Preparing for a baby is amazing, exciting, and frankly, pretty overwhelming. So why doesn’t that positive pregnancy test come with a checklist to help you prepare for baby?
The good news is that you can get all the information you need from mamas who’ve been there before you: us! We’ve got everything you need to know, and we’re providing an actual, downloadable preparing for baby checklist PDF!
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Why Getting Ready for Baby Is Important
When I was pregnant, I found myself scouring the internet looking for the ultimate “to-do list before baby.”
My brain was riddled with thoughts of cute baby clothes, ideas about choosing a baby name, and I imagined meeting our little one for the first time.
The actual logistics of getting from A-to-B, however, were a bit fuzzy.
Now, don’t get me wrong; I’d spent my fair share of time with babies and had a good handle on the whole diaper changing and cuddling aspect of being a parent.
I quickly learned, however, that there was more to getting ready for baby than just preparing to change poopy diapers and getting excited to cuddle.
And it’s essential to be prepared for having a baby. Why? Well, it makes the whole process a hell of a lot less stressful.
When baby comes, you may well be elated, but you’ll also be sleep deprived, exhausted, hormonal, and really not in the mood for constant Target runs when you don’t have things you need.
Knowing the things to do to prepare for baby, and checking them off your list, not only gives you peace of mind, it also makes life easier after baby comes.
And it saves you money because you aren’t suddenly buying everything full-price when you’re totally desperate.
Preparing for Baby Checklist
If you’re currently expecting and aren’t sure what should be on your getting ready for baby checklist, we’ve got you COVERED, mama!
Here’s everything you need to know so you’ll be prepared in all aspects of life with that sweet baby.
How to Get Ready for a Baby: for Baby
1. Fill Out Your Baby Registry
When you’re getting ready for a baby, one of the first things you’ll probably realize is that babies come with a lot of stuff.
Diapers, nursery furnishings, and clothes are just a start.
One of the best things you can do is put together a well-thought-out list of baby registry must haves, in case your friends and family want to buy you a gift for your little bundle of joy.
Trust us–you want them buying baby items from the registry because it means you have to buy less, plus you have less excess!
Overwhelmed to create a registry? We get it. Download our printable baby registry checklist PDF!
Wondering where to make a baby registry? Our favorites are Babylist, Amazon, and Target!
2. Attend All Prenatal Appointments
Every week of pregnancy comes with a variety of milestones that are vital to your baby’s development.
To make sure your little one is growing the way that he or she should be, it’s crucial to attend all of your prenatal appointments.
At each visit with your healthcare provider, you’ll receive a wealth of information about what you should be expecting and what you need to do while getting ready for baby.
This suggestion doesn’t just apply to regular appointments, though.
You should also make sure to keep up on any necessary bloodwork or ultrasounds your provider requests.
3. Take Advantage of the Nesting Stage
It’s time for a reality check. Once your new baby arrives, doing things around the house will be the last thing on your mind for a little while.
You’ll see piles of stuff develop, but you likely won’t have the energy to do much about them.
Instead of getting stressed about all the things you didn’t do before delivery, why not take advantage of the nesting phase many soon-to-be-moms find themselves experiencing?
The phrase “nesting” refers to a period before delivery when you get a sudden burst of energy and desire to clean and organize every inch of your house from top-to-bottom.
Whether you’re officially “nesting” or not, it’s always smart to plan ahead and think about things you might not want to do after delivery.
For instance, I knew that I would have little desire to cook after my second child was born.
So, in the months leading up to her delivery, I made massive amounts of food for dinner and stockpiled a collection of frozen dinners I could quickly heat up.
Whether you’re cleaning the house or preparing the nursery, just make sure to consider any projects you want finished before your little one enters the world.
Great things to do to prepare for baby:
- Make freezer meals
- Clean your house
- Organize the nursery
- Create diaper stations (include small lights for middle of the night changes and feedings)
- Create nursing stations (if you hope to breastfeed) full of nonperishable snacks you can eat with one hand
- Mark items off your pregnancy checklist
- Pack your hospital bag using our unique 2-bag packing system to help you save space but have everything you need!
4. Choose your baby’s pediatrician
It’s crucial to find a pediatrician you can trust with your new bundle of joy.
While the doctor you choose might not have privileges at the hospital where you deliver, you’ll want to schedule an appointment with them as soon as possible after your baby’s arrival.
5. Install baby’s car seat
You can’t leave the hospital without a properly installed car seat, so as you approach your due date, check that one off the list!
Also, did you know that the vast majority of carseats are not properly installed? It’s super scary, but true.
Read all the manufacturer’s instructions for installing your carseat, and check to see if you have carseat safety places that can check your installation for you.
Michelle from Safe in the Seat is an amazing go-to for safe car seat usage. Her Instagram feed is a wealth of information, both before and after baby.
6. Make sure you have all the items you need for baby
Does baby have enough clothes? Diapers (cloth diapers? regular diapers?) Medical supplies? Trusting that you have all you need can be one of the hardest parts of getting ready for a baby.
Instead of being overwhelmed, check out our list of baby registry must haves, which tells you every item you need to get ready for baby. We even recommend our favorite brands.
Want to make this part even easier? Download our baby registry checklist printable!
7. Buy a new baby planner
Keep all of this information straight, and find SO much more, in our pregnancy and new baby planner.
It’s everything you don’t know you need to know to help you not just prepare for baby, but also be a calm and prepared mama . . . even when baby is upset and you’re sleep deprived.
Rest easily with this game-changing planner in your hands!
Things to Do to Prepare for Baby: for Mom
8. Put Together a Birth Plan
Look at any preparing for baby checklist, and there’s probably a section on writing a birth plan. You might be wondering, though, what exactly is a birth plan?
A birth plan is a written outline of your preferences during and after delivery.
When you’re putting together your birth plan, there are six main sections you should consider:
- General Information: Name, birthdate, doctor, hospital or birthing center preference
- Atmosphere During Labor & Delivery: Who you want in the room, lighting, sound
- Labor Options: Tools you want to use, whether you want wireless monitors to move around, whether people can take photos, etc.
- Pain Management Preferences: The most common pain management choice to make is whether you’d like an epidural during labor. While there are other options, such as Lamaze techniques, the Bradley method, or nitrous oxide, epidurals are the most common.
- Delivery Preferences: During delivery, the main objective is to bring your baby into the world safely. If you have strong preferences about things like episiotomies or skin-to-skin after birth, however, this is the section to list them.
- Feeding Preferences: Are you hoping to try breastfeeding, or will you use formula for your baby?
- Who Comes In & When: After baby is born, who is allowed to come into the room? In what intervals? Do you want them to wait to give you private time first?
Take your birth plan to your doctor’s visits to discuss with your care provider, and you should also put a copy in your hospital bag.
Things don’t always go according to plan, but having your care providers know your goals can really help improve your birth experience!
9. Decide Whether You Want a Photographer
This refers both to your birth and for when your newborn comes home.
Are you interested in having someone come into your home and take newborn photos?
If so, finding a photographer needs to be on your “getting ready for baby” checklist!
When choosing a photographer, consider things like:
- Style/aesthetic: What types of photos do you want, and how well do different photographers’ styles match your desires?
- Availability: Check with photographers a few months in advance, as many book up.
- Shoot location: Do you go to them or do they come to you? Do you have a strong preference?
- Cost: Is having newborn photography in your budget, and will it be worth the memories longterm? Some photographers cost more than others, so pay attention both to their portfolio (you don’t want to pay and then be unhappy!) and how much you’ll pay.
If hiring a photographer is out right because of budget, consider these possibilities:
Do you or your partner have a nice camera? Or an iPhone with portrait mode?
I won’t pretend these things will give you the quality of a professional photographer, but they will help you take good pictures both of your bump and your little one when they arrive.
For DIY newborn photography, grab a few white onesies and anything you want for props before baby is born, and go to town on photos on your own.
10. Schedule Your Birth Classes and Hospital Tour
Let’s face it; most first-time parents are clueless about what having a baby really entails.
Unless you’ve been around other babies throughout your life, you might not even know how to change a diaper!
This is where baby and childbirth classes come in handy!
No matter what type of class you’re looking for, there’s a good chance you’ll find a facility that’s teaching it. Many hospitals even offer prenatal education courses.
Some of the different topics covered in these classes include:
- Lactation
- Baby Safety
- General Baby Care
- Labor Preparation
It’s also a good idea to schedule a hospital tour. After all, when push comes to shove (no pun intended), and it’s time to bring your baby into the world, the last thing you want to do is be aimlessly strolling around a hospital trying to figure out where you need to go.
And take an online birth class! We love the ones offered through Robyn!
11. Choose a breast pump
Most insurance companies cover breast pumps now, and if you plan to try to breastfeed, you’ll likely need one.
We have a full article on breast pump types, but we highly recommend the Spectra S1 for its portability, ease of use, and how well it works for helping milk production.
Trust us. Not all pumps are created equal. We’ve also got you covered with more details on how to choose a breast pump, plus exclusive pumping tips in case you need them!
12. Plan for logistics
This is a super not fun part that we don’t like to think about, and yet, they’re so important.
- Do you have HR paperwork to fill out for maternity leave?
- Know how to get your new baby on your family’s insurance, and what the window is?
- Do you have a will and backup guardians chosen?
This type of planning tends to slip our minds, and it’s easy to let the windows to do things like put baby on insurance roll on by when you’re exhausted and have no idea you have a deadline.
Check into all the logistics you’ll need to know to make sure you don’t forget anything essential.
13. Find mom friends
This is especially important for first-time moms, as you may have lots of friends who don’t have children. And that’s cool. Those friends will remain important parts of your life.
But here’s the thing about having mom friends–they get it. They’ve been where you are, and they can support you in ways that people without children simply don’t know to support you.
Also, having a new baby is lonely, so having a support network you can text with questions is worth SO much!
Even if you just find a group online you can talk to, it will make a world of difference.
14. Prepare your postpartum supplies
There’s a lot you need for the postpartum period that no one tells you about. Learn how to create your own postpartum recovery kit, or buy one readily made from Bodily.
Want to build your own recovery kit? Download our postpartum recovery checklist!
How to Prepare for a Baby: for the Family
15. Prepare Your Pets for the Baby
Something we often don’t consider when thinking about how to get ready for a baby is our pets.
But trust me, bringing a new baby home is not just a significant change for you and your partner. Your pets will be affected, too!
To best prepare your pets for the baby’s arrival, it’s important to put some rules in place.
This includes teaching your animals about the baby’s areas, correcting misbehaviors you think might be a problem, and implementing new schedules and routines, if necessary.
Some soon-to-be parents even do things like playing crying baby sounds to try and prepare their pets for what’s to come.
When your baby is born, many doctors also suggest taking something your baby has worn home before you leave the hospital. Allow your pet to smell the item as a way of introducing their new brother or sister.
16. Plan a babymoon if you want to
Having a baby and growing a family is a thrilling experience. That being said, however, it’s also important to realize that it will flip your world upside down.
Your primary focus will be on the new baby, and your free time will be slim.
Why not take advantage of the time you have now and plan a relaxing babymoon with your partner?
A babymoon is an ideal way to take a break from all things baby and put a little focus on your relationship before the big day arrives. Even if you just slip away for a weekend, it can be a great way to get some R & R.
And if you don’t have the funds to go on a babymoon, consider just taking a day with your partner to relax: go for a picnic in the park; eat out at your favorite restaurant; give each other pedis and manis if you’re into that sort of thing.
A babymoon doesn’t have to be extravagant–it’s simply a way to prioritize time together and relaxation before baby arrives.
If you have older children, it’s also a good idea to consider planning special outings or trips with them before the new baby makes his or her debut.
Don’t have extra time or money for a babymoon? You can pamper yourself other ways!
Consider things like:
- Reading a fun book
- Taking a prenatal yoga class
- Getting a prenatal massage
- Going with a friend for a manicure
Or why not Netflix and . . . well, just Netflix? You’re super pregnant and that’s probably all you’re up for right now. It’s cool.
If this is your first birth, plan a couple of days with your partner to binge watching something you’ve really wanted to see.
17. Read parenting books . . . if you want to
Parenting books are so helpful for many moms, and terribly overwhelming for others. Whether you choose to read them is up to you.
But they will help you better know what to expect, and we have a specific tip for reading them: read all baby books with the idea that they’re recommendations, not plans.
Not all parents are the same, nor are all babies, so having ideas from baby books can help a lot, while taking them as “gospel” can be very overwhelming.
We loved the idea of “the pause,” from Bringing Up Bebe. This is a five minute pause that the French take when their babies start crying in the middle of the night in order to see if the parent is really needed for getting the child back to sleep, or if the baby will take care of it on their own. This idea is great, but I found plenty of parts of the book to be unhelpful.
My point is: take what you will and leave the rest! Do what works for you.
A few baby books we found helpful:
- Expecting & Organized: Pregnancy & Newborn Baby Planner
- Moms on Call
- Baby 411
- Your Baby’s First Year, Week by Week
- The Wonder Weeks (their app is great too)
Reminder, though. We recommend using books as guides, not gospel.
18. Establish rules for grandparents and other family members
One thing you’ll quickly discover after baby’s arrival is that lots of people have opinions and want time with your little one.
It’s great that baby is loved, and that you have help! But it can also be overwhelming, and sometimes, people meddle too much.
Decide ahead of time what you’d like your boundaries to be and communicate them clearly. This will make things much smoother down the road.
19. Get infant CPR certified
We know you don’t want to think about the possibility of ever needing to perform CPR on your child, and the chance that you’ll have to is slim.
But if you do, you’ll be SO thankful you have this skill. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends certification, and we suggest the one through the American Heart Association.
Read our very personal story about the benefits of being CPR certified.
If there’s not an in-person class in your area, you can do online through the American Red Cross. Click here to sign up today!
20. Pack your hospital bags
Yes, you read that correctly. We said bags. Plural.
We have this amazing 2-bag system for packing hospital bags that will keep your room less crowded while ensuring you have everything you need. Check out our hospital bag checklist here!
Want to make it even easier? Download our printable hospital bag checklist!
Preparing for Baby FAQs
We recommend preparing for a baby whenever you feel ready. Some people suggest waiting until the second trimester when your risk of pregnancy loss greatly decreases. If you never feel ready, we suggest using pregnancy planning resources to make the process easier starting between 24 and 30 weeks.
To prepare your body for a baby, get regular prenatal checkups with your doctor, take a prenatal vitamin, and manage sleep, nutrition, diet, and exercise as well as reasonably possible.
The cost of having a baby varies greatly between different people, locations, and lifestyles. As of 2022, some experts suggested having at least 6 months worth of savings before having a baby.
Other Things to Know About How to Prepare for a Baby
It’s hard to come up with a definitive checklist before baby. After all, every family and every individual has their own specific set of needs.
Whether you’re chatting with your partner about how to choose a baby name, excitedly preparing a nursery, getting ready for a drive-by baby shower, nudging your partner to buy you the perfect push present, or figuring out when to go to the hospital for labor, please heed these words.
You’re doing your best. You have every resource you need at your fingerprints. You’re going to rock this.
If you follow the suggestions laid out in this article, you can rest assured that you’ll be as ready as you can be once your baby is here.
Just remember, though, try not to get completely wrapped up in checking things off a ‘to-do list before baby.’
Take some time to relish in the experience, and to be grateful for the family you’ve been lucky enough to create.
Are there any other things you’re concerned about when it comes to figuring out how to get ready for a baby?
Other Pregnancy Articles
- Unusual early pregnancy signs
- When to announce a pregnancy on social media, to family/friends, & at work
- Pregnancy care package
- Pregnancy pillows
- Cute maternity clothes
- Best maternity leggings
Trying to Conceive Articles
- Best way to track ovulation
- TTC tips
- 2ww ttc (surviving the two week wait when TTC)
- Lightning crotch
