ll probably be blindsided. But if you go in knowing there will be some letting go, and a whole lot of growing (emotionally and otherwise), you’ll feel way more grounded when the chaos hits.
Get Real About Baby Expenses
Babies are tiny, but their price tags? Not so much. One of the most practical things to know before getting pregnant is that even if you plan to “keep things minimal,” the costs still come at you like a surprise boss fight.
Between prenatal appointments, ultrasounds, lab work, vitamins, hospital bills, and that inevitable panic purchase from Amazon at 2 a.m., you’ll find that pregnancy itself is expensive. And thats before the baby even gets here.
Once baby arrives? Diapers. Wipes. Formula or breastfeeding supplies. Baby gear. More diapers. Pediatrician co-pays. Cute outfits they’ll wear once. Bottles. Nursing bras. Swings. Soothing sound machines. (Notice I didn’t say sleep? You’re not buying that – you’re losing it.)
If you’re planning to work, childcare is a whole other financial beast. And if you’re staying home, there’s a budget shift there too – because you’re still contributing full-time, just unpaid.
You don’t have to be rich to have a baby, but having a plan (or at least a spreadsheet and a stiff drink) definitely helps. Start small – track what you’re spending during pregnancy, build a baby fund, and research what’s actually worth buying vs what Instagram just wants you to buy.
There’s no perfect number formula, but the more honest you are about what babies actually cost, the less blindsided you’ll feel when you’re debating whether $200 on a fancy stroller makes sense while holding a baby who just pooped up their back.
Conclusion: It’s Okay If You’re Not 100% Ready – No One Really Is
There are so many things to know before getting pregnant, but the truth is – you’ll never feel completely ready. You can plan, prep, Google until your fingers cramp, and still get hit with stuff you never saw coming (like sobbing over spilled applesauce or budgeting for diaper pails like they’re luxury items).
But the fact that you’re reading this, that you’re thinking ahead and asking the right questions? That means you’re already showing up in the best way possible.
Pregnancy and parenthood will stretch you in every way – physically, emotionally, financially – but they also grow you. They make you stronger, more patient (eventually), and way more creative when it comes to getting poop out of a car seat.
So whether you’re just thinking about getting pregnant or trying to prepare for what’s next, let this be your reminder: you don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be aware, open, and willing to adapt. That’s where the real magic – and survival – lives. You’ve got this, future mama.
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