What to Do Before Baby Comes

What To Do Before Baby Comes

The urge to nest and check things off your to-do list is real. Especially, in those last few weeks before baby arrives. Following are a few top of mind things for your pre-baby to do list when you're in the final few weeks countdown.

1. Arrange Care For Other Children and Pets

If you have other children, arrange for a friend or caretaker to spring into action when the time comes. Write out the instructions now, email it and post it on the fridge. If you have a pet, arrange for a friend or dog sitter to be on call to feed and walk your pup while you're at the hospital. Make sure that you're stocked up on food too!

2. Prepare for Baby Safety

Take a baby CPR class. (There are online and in-person options.) It will ease the anxiety of bringing home a newborn. Plus, it’s just the responsible thing to do.

Get your car seat installed properly. The Car Seat Lady is your new BFF for this one. You may also want to try a car seat with a baby carrier feature.

3. Prepare the Birth Announcement

Before baby's arrival, you can draft the birth announcement email. Enter the addresses of friends and family, so all you or your partner has to do is upload a precious photo and hit send. If you're feeling up to it, you can always add in your labor story or other birth stories you would like to share.

If you want to send your baby announcements by mail, choose a design and compile the addresses that you want to send them to. Then all you have to do is print photos and slap a stamp on them. We like Sugar Paper, Luxe Paperie, Artifact Uprising, Pinhole Press, Tiny Prints, and Paperless Post.

4. Set Up Services

Make life easier by setting up automatic bill payments, scheduling deliveries, and scheduling any services you use in advance (like gardening or dog walking).

Queueing up your Instacart with healthy, nourishing fare is always a good idea since feeding yourself becomes last priority and oddly challenging once your new baby arrives at home. If you’re nursing, stock up on snacks.

5. Meal Prep

Whip up meals (think lasagne, soups) and freeze them so you can arrive home to effortless, comforting dinners. Hack version: Post a list of your favorite dishes from your favorite takeout joints as a memory jog.

6. Clean

Ask a good friend or housekeeper to tidy up before you come home from the hospital, accept that Instacart delivery, and maybe burn those maternity leggings you’ve been wearing nonstop.

7. Purchase Last-Minute Baby Registry Items

If you didn't get everything you needed from your baby shower registry, be sure to purchase those items. You'll want to be stocked up on the essentials.

8. Make Sure Your Nursery Furniture Is Set Up

While your nursery furniture + decor doesn’t have to be perfectly set up, you'll want to make sure that the bassinet and nursing chair are ready to go. Recruit some help if you’re not feeling up to it.

9. Prewash the Baby Clothes

Wash the baby's clothes, crib sheets, swaddles, burp cloths, and blankets. Baby's skin is sensitive, so be sure to wash their clothes with a gentle detergent before they wear them.

10. Connect With a New Moms Group

Make a plan to connect with other moms in your area and join a local moms Facebook group. With these groups, you can share birth stories, discuss postpartum recovery and postpartum depression, and more. There's a constant stream of Q&As, products for sale and a good site for scrolling during middle-of-the-night feeds.

11. Pamper Yourself

Week one there will be a lot of picture-taking and no time for the salon. Visit your stylist for a cut/color and then bid him or her adieu for a bit.

Get a bikini wax. Without going into too much detail, just trust us, you want things to be nice and neat down there.

12. Prep Your Breastfeeding Products

Sterilize a few (read: not 10) different newborn bottles. Babies can be finicky, and you don’t know which she might take to.

Yes, it’s going to be awkward, but break out the breast pump for a test run. You want to know how to get hooked up and make sure you have all the necessary parts while your boobs aren’t exploding with breast milk. If you get confused, Medela’s videos can help.

13. Choose a Pediatrician

Pro tip: You want a healthcare provider that’s close by, open on Saturdays, has excellent customer care, and communicates via email.

14. Pack a Hospital Bag

You never know when your baby will arrive, so it's a good idea to pack your hospital bag in advance. Be sure to review a hospital bag checklist, so that you can be sure you have everything you and your baby will need.

15. Make a Labor Plan

In case you go into early labor, it's helpful to have everyone on call in advance, so that when the time comes, everyone will know what to do.

16. Get Sleep

Let's face it, new moms get less sleep. Be sure to get some extra rest now while you're preparing for labor and late-night feedings.

Whether you are a new mom or it's your second baby. Having a new baby can be the most rewarding, but also challenging at times. Fatigue, sore nipples, and postpartum depression are just some of the challenges of motherhood - that’s why it's essential to be well-prepared for your baby's arrival. Knowing what to do before baby comes makes the recovery process easier and gives you the peace of mind you need to enjoy your journey as a new mom.