What to sort before labour starts: the ultimate checklist for expectant parents

Getting organised before your due date will help you feel calmer and more in control when labour starts. And once the baby is home, stocking up on nappies or formula or freezer meals means you can spend more of those precious early days bonding with your baby, rather than dashing to the shops or slaving over the stove with a crying baby on your hip.

So, we’ve collated a big list of everything expectant parents should try to tick off before the big day, so you can thank your past self for making life a little easier when baby arrives.

Write a birth plan

A birth plan is a way for you to set out your preferences for labour and birth, helping you to think through your options and communicate your wishes to your midwife and birth partner, even if you aren’t able to communicate what you want during labour and birth. The process of writing one also helps you to find out what you don’t know, giving you a chance to ask questions and discuss your worries with your midwife and birth partner.

It’s not a necessity, and often things don’t go exactly to plan, but some people find it helpful to envisage and prepare for the birth.

There isn’t a set formula for writing a birth plan, so you can make it as brief or detailed as you like. Here are some key things you might want to include:

• Where you would like to give birth — hospital, birth centre, or at home
• Who you want with you during labour and birth
• Your preferences for pain relief — do you want an epidural, or maybe gas and air?
• Any particular positions you’d like to try during labour
• Whether your partner would like to cut the cord
• What you’d like to happen straight after the birth, such as skin-to-skin contact or immediate feeding
• Any special needs or medical conditions you have
• A list of important contacts in case anything goes wrong

If you’re going to write a plan, a good time to do it is six to eight weeks before your due date. Make sure to show it to your midwife and birth partner and have copies available when you go into labour.

Remember, even the best-laid plans may need to change depending on how your labour progresses, and you might change your mind as your labour progresses. Some people find that having a very detailed plan can lead to disappointment if things don’t go as hoped, so try to stay flexible.

Pack your hospital bag

Packing your hospital bag in advance means you’ll be ready whenever your baby decides to arrive. The NHS recommends that you have your bag packed at least three weeks before your due date. Here’s what to include:

For mum:

• Birth plan and medical notes
• Comfortable clothing for labour (like a loose nightdress or top, and dressing gown)
• A few changes of clothes for after you’ve given birth — including loose or front opening tops if you’re planning to breastfeed
• Comfy bras, including nursing bras if breastfeeding
• Old or disposable knickers
• Slippers, socks, and flip-flops (for walking around and showering)
• A washbag and toiletries including shower gel/soap, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, any skincare you think is essential, hair ties and a hairbrush
• Towels
• Relaxation tools (music playlist, TENS machine, a fan)
• Water bottle (one with a straw or sports cap can be good during labour and to prevent spills afterwards) and snacks for energy
• Maternity pads and heavy-duty sanitary towels
• Breast pads
• Glasses or contact lenses if needed
• A plastic bag for dirty clothing
• Eye mask and earplugs (to help you rest in hospital)
• Things to keep you entertained if you have long waits

For baby:

• Newborn nappies, wipes, and nappy bags
• Cotton wool balls (for first nappy changes)
• Babygros, vests, and spare outfits
• Hat, booties, and scratch mitts
• Muslin squares for feeding and cleaning up
• Blanket for going home
• Car seat — this is essential for leaving hospital in a car

For your birth partner:

• Change of clothes
• Snacks and drinks
• Pillow and blanket
• Mobile phone, camera, and chargers
• Toiletries
• Entertainment

Sort out transport to and from the hospital

If you are giving birth in a hospital or birthing centre, you need to plan how you’ll be getting there — which could be at any time of the day or night — and back. If someone else has offered to take you, make sure you have a back-up plan in case they aren’t available.

If you’re going in a car, you will need a car seat. It can be helpful to install the base in advance so that it’s ready to be slotted in quickly when you head to the hospital.

Think about your route — is there a more efficient way of getting there? Or can you find a smoother route if there are lots of speed bumps on the way?

You might even want to do a practice run to the hospital to see where to park, how long it takes, and which entrances are best to use.

Make plans for your other children while you’re away

This is something else that is good to get sorted well in advance, and make sure to talk to your children about the plan when your newest one comes along. It’s best (and less fuss for you!) if they know ahead of time where they will be going, who will be looking after them, and why they are there.

You might also want to think about how you’ll introduce them to their new sibling when they are here — we have a handy guide on this in this issue.

Think about names

You might have the perfect one picked out, or you might have a few that you’ll try out when the baby comes, but it’s best to have some idea of what to call your new arrival because it’s such a big decision.

We have collected the 1000 top baby girl names and the 1000 top baby boy names if you want to start thinking about what to call your baby.

Plan your meals

When you’re back home with your baby, you’ll probably just want to rest and get to grips with feeding them. Having food ready to go can be a lifesaver when you don’t have the energy to cook, so think about batch cooking before the birth to stock the freezer with easy meals for the first few days.

If you have family and friends who are willing to help, asking them to bring food over or help you cook.

Think about buying some of your favourite snacks to have to hand where you’re most likely to be breastfeeding or resting with the baby, so that you don’t have to disturb them for a snack.

Sanitise bottles and pumps

You’ll need to sterilise all of the equipment you will use to feed your baby, since their immune system is still developing.

Wash bottles, teats, and any other equipment in the dishwasher or with hot, soapy water, and then sterilise them using cold water sterilising solution, or steam sterilising or boiling them.

Prepare your home

For the nursery and sleeping, you’ll need:

• Cot or moses basket with a mattress
• 4-8 fitted sheets and top sheets
• 2-4 baby sleeping bags or 4-6 blankets
• Room thermometer to check nursery temperature
• Baby monitor

It can be helpful to set up a changing station, too, where you will have enough room to change the baby’s nappy and keep spare clothes and wipes to hand.

Stock up on baby essentials

Here are a few essentials for a newborn that it can be helpful to have supplies of before the big day.

For getting around:

• Car seat
• Pram or buggy suitable for newborns
• Changing bag with mat

For feeding:

• Nursing bras and breast pads if you are breastfeeding
• Breast pump and milk storage containers if you will be expressing
• Bottles and steriliser
• Formula milk if you aren’t breastfeeding

For nappy changing and bathing:

• Newborn nappies (stock up!)
• Cotton wool and baby wipes
• Nappy bags
• Barrier cream
• Baby bath or bath support
• Soft towels and flannels

For clothing:

• 6-10 babygros and vests
• Cardigans or jackets
• Hats, socks, and scratch mitts

Other useful things:

• Muslin squares
• Playmat or baby rocker
• Baby brush and comb
• Baby-friendly toiletries

Set expectations and boundaries with visitors

When you’re postpartum, you aren’t going to want to argue with your in-laws’ third cousins about why they can’t come round to visit the baby. So, it can be easier to set expectations and let everyone know what you think you’ll want — this might change, but it can be helpful to set expectations before the baby comes.

For example, you might ask friends who come over to bring freezer meals instead of gifts for the baby, or have a rule that only immediate family can hold your baby for the first few weeks.

Take time for yourself and your partner

Your life is going to look completely different in a matter of weeks, so use this time to do anything fun you won’t be able to do with a newborn or complete any tasks you have been putting off.

Take naps and have lie-ins, go on date nights with your partner, get a haircut or a manicure.

Stay active in this time, too, if you can — the more active you are during pregnancy, the better you will be able to cope during labour, the NHS says.

Extra little tips

• Wash baby clothes and bedding before you use it, to make sure it is clean and to make it less scratchy straight out of the packet. Use non-bio detergent to avoid irritating baby’s skin.
• Stock up on any medicines you or your family need so it’s one less thing to think about in the first few weeks.
• Practice using your pram, car seat, steriliser, etc so that you aren’t having to learn under pressure when the baby comes.
• Draft a birth announcement or text that you/your birth partner can send out to announce the birth.
• Make sure you have enough comfy, stretchy clothes to accommodate your changing, postpartum body, as well as regular changes from spit-up or nappy accidents.