My Third Trimester Checklist

Now that I am in my third trimester of pregnancy, I created this third-trimester checklist list for myself to make sure my house and I are ready for our second baby.

There are so many pregnancy checklists out there! What I did is go through several of them and created one that suited the needs of my personal situation (since everyone is going to be different).

There may be things here that you have not thought of that you will also find helpful!

Take a Lactation Course

Taking a lactation course will help set you up for success if you are hoping to breastfeed! I did not realize how important and HELPFUL it is to speak to a lactation consultant when I had my first baby. I thought it would just come naturally and I would just figure it out. YEAH RIGHT.

It was really hard in the beginning, and looking back this is something that I wish I did personally with my first. I would have been WAY better prepared and my breastfeeding would have gone a lot more smoothly.

Since getting pregnant I have been reading and watching a ton of videos and breastfeeding but taking a course is something I would definitely recommend especially if it is your first baby.

Read Books on Newborn Care

If you are a first-time parent, this is especially beneficial! There are so many books out there from basic care to establishing a routine, to childhood development. You may not agree with all the information but my advice is to take the good and leave whatever does not resonate with you. Knowledge really is power and it’s especially helpful when raising children!

These are a few of my favorite parenting books:

Learn About Baby Routines & Sleep

This is so important and something I wish I had done with my first!! I knew nothing about sleep and wake windows, or about baby overstimulation and it really affected our sleep not just during the day but at night as well.

There are different books that you can read on this, and these are just two that I liked personally:

*Keep in mind that there won’t be any set schedule or routine for the first couple of weeks but you can slowly begin implementing one after that.

Organize Baby Clothing and Essentials

Many new moms try to get the nursery set up before the baby comes, and honestly, you do what works best for you! Caleb slept in our room for the first six months and we did not have his nursery completely set up when he came (so it’s totally okay to not have it completely finished!). I just made sure that we had all of his clothing and baby items organized so that I could easily access whatever I need.

Set Up Bassinet

Having baby sleep in a bassinet in your room is the safest way for a baby to sleep according to the AAP infant sleep guidelines. So if that is something you are planning to do, having a bassinet set up and the sheet washed is a good thing to do in advance too.

Sterilize Baby Bottles and Pacifiers

If you plan on bottle feeding and/ or using a pacifier, this is something really good to do before the baby comes. That way everything is ready to go when you need it.

Buy Formula

Even if you plan on breastfeeding, you never know what that journey may look like for you, and sometimes supplementing formula is just something you have to do if your baby is not gaining enough weight.

Order a Breast Pump

You may or may not already know this, but many health insurances cover or let you rent a breast pump. Before purchasing one, I would recommend finding out from your insurance if you wish to save money.

Purchase Breastfeeding Essentials

This may include:

nursing pads
nipple butter
lactation products
haakaa
nursing pillow
nursing bras
milk storage bags

Buy Postpartum Care Essentials

This includes all of the essential care items that you will need for “down there” after giving birth. A lot of the items your hospital will provide but there are other things that you may want to get as well. Be sure to check out my post on my favorite postpartum essentials!

Stock Up on Postpartum Health Supplies

While you are planning and preparing for the new baby, don’t forget to make sure you have everything you may need for yourself during the postpartum period. This includes any vitamins or lactation products, extra electrolytes, healthy snacks for your nightstand, etc.

Purchase Comfortable Loungewear and Nursing-Friendly Outfits

Since after giving birth you will mostly be at home for the first little while, it is a good idea to invest in some loungewear and comfortable nursing-friendly outfits. Having some nice loungewear or at-home outfits will really make you feel more put together even if you are just hanging out at home all day with your newborn.

Check out my post on my favorite Amazon Postpartum Essentials for some cute and affordable postpartum loungewear!

Organize a Postpartum Cart

A postpartum cart will be VERY HELPFUL to have either in your bathrooms or next to your bed. I have personally replaced my nightstand with a 3-tier cart and organized baby essentials and clothing that I may need during the night as well as any postpartum/breastfeeding items I may need as well. It just makes things so much more convenient!!

Prepare Freezer Meals

I had barely enough time to take a shower the first couple of weeks let alone make a meal from scratch. That is why this really helped me out a TON! I also live right next to my parents and in-laws which was really helpful since they would drop off food as well, but if you don’t, preparing some freezer meals will really save you!

Stock the Pantry

Going to the store with a little one can be challenging. Luckily there are so many delivery services that can bring you groceries! However, it can be really helpful to have the pantry already stocked with things you may want or need during those first several weeks like healthy snacks and drinks that you can reach for.

This may also include making sure you have all the household supplies you may need during that time so that you don’t have to worry about it (toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning sprays, etc).

Deep Clean the House

If you thrive in a clean home like me, getting your house deep cleaned before the baby will be really helpful since you won’t be able to get much cleaning done in the beginning.

Ask for help from either your partner or family/friends, or if you can have a professional company come out and deep clean your home.

Wash Bedding

I love having my bedding washed whenever we leave for a trip so that I can come to crisp clean sheets. But it’s even nicer after coming home from the hospital to have clean bedding.

If you are having your baby vaginally and not induced, you obviously never know when you will end up giving birth. However, your body will most likely give you signals that it will be going into labor soon, so that’s when you will want to do this.

Clean Car

Having my car cleaned before the baby came was so nice! Even though you may not go out much, there are those doctor appointments, and having a clean car to welcome the baby in just feels right! It’s also another thing that just makes you feel a little bit more put together.

Install Carseat & Mirror

You won’t be able to leave the hospital without getting the car seat properly installed so this is obviously something good to do a couple of weeks before your due date! You will also want to install a mirror too so that you can see your baby if you are driving.

Download a Newborn App

When your newborn comes, it may seem like all you are doing is feeding and changing their diaper. So having a newborn app that allows you to track when and how much you last fed your baby will be a life changer! It can also help you track wet and dirty diapers (you will need this for your baby’s check-up appointments).

-Nara Baby Tracker (free)

-Ovia Parenting & Baby Tracker (free)

-Baby Feed Timer (free & paid)

-Baby Connect (free)

-Baby Tracker – Newborn Log (free & paid)

Create a Labor Playlist

You may or may not end up using a labor playlist but it is definitely something worth making if you think you might want music to help create an atmosphere during your labor.

Pack Hospital Bag

If you are a minimalist, know that you pretty much get (almost) everything you need from the hospital (except maybe a going-home outfit for the baby, and personal hygiene items). You don’t really need a whole lot. However, if there are things that you feel will make your stay at the hospital more comfortable, having your hospital bag packed and ready to go after week 37 will be helpful.

Take Care of Credit Cards and Reoccurring Payments

Taking care of reoccurring payments may not be something you think about when getting ready for the baby, but “mom brain” is real during the postpartum period. You may forget what day of the week it is let alone when each payment is due. That is why it’s a really good idea to get these payments out of the way in advance so that it is one less thing for you to worry about!

Find a Pediatrician

Newborn appointments begin right away, and having a pediatrician you trust and like is important! What I did was go on my insurance provider list and look up the different pediatricians to find one that you think you will like.

I ended up switching mine a couple of times until I found one that worked well for us. So even if you pick a pediatrician don’t ever feel like you can’t switch to someone else if you feel like you are not being taken seriously or listened to.

Create a Plan for Pets and/or Siblings

This is another important one to do in advance so that you are not stressing out at the last minute! If you have other children at home, or a pet, figure out who can watch them for a couple of days while you are away.

Organize Postpartum Help

This is something I wish I had done with my first. I assumed that since I had a lot of family members, I would have a lot of help too! We did get plenty of help with meals but I wish I had asked ahead of time if someone was able to come at least once a week and watch my baby while I did some chores or took a shower. You can definitely ask for help once the baby arrives, but having things figured out ahead of time (especially if there are other children) really helps!

Try to figure out what you will need help with during those first several weeks, whether that is with meals, taking care of other children, cleaning, taking care of a pet, etc. Then try to find people who are willing to help out and make a schedule in advance.

Caleb will only be 1 year and 9 months when I give birth so I will definitely need some help taking care of him during the first couple of weeks. I am lucky to have my siblings and my husband’s siblings who are willing to help out so I am making a schedule of who will be watching him and when.