Whether you are in your first trimester of pregnancy, or your last trimester of pregnancy, there is no time like the current to start preparing for your family’s newest arrival. The first few weeks of being a new mom should be a joyful period and you can ensure things go as smoothly as possible by planning in advance. In this article, we take a look at a number of things you may wish to do in preparation whether they be for your baby, in terms of the house or just activities that you may not be able to do once your little one arrives. Many know this as the ‘Pre-Baby Bucket List‘.
How Does Life Change After the Arrival of a Baby?
The arrival of your baby will be an exciting time for you, your partner, your family, and friends. In saying this, there are definite changes that occur after you grow your family especially if this is your first child. For example, date nights. If you are your husband or partner enjoy date nights regularly, these will change drastically now that baby will be ‘on-board’. You’ll need to plan in advance, pack all the essentials and if you escape the night without a vomit or poo explosion you can count yourself as lucky.
While babies bring joy not only to their parents, they also bring with them sleepless nights and this means that alone time is limited. You will soon have an alarm… that you have not set and this alarm clock may go off multiple times in a night. Your priorities will shift, especially in the first few weeks of your child’s life as you will need to slow down for breastfeeding or bottle feeding.
With all this said, being a mother is honestly the best role. Being called mom and hearing your little ones (once speaking) reply with the words: ‘I love you too’ makes the heart sing. While life definitely does change after the arrival of a baby, make the most out of being a new mom and having a little person who is fully dependable on you as the days may seem long but the years are short.
Why Should I Prepare Before the Arrival of My Baby?
Planning in the weeks or months leading up to your due date will be immensely helpful in your fourth trimester, the period after you have given birth to your son or daughter. Cooking up some dishes to throw in the freezer and pull out at your leisure, organizing your babies clothes into sizes, having a deep clean of the house completed and having a general clean up before your due date will allow you to focus your attention entirely on your newborn once he or she arrives. Removing stresses before your baby arrives will provide you with a clean mind. A stress-free environment is vital if you intend on breastfeeding your infant.
35 Things to Do and Take Care of Before Your Baby Arrives
Click here to open a printable PDF version of the ‘Pre-Baby Bucket List’.
Whether you are pregnant, or perhaps you have gotten good news that you have been successful with the adoption process, the following is a bucket list that contains many things moms suggest doing or taking care of before the arrival of their baby:
| Pre-Baby Bucket List Item | Checkbox & Time Period |
| 1) Decide on How You Will Announce the Birth of Your Child If you intend on taking a photo of your newborn with a plaque or in a special outfit, you will need to organize these items in the weeks leading up to your due date. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 2) Set up Your Child’s Crib or Bassinet and Ensure you have a Waterproof Mattress Protector Many moms swear by lining the crib so that there is a waterproof protector, sheet, waterproof protector and then finally the top sheet. This way if your newborn wets through their nappy or has reflux, you can complete an easy change of the sheets during the night. | 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 3) Have a List of Potential Baby Names that You and Your Partner have Agreed On One of the trickiest things is deciding on a name for your bundle of joy. Having a list of ‘potential’ names will allow you to decide on one that fits your baby perfectly when you lay eyes on him or her. | 1st/2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 4) Wash Your Babies Clothes Whether you have purchased your little ones clothes new or second hand, it is a good idea to clean them in a gentle wash before your baby arrives. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 5) Have You and Your Baby’s Hospital Bags Packed It is advised that you have both your babies and your own hospital bags packed by around 28 weeks. This ensures that you have your comfort items and essential baby items ready in the event you go into labor earlier than expected. See our hospital bag checklist here. | Late 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 6) Install Infant Car Seat and Have the Pram in the Boot of Car Nearing Your Due Date During the first few weeks of your third trimester it is a good idea to have your newborns car seat correctly fitted. This allows you to set up car mirrors and have everything ready for the day you get to bring your baby home. | Late 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 7) Prepare Some Freezer Friendly Meals Having some frozen meals will be a blessing for those sleepless first few weeks of motherhood. This also gives hubby something to eat, especially if he isn’t the best in the kitchen. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 8) Purchase a Baby Book and Fill Out Pregnancy-Related Sections Many mothers likes to fill out a baby book as their child grows and reaches new milestones. Purchase a baby book by your third trimester and have a look at the pregnancy section to see if there is any information you can fill out prior to the birth of your child. | Late 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 9) Charge Your Camera Battery and have an SD Card Ready Have your camera charged and packed in your hospital bag in the weeks leading up to your due date. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 10) Book a Newborn Photography Session If you intend on having professional photos taken of your baby boy or girl in the first few weeks of his or her life, it is a good idea to start making some inquires during your second trimester, and having a definite booking in place by your third trimester to avoid disappointment. | 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 11) Get a Deep Clean of the House Some expectant mothers like to have a professional clean of the house completed while they are pregnant. If you have carpet, and it is looking a little on the sad side, or you have inside animals it is a good idea to book a carpet clean. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 12) Attend Birthing Classes if this is Your First Pregnancy Many public hospitals will offer birthing classes where you can learn about what happens during labor and what pain relief will be available. | 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 13) Apply for Parental Leave If the country you live within, allows mothers to be paid for taking some time off work, ensure you apply within the appropriate period. Many times you can apply three months prior to the birth of your child. | Start of 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 14) Spring Clean Have a spring clean to make room for the baby if you haven’t had one in a while. | 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 15) Have a ‘Thank-You’ Present Ready for Your Midwives It is a nice gesture to have a box of chocolates, body products or some homemade cookies packed in your hospital bag to give to the midwives who help you deliver your baby. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 16) Prepare for Breastfeeding If you intend on breastfeeding your newborn baby, you will more than likely need a breast pump and some freezer milk pouches. The freezer pouches basically allow you to express and store your milk in the circumstance you need to leave your baby for reasons such as work. Many mothers like to include a nursery chair in their babies room as well as have a nursing pillow to make breastfeeding that little bit easier. | 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 17) Stock the Medicine Cabinet Ensure you have the essential items such as newborn panadol and a thermometer in your home medicine cabinet. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 18) Stock Up on Diapers Have atleast 2 packets of newborn diapers and 1 packet of infant diapers neatly stored in your babies nursery. If you look out for a sale, you may find yourself saving quite a bit in the long run. | 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 19) Go on a Baby Moon If your budget allows for it, a babymoon can be a nice holiday for you and your baby daddy before your little one arrives. A babymoon does not need to cost a fortune and could even be staying somewhere locally. | 2nd Trimester ☐ |
| 20) Book in for a Mani and Pedi Treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure in the last few weeks of your pregnancy. If there are any close up photos taken of you and your baby, you don’t want your nails looking shabby. | Late 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 21) Get Your Hair Done If you maintain your hair color, ensure you book in to have it done before your expected due date. While a scalp bleach is not recommended, a half or full head of foils may just lighten up your hair color and have you feeling fantastic. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 22) Stock up the Changing Station Have your babies change table organised and stocked with the essential items such as diapers, wipes, diaper bags, creams and powders. You may wish to cover the changing pad with a waterproof cover and a fancy cover over the top. You will also want to purchase a diaper bin to sit alongside your change table. | 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 23) Install Your Baby Monitor / Breathing Monitor If you have purchased a baby monitor and/or breathing monitor, ensure you set these up in your third trimester ready for your baby’s first night at home. While a breathing monitor is not mandatory, if you are like me, the cost of the item is definitely worth it for the peace of mind it provides. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 24) Install Light Blocking Curtains If your babies nursery does not have light blocking curtains, now might be the time to purchase and hang some. This should help create a dark, relaxing environment for your newborn. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 25) Organize Baby/Pet Sitters If you have other children, you may need to organize a baby sitter that can be on call for when you go into labor. Same goes for any pets you may have in the case you need to stay in hospital a few days. | 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 26) Sterilise Baby Bottles and Pacifiers If you intend on bottle-feeding your baby, or taking a pacifier to the hospital, ensure you sterilise these items prior to your due date. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 27) Go on a Few Dates with Your Hubby Having a baby is a big adjustment to your family life and once your little miss or Mr is here, you and your husband or partner will have less time to indulge in date nights. Go on a few dates with your husband before life as you know it changes. | 1st/2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 28) Organise a Present from your Baby If you have older children, especially those who are toddler’s themselves, organising a present ‘from baby’ can help them feel included and the fact they now have to share their mommy can be less daunting. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 29) Take Some ‘Bumpies’ Much like selfies, but of your bump are photos you may wish to take and cherish after your pregnancy is over. You will never regret the photos you take, only the ones you did not. Some expectant moms even like to organize a maternity photography session. | 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 30) Have Some Ice Packs in the Freezer While you may be one of the lucky ones, if you aren’t so lucky and you do need to get stitches after your babies birth, nothing soothes a sore down there like an icepack. Pump bottles are also great for cleaning the tender area. Flushable wipes may also be softer than toilet paper, so have some on hand if you can. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 31) Clean the Car or Have it Cleaned Clean out the car and ensure you have enough room for your baby’s pram, and both your hospital bags. If you don’t feel up to cleaning your car yourself, ask a family member to help or take it to the local car wash. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 32) Talk to a Lactation Specialist If you plan on breastfeeding your baby, many hospitals can recommend you to a breastfeeding specialist also known as a lactation specialist. You may see the lactation specialist in your third trimester or once your baby has arrived. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 33) Have a Baby Shower Whether you organize your baby shower yourself, or you have a willing family member who can’t wait to help out to plan a special day for you, this is a nice way to celebrate the impending arrival of your baby boy or girl. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 34) Organize the Nursery You may like to buy a number of storage containers to organize your nursery space. Organization can help declutter the nursery space but also allows hubby or a caretaker to easily find all of babies belongings. | 2nd/3rd Trimester ☐ |
| 35) Put Your Feet Up You are now nearing the end of your pregnancy and all other checklist items have been taken care of. Put your feet up and enjoy some quiet moments before your bundle of joy enters the world. | 3rd Trimester ☐ |