Things to Do Before Baby Arrives: A Practical Checklist
Disclaimer: This is general information based on personal experience and research. It is not medical, legal, financial, or insurance advice. Always check with your OB, pediatrician, insurance company, employer, and local providers for guidance specific to your situation.
The months before your baby arrives can feel slow and fast at the same time.
At first, the due date feels far away. Then suddenly you are in the third trimester, the nursery is half done, the car seat is still in the box, and you are wondering what actually needs to happen before the baby comes.
The good news is that you do not need everything perfect. You just need the important things handled.
If you are looking for things to do before baby arrives, this practical checklist is where I would start.
Things to Do Before Baby Arrives: Quick Checklist
Here is the short version.
Before baby arrives, try to:
- Keep up with prenatal appointments
- Choose a pediatrician
- Research childcare and waitlists
- Understand parental leave and insurance
- Build your baby registry
- Set up a safe sleep space
- Install and inspect the car seat
- Pack your hospital bag
- Stock postpartum recovery basics
- Wash baby clothes, sheets, and swaddles
- Set up diapers, wipes, and feeding supplies
- Make a simple plan for the first week home
That list can feel like a lot, but it is much easier if you break it down by category.
Start With Prenatal Care
Prenatal appointments are the foundation. These visits help your provider monitor your health, your baby’s growth, and anything that may need extra attention.
For many low-risk pregnancies, appointments are usually every few weeks early on, then more frequent as you get closer to delivery. Your provider may adjust that schedule based on your pregnancy and medical history.
A few major prenatal milestones to know:
- First prenatal appointment
- Dating ultrasound, if offered
- Anatomy scan
- Glucose screening
- Group B Strep test
- Weekly late-pregnancy appointments
- Any extra monitoring your provider recommends
The CDC says Group B Strep screening is typically done during the 36th or 37th week of pregnancy. You can read more from the CDC Group B Strep screening guide.
Keep a running note in your phone with questions for each appointment. It is easy to forget what you wanted to ask once you are sitting in the room.
Choose a Pediatrician Before Birth
Choosing a pediatrician is one of those things to do before baby arrives that can sneak up on you.
Your baby will need a pediatrician shortly after birth. Some hospitals ask for the pediatrician’s information before discharge, so it helps to have this decided ahead of time.
Start looking in the second trimester if you can.
Questions to ask a pediatrician office:
- Are they accepting new patients?
- Which hospitals are they affiliated with?
- What are their hours?
- Do they offer same-day sick visits?
- Is there after-hours support?
- How do they handle messages?
- Do they have lactation support or feeding resources?
- What is their vaccine policy?
- Are they in-network with your insurance?
You will call the pediatrician’s office a lot in the first year. Choose one that feels responsive, practical, and easy to reach.
Research Childcare Early
If you will need daycare or another childcare option, start early.
Infant spots can fill quickly, and waitlists can be long. Even if you are not sure exactly what schedule you will need, it helps to understand availability and pricing.
Ask each childcare provider:
- When is the earliest available infant spot?
- What is the monthly cost?
- Is there a registration fee or deposit?
- What supplies do parents provide?
- What is the sick policy?
- How do naps and bottles work?
- What app or communication system do they use?
- What are drop-off and pickup windows?
This is also a good time to read a daycare packing list so you know what life may look like once daycare starts.
Childcare is not just a postpartum decision. For many families, it belongs high on the list of things to do before baby arrives.
Understand Parental Leave and Insurance
This part is not fun, but it matters.
Before baby arrives, confirm:
- Your parental leave policy
- How much of your leave is paid
- Whether you qualify for state leave benefits
- How your benefits work while you are out
- How to add baby to health insurance
- Whether your pediatrician is in-network
- What paperwork needs to be submitted after birth
If you live in Massachusetts, review the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave program and your employer’s policy. State benefits and employer benefits are not always the same thing.
It also helps to read through how to budget for a baby before the third trimester, especially if childcare, leave, or medical bills will change your monthly budget.
Build Your Baby Registry
A baby registry helps organize what you actually need before the baby arrives.
Focus on the essentials first:
- Car seat
- Safe sleep space
- Diapers and wipes
- Bottles
- Burp cloths
- Swaddles or sleep sacks
- Baby monitor
- Diaper pail
- Basic health items
- Baby bath supplies
- Stroller
- Baby carrier
Do not feel like you need every gadget. You can always buy things later once you know your baby and your routine.
For a more detailed list, start with baby registry essentials before buying every product you see online.
Set Up a Safe Sleep Space
Setting up a safe sleep space is one of the most important things to do before baby arrives.
A safe sleep space should be simple:
- Firm, flat mattress
- Fitted sheet
- No pillows
- No loose blankets
- No stuffed animals
- No crib bumpers
- No inclined sleepers
A bassinet, crib, portable crib, or play yard can all work as long as they meet current safety standards. The AAP safe sleep guidance from HealthyChildren.org is worth reading before setting up the nursery.
Get the Nursery Functional
The nursery does not need to be Pinterest-perfect.
Functional matters more than beautiful.
Try to have these things ready:
- Crib or bassinet assembled
- Dresser or clothing storage set up
- Diapers and wipes stocked
- Changing pad secured
- Diaper cream nearby
- Baby clothes washed
- Swaddles and sheets washed
- Nightlight or dim light ready
- Trash can or diaper pail nearby
- Baby monitor set up, if using one
Anchor furniture to the wall, especially dressers. Babies grow into climbers faster than you think.
You can keep the organization simple. A current-size drawer, next-size bin, and outgrown bin is enough to start.
Install the Car Seat Before 36 Weeks
Do not leave the car seat until the last minute.
Install it before 36 weeks if possible, then consider having it checked by a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician.
Even if you are careful, car seats can be tricky. The recline angle, base install, harness height, and tightness all matter.
The NHTSA car seat resource is a good place to learn more about car seat safety and installation.
Pack Your Hospital Bag
Packing your hospital bag is one of the easiest things to delay, but babies do not always wait for the due date.
Pack your hospital bag around 36 weeks.
For the birthing parent, pack:
- Photo ID
- Insurance card
- Birth plan copies, if using one
- Comfortable clothes
- Going-home outfit
- Toiletries
- Hair ties
- Nursing bra, if needed
- Phone charger with a long cord
- Snacks
- Water bottle
- Pillow, if you want your own
- Postpartum items, if you have preferences
For baby, pack:
- Going-home outfit
- Hat
- Swaddle or blanket for photos
- Car seat installed in the car
For your partner or support person, pack:
- Clothes
- Toiletries
- Snacks
- Charger
- Medications
- Entertainment
- Pillow or blanket
Some hospitals only feed the birthing parent, so snacks for the support person are a must.
You can use this hospital bag checklist as a starting point.
Stock Up on Postpartum Basics
People spend a lot of time preparing for the baby and not enough time preparing for recovery.
Helpful postpartum items may include:
- Comfortable loose clothing
- Large water bottle
- Easy snacks
- Pads
- Peri bottle
- Nipple cream, if breastfeeding or pumping
- Nursing pads
- Pumping bra, if pumping
- Easy freezer meals
- Extra household basics
You do not need to overbuy, but having the basics ready helps.
This is one of those things to do before baby arrives that is really about helping your future self.
Make a Simple First-Week Plan
You do not need a rigid plan for the first week home. Newborn life changes fast.
But it helps to think through a few basics:
- Who is helping with meals?
- Who is handling dogs or pets?
- Who is doing laundry?
- Who is managing visitors?
- Who is tracking appointments?
- Where will feeding supplies live?
- Where will diaper changes happen overnight?
Simple systems matter more than perfect systems.
A diaper caddy downstairs, burp cloths near the couch, bottles washed before bed, and snacks for parents can make the first week feel less chaotic.
Final Things to Do Before Baby Arrives Checklist
Here is the quick version again:
- Attend prenatal appointments
- Choose a pediatrician
- Research childcare
- Understand leave and insurance
- Build your baby registry
- Set up a safe sleep space
- Assemble the nursery basics
- Wash baby clothes and sheets
- Install and inspect the car seat
- Pack hospital bags by 36 weeks
- Stock postpartum recovery basics
- Make a simple first-week plan
Bottom Line
Preparing for a baby is not about having every drawer labeled or every product purchased.
It is about reducing the number of things you have to figure out for the first time while exhausted with a newborn.
Handle the big things first: prenatal care, pediatrician, childcare, safe sleep, car seat, hospital bag, leave, insurance, and postpartum basics.
Everything else can be figured out as you go.
