There are a number of big projects you’ll find yourself tackling over the course of your life. Whether they’re work-related or personal (like planning a wedding or a getting ready for a big trip), these projects often involve many moving parts that are hard to keep track of without the help of a tool like Evernote. One of the biggest projects you may ever work on is planning for and taking care of your family. After all, it’s a project that lasts a lifetime. Here are a few ways you could use Evernote to get ready for a baby.
Getting ready for baby with Evernote
Planning for the arrival of a new baby is exhilarating, stressful, and overwhelming…all at the same time. There are registries to create, nurseries to decorate, pediatricians to select, books to read, and hospital bags to pack. If you’re getting ready for the arrival of a little one here are some ways Evernote can help.
1. Create a ‘Baby’ notebook and share it with your spouse, partner, or supportive family member/friend. Save everything baby-related to this notebook so you have a comprehensive place of reference that you can access from any device or computer and that both of you can update.
2. Keep track of advice and recommendations. You’re going to get a lot of advice from all sorts of people about everything from how best to raise your baby to what laundry detergent you should use. When you receive advice you think might come in handy, drop it into a note. Remember: you can capture notes when you’re at your desktop, as well as with your mobile phone or tablet.
3. Start creating your registry. Download the Evernote Web Clipper and start clipping baby products you like, reviews for strollers and car seats, etc. There are lots of great resources out there; clip blog posts such as this and this that can help you figure out what items you should register for. Once you’re ready to register, remember that all of your Web Clips will include the source URL so can immediately add products to your registry (I used MyRegistry.com, which allowed me to add products from multiple websites into one location).
4. Record memorable milestones. When was the first time you felt the baby kick or had a contraction? Use Evernote to record milestones throughout your pregnancy and keep this habit going after the baby is born.
5. Document your doctor’s appointments. Come prepared for every doctor’s appointment. Create a list of questions you’d like to ask your doctor in Evernote so you don’t forget them when you’re on the spot. Jot down your doctor’s tips and advice, as well as any important updates related to your progress.
6. Capture inspiration for your nursery. Snap photos of decorations and products in-store and use the Web Clipper to capture ideas for furniture, DIY projects and storage solutions. You can visually scan through all of your nursery decorating ideas if you create a tag for your nursery inspiration and search for all notes containing that tag.
7. Save important documents. You’ll be inundated with documents throughout your pregnancy — from doctor’s bills to sonograms, you’ll want to scan everything to your Evernote account so you don’t have to find yourself searching for your insurance information or important phone numbers in scattered corners around your house, your bag, and in your nightstand.
8. Don’t forget to thank your support system. Create a checklist of people to thank for baby shower gifts, cards, and support. You’ll be busy, but Evernote can help you make sure you don’t forget about the people who matter.
9. Pack your hospital bag. Create a checklist for everything you’ll need for your hospital bag. Reference it when you’re out shopping and check off items as you purchase them (your updates will sync to Evernote everywhere you have it installed). Need to double check you have everything before you rush out the door? Pull up your list on your phone.
10. Keep frequently-referenced information handy. Want to know what fish you can and shouldn’t eat while you’re pregnant? Save frequently-referenced information in Evernote and find it by doing a quick keyword search. I used American Pregnancy Association’s breakdown of mercury levels in fish to remind myself what I should avoid at restaurants.
11. Track your eating habits. Download Evernote Food to your iPhone, Android, and/or iPad and use it to keep track of what you’re eating throughout your pregnancy. Adjust your habits accordingly if you feel that you’re not eating enough nutritious foods.
12. Prepare yourself for the big day. Forward your hospital registration information from your inbox to your Evernote account using your Evernote email, create a note with important contact phone numbers, insurance information and your pediatrician, and save your birth plan in Evernote.
Are you expecting? How are you using Evernote to help you get ready? We’d love to hear in the comments! Also, be sure to follow Parenting Ambassador Carley Knobloch for more tips about ways to use Evernote for Parenting.
