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

A practical, sanity-saving list of what to do before baby comes home for the first time.

Pregnant latin woman assembling a crib for her future child. She is tightening a screw.

Published: January 6, 2026 at 4:42 PM

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Your life looks very different before and after having a baby, whether it’s your first or your fourth. No matter how many antenatal classes you’ve been to, nothing can quite prepare you for those first sleep-deprived weeks.

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But doing a few things in advance, while you’ve still got the time and energy, can make those early days with your newborn much calmer.

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:

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.

A smiling pregnant woman sitting comfortably and planning with a notebook on her lap

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:

For baby:

For your birth partner:

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.

Couple choosing and buying car safety seat for their baby.

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:

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.

baby products, symbols for newborns

For getting around:

For feeding:

For nappy changing and bathing:

For clothing:

Other useful things:

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.

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Extra little tips

Authors

Serafina Kenny journalist headshot

Serafina KennyDigital Journalist

Serafina Kenny is a Digital Journalist at MadeForMums. She writes news and features and has expertise in health, nutrition, relationships, and history. She has previously written for Business Insider, Women's Health, Stylist, Men's Health US, The i Paper, Dazed, and more. You can contact her with tips and story ideas (or compliments!) at serafina.kenny@immediate.co.uk.

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