I was a little disappointed when I started searching for a practical third trimester checklist. While there were millions of lists out there, cleaning the nursery and scheduling maternity photos weren’t what I was looking for exactly. So I finally just cobbled together my own pre-baby checklist!
Get nursery ready – This includes cleaning, decorating, putting together furniture and gadgets, and all the shopping. We started midway through the second trimester and worked through it all slowly. The goal was to be totally ready by 2 weeks before my due date just in case I was early. Plus we were both working from home and stuck inside during quarantine so it gave us some activities to do. 馃檪
Wash clothes – They recommend washing all the clothing, accessories, swaddles, burping cloths, washcloths, and towels ahead of time with a baby-safe detergent. I didn’t buy a baby-specific product, rather I used the non-toxic, hypoallergenic, fragrance free detergent that we already had on hand – Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder. It checked all the boxes that the baby-specific soaps did and the whole family could use it.
Stock up on household goods – I treated this similarly to the start of shelter-in-place and made sure that we were fully stocked on toilet paper, paper towels, soap, dish & laundry detergent, cleaning supplies etc. The goal was to not need to go shopping for home supplies a few weeks to a month.
Prep the Pantry – As the household chef, I wanted to make things as easy for my husband as possible. That meant stocking up on pantry basics for easy meals like pasta and marinara sauce, getting some boxed mixes so he could make baked goods, and I prepped and froze some meals ahead of time.
Birth Classes – It was like pulling teeth, but I got my husband to join me for three classes. One on pregnancy and birth through Bundle Birth {I’m a huge fan of her YouTube videos!} and a newborn class from Taking Cara Babies {found her through Instagram}. Plus an online infant first aid & CPR class through the Red Cross.
Hospital Prep – Get hospital bag together, prep diaper bag, watch the virtual hospital tour, and register for delivery. Also, on a related note, find a pediatrician. The pediatrician, or another doctor from their practice, will visit at the hospital after the birth and you’ll need to list them when you register.
Decide on Help – We decided to do a night nurse for a few nights a week to help us learn about and develop a nighttime schedule, so we had to interview and pick one. We also started the discussion about childcare when I returned to work and came up with a general plan with set dates for taking the next steps.
Life Insurance – We’d been talking about life insurance since we got married but getting pregnant finally got us moving on this. We asked our parents about their policies, did our research, and talked to providers before deciding what would work best for us {right now}.
Medical Power of Attorney – We wanted to have the appropriate documentation in place to ensure that my husband could make medical decisions on my behalf if I became incapacitated. And vice versa. Check on what’s necessary in your state.
Figure out the Car Seat – We won’t get into how long this took us, but I can confirm that we’re both able to put it in and take it out. With minimal cursing.
Enjoy Together Time – I definitely get the appeal of a babymoon, even though we opted out of this {we’d been quarantined working & living together for 6 straight months, going away to spend time alone didn’t seem necessary}. Enjoying the end of your time just the two of you is important as you’re heading into parenthood!
