When I was getting ready to have my baby, it was one of the most exciting things in the world. But was also nerve-racking at the same time.

Being prepared is key and you’ll need to be prepared both mentally and physically.

You’ll need your baby essentials sorted out as well as your postpartum care kits.

This post covers all the vital things you should do before your baby arrives.

Give yourself a head start by being prepared.

Before anything else, you need to prepare yourself mentally for the birth itself.

Childbirth is most definitely not easy and painless, I’m sure you know it’s not, however being mentally prepared will help you stay ready for the process to welcome your little one into the world.

So, grab a pen and paper, or bookmark this article, and let’s get ready to have a baby!

This post may contain affiliate links. That means I get a small slice of whatever is purchased through the links, but it does not cost you a penny more.

THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOUR BABY COMES 

As soon as you enter the 32nd week of your pregnancy, you should start preparing for the arrival of your baby. A good rule of thumb, however, is to try as much as you can to ensure that you are prepared at least a week or two before your due date.

Although most babies’ arrivals happen between 38-42 weeks, that isn’t always the case.

1. DECLUTTER AND DEEP CLEAN

As soon as you enter the 32nd week of your pregnancy, you should start decluttering and cleaning your house bit by bit.

You may not feel like cleaning at all right now, However,  after the baby arrives you will definitely not feel like cleaning at all.

Chances are you will have your hands so full that cleaning will probably be the last thing on your mind.

So doing a deep clean now will hopefully carry your house through for a couple of months

Get rid of the things that you don’t use and need. You can do this one room at a time to avoid being overwhelmed.

A Sample list of what you can focus on includes :

• Declutter your pantry, kitchen, and wardrobes.
• Clean the windows.
• Carpet and rug cleaning
• Dust surfaces
• Clean floors
• Deep clean bathrooms

Don’t forget to ask for help if and when you do need it. I know it’s not easy doing everything while hurling around a big bump with possibly swollen ankles.

2.MEAL PREP AND MEAL FREEZE 

Get cooking mama.

When your baby arrives you really don’t want to spend the first few days cooking.

Between Postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, exhaustion and everything else that comes with a newborn baby, having your meals already prepared will considerably reduce your stress.

shop freezeasy

Spend a week or two before your baby comes batch cooking and freezing, and also meal prepping raw ingredients to freeze for each meal.

You could also consider using a meal delivery service like freshly.

An Instant Pot or a Slow Cooker will definitely be a great cooking companion this period. Consider investing in one.

You’ll love these amazing meal planning ideas. Check it out here.

3.GET YOUR HOSPITAL BAG READY

It’s so easy to get carried away with putting so many things in your hospital bag. Just make sure you have the important stuff in your bag. If you have no idea what to pack in your hospital bag or aren’t sure if you have everything you need, check out this article: Hospital bag checklist; the essentials 

The last thing you want to happen is to go into labor unexpectedly and scramble to remember what to take!

So, take a few minutes to go through your baby hospital bag list and make sure everything is ready to go.

Don’t forget to charge all your electronics for the hospital, so you are able to capture the beautiful moment when you welcome your little one.

4.CREATE A POSTPARTUM CARE PLAN 

If you would like to give breastfeeding a shot then now is the time to learn a little more about it. read up on breastfeeding.

Although you’ll learn most by actually nursing your baby, you can give yourself a head start by bracing yourself for the practical elements of breastfeeding. 

Breastfeeding was really overwhelming at first for me because first of all, i had no clue what i was doing, coupled with my baby wanting to feed constantly.

It’s best if you feel a little bit prepared for this to make the process a little less stressful.

you will be undergoing significant changes after birth and you should be ready to tackle some of your expected postpartum needs.

Knowing what to expect after birth and having a solid postpartum care plan will ensure you not only heal faster, but you feel more prepared and less overwhelmed.

5.PUT TOGETHER A POSTPARTUM CARE KIT

Caring for your newborn baby is a full-time job, but you also need to make a little time to take care of your postpartum body.

I had zero clues about what postpartum me would struggle with before having my first baby.

As a result, I was absolutely unprepared for after birth. A Postpartum care kit is a reminder for you ls that self-care is important!

Postpartum can be a very exhausting period. Half the time after childbirth i didn’t understand what was going on in my body, having a postpartum kit with the essentials will help your body heal faster and better.

6.STOCK UP ON GROCERIES AND ESSENTIALS 

Take out time to stock up on groceries, toiletries, and other essentials that you will need.

Have a good supply of your favorite snacks, drinks, toiletries, and home essentials.

 7.PUT TOGETHER YOUR NEWBORN ESSENTIALS AND WASH BABY GARMENTS 

If you have no idea what your baby really needs or you are unsure if you have all your little one needs, check out this article:

Baby essentials; all you really need for your newborn

I chose to wash my baby’s clothes before my little one arrived because a baby’s skin is really delicate and needed to ensure that all the fabric he will be coming in contact with was clean.

Rearrange the nursery and make sure everything has a place because you won’t get much of a chance to organize after the baby is born. 

 

8. FIGURE OUT HOW THE BABY GEARS WORK INSTALL THE BABY’S CAR SEAT

This is the time to install the baby car seat as you will not be allowed to leave the hospital without the car seat installed.

Get familiar with how the car seat, stroller, and other baby gear works.

It’s also worth getting all of your other baby gear out of boxes and packaging to assemble them. For example, if you have a baby bouncy chair or an activity mat, get those out of their boxes and ready for use.

All these would be harder to set up when there is a crying baby right beside you.

9. PRE-REGISTER AT YOUR BIRTHING HOSPITAL

This was a total time saver for me on the day i went into labor.  I was immediately taken to my birthing room because i had pre-registered and filled out the initial paperwork.

Find out from your birthing hospital if you can pre-register.

10.EXCERCISE

Try engaging in exercises a few days a week. You could try out prenatal yoga.

Exercise is essential in preparing your body for birth.

Finally, I know how overwhelming it feels to think of all the things you have to do before the baby comes and hoping you don’t miss out on anything.

Hopefully, the checklist helps you streamline and focus on the most important things you need to do before your baby comes.

While waiting for your little one, don’t forget to enjoy this time.

Take time for self-care as much as you can and make time to do some fun stuff before you have to spend the whole time caring for a baby.

Fun things to do before the baby arrives

• Go see a movie
• Get your hair and nails done
• Get a bump box and pamper yourself
• Binge-watch tv-shows
• Spend quality time with your significant other; have a meal out.
• Catch up  with friends
• Get as much sleep as you can.

Check out these awesome self-care resources

I remember being told a lot when i was pregnant to sleep as much as i could, right now I’ve had a lot of days where wish i could go back to before childbirth and sleep just a little bit more.

Remember to be kind to yourself and take one day at a time.

What task on this checklist do you still have to get done before the baby’s arrival?

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