Pre-baby checklist - what's on yours?

[Deleted]

I was at the doctor this morning and he told me that in 3 weeks he wanted me back for the glucose test (28 weeks), then after that I would be seeing him every 2 weeks until I hit 36 weeks. After 36 weeks he wants me to come in once a week until I go into labor. It suddenly hit me that this baby will be here before I know it! I feel like we've done a lot already to prepare, but somehow there is still so much left to do before the baby comes! 

Some of the stuff on our list includes: meeting with two potential pediatricians, ordering the stroller/travel system, finishing the nursery, and cleaning out the cluttered closets in our house. 

So what have you all done so far to prepare? What do you still have left to do?

[bendherova]

only thing I've done to prepare is to buy a new infant car seat bc it was a deal and have asked my landlord if it's ok that we have a 4th occupant in our apartment. Landlord forced that issue bc it's lease renewal time.


I still have somewhere between 110-120 days before LO arrives. April and May will be busy. (STM)

We need to reorganize furniture in our master br and set up the crib, donate a bunch of stuff we aren't using to make room for the rearrangement, and buy a new dresser for DS2's clothes.

I need to go through and wash the clothing I saved from DS1, also.

Get some diapers and new pacis and bottle parts and we're on our way.

[mrsdee1982]

I was just telling DH last night how overwhelmed I feel all of the sudden. We still have so much to do and we are running out of time to get it all done.

We have to:

Find a pediatrician
Figure out a daycare/home care situation
Get all the things (car seat, stroller, clothing, etc…) and set them up
Get the office cleaned out
Paint the dresser
Set up the nursery
Take the classes
Pack our hospital bags
Research birth plans, birthing tools, techniques
Get freezer meals ready
Get our house clean and organized and de-cluttered

SO MUCH STUFF!!! 14 weeks left to do it all.

[Deleted]

mrsdee1982 you reminded me that we still have to do the classes and schedule our hospital tour! so many things to do!!

[lalamomma]

I'm in the middle of a cross country move plan (I'll move in a few weeks) so I won't really have a nursery for awhile because of some fun stuff, so I'm not buying a lot until I get moved and settled. A friend gave us a lot of clothes but I'll do the shopping for the rest once I'm settled.
I just found a new doctor, new hospital and now I need a new pediatrician too. SO much on our list right now!

[jcprn]

These posts stress me out! So far my registry is done and my shower is scheduled for the end of March. We got our nursery furniture (crib, changing table, dressers, and glider/ottoman). I've already accepted a day shift position in a couple weeks on a different unit at work because it'll be better for childcare once my maternity leave is over. Things left to do:

Finding a pediatrician
Buying all the things we don't get from the shower, including all the cloth diapers
Need to figure out how to order my breast pump and have my insurance cover it
Hospital preregistration
Hospital tour
Classes so I know what the heck I'm doing when LO comes
Freezer meals (thanks for the reminder mrsdee1982)
Talk to HR and see what I need to do for maternity leave
Completing the nursery is big on our list because there's so much to do. Currently looks like this:

Yikes!

[belle0720]

Some things on our list really aren't necessary for baby to come home, but they're on our to-do list of things we want done before she gets here since we know it will be harder to tackle house projects with a newborn:

-For the nursery we still need to put up the wall décor and paint her armoire.
-Get new bedroom closet doors
-Have the outside of the house painted
-After the shower, purchase anything left that's important (assuming we'll get most of the baby essentials at the shower, so I'm glad we're doing the shower 2 months out so we should have plenty of time to finish getting everything even if baby decided to come early)
-Childbirth prep class & hospital tour (which we're supposed to do in the 3rd trimester, so I'm planning to schedule those when I go to the doctor tomorrow)
-Get breast pump through insurance (have to figure that out)
-Prep baby clothes and diapers (we're doing cloth)
-Pack hospital bags
-Prep some freezer meals

With almost 4 months to go (and since I'll have 4 weeks off prior to my due date) I feel like we've got plenty of time and I haven't wanted to do too much baby shopping until after the shower anyways.

[Widget123]

There are a lot of great getting ready for checklists available online, in apps, even on the dump that I was all over when I was getting ready for DD. This time, ehhh. Most of the stuff I want to do to get ready is actually related to DD (in hopes of making life a little easier when LO arrives).

1. I've been all over DH every weekend on specific tasks to do to get LO's room ready. But I know LO will not likely sleep in his room anytime soon (will be in our room in the rock n play or arm's reach co-sleeper), its just more of having an organized place for some of his stuff and being able to move the crib out of DD's room to make room for a big girl bed. I also want to move the large espresso dresser out of DD's room and switch it with two smaller white dressers. DD always hated the crib (and toddler beds when visiting my parents... I think she doesn't like the crib size mattress and being confined to sleep in a small space), unfortunately still sleeps in our bed, so I am going to try to transition her to her own twin mattress (probably first on the floor) before LO is born, although I'm not sure how successful I am going to be.

2. Getting bottles and pump-related stuff ready and finally getting DD to drop her right before bed and first thing when she wakes up bottles. DH and I want to avoid two kids drinking out of bottles at the same time. DD's pediatrician suggested gradually adding water to the bottle (and I've read that method in other places) but DH has been completely against that method so he has been a detriment to the process. DH is supposedly going on a two week long business trip in April, so I might have to do it while he's gone. I don't want to go cold turkey; DD is crazy enough as it is. And we try to brush her teeth after her night bottle, so that lessens the effects at least. It would be nice if she got used to the teeth brushing without throwing a fit before LO comes as well.

3. Getting diapering and bath stuff ready and trying to get DD potty trained (to avoid two kids in diapers at the same time). I know DD is young but I didn't realize how ambitious this one was when we started. Now that we are a month in DD is doing pretty well with peeing in the potty at daycare, at least 50% of the time. At home she will usually pee in the potty immediately when she wakes up and immediately she goes to bed, but sometimes it is hard to convince her to go any other time. Getting her to poop in the potty at either location has been difficult. I feel fairly confident if we waited until DD is older the process would go quicker and easier, but we are willing to stick it out in hopes DD will be at least close to being fully potty trained when LO arrives.

4. Other miscellaneous things like cleaning DD's old baby items like rock n play and car seat, organizing clothes, buying a few new things like more masculine swaddle blankets, etc.

5. Officially security a spot for LO at a temporary, more expensive daycare for this fall to attend until we are off the waiting list for DD's daycare.

6. Officially convincing DH to drop the idea of naming LO after his father and brother. I will never agree to it and I'm sick of hearing about it. I think he knows in his head that LO will not have that name but just continues to use it to annoy me. I would feel more connected to the baby if we all just started using one name that I approve of.

I think that's it? Yikes, it actually sounds like a lot.

[wormgerm]

Reading these made my body start to panic.
-clean out nursery
-clean out our room
-get floors refinished
-paint
-find a pediatrician (seriously made me panic again just typing it)
-choose/sign up/take classes
-find a dresser, rug, and other storage
-finish the registry

[mcp6286]

We have to:
Finish buying whatever we don't get at the shower and put it all together
Find a pediatrician
Interview nannies (but first figure out what the hell I want to do for work come Sept!)
Decide whether I want to take classes while I'm home this summer
Set up the nursery - we've got the crib and dresser but that's it!
Hospital tour/Pack our hospital bags/schedule c-section
Get freezer meals ready

I'm a little scared that there's only about 15.5 weeks left to do it!

[Deleted]

Feb 25, 2015 11:48:04 GMT -5 @demanda88 said:

After I realized that we get a 15% registry completion discount on Amazon, with Amazon Mom, I will not be buying anything else for the baby until we're at least within 60 days of our due date, but realistically we'll probably wait until we're within 3-4 weeks. That way I can wait to see what family/friends end up getting for us and not duplicate things. We still have a few bigger items to buy like the Baby Bjorn, Pack N Play, and Monitor and while I think these are things my family will end up buying, if they don't, it would be nice to have a 15% discount on them!

I'm waiting until after my shower for the same reason. But I think (and I could be wrong) that the completion discount is a one time deal. Meaning you have to buy everything in one shot, you can't just start buying things here and there... I can buy the little things as we go along, but I want the discount for the more expensive stuff that we might not receive as gifts.

[billyhorrible]

Since this is #2 I've got the big things covered - so furniture, stroller, carseat, pediatrician, etc.

What I have left:
- Contact and tour daycares
- Finish LBB's room (this week. I just need to get drapery and DH is putting the bed together tonight)
- Hang the prints piled in our room that we haven't hung yet, because I know once baby is here it will never get done.
- Hang the tv in our bedroom (see above)
- Things to buy for the baby's room: crib sheets, changing pad cover, coverlet for the guest bed, crib skirt for the guest bed pillows for the guest bed, buy and hang the prints, throw pilloow for the glider, sheers, baby monitor.
- Paint knobs for the baby's dresser
- steam the glider
- make the mobile

[Deleted]

I was just looking at mine yesterday. Believe it or not, this is already with a lot accomplished!

Baby To Do List:

Clear out nursery
Order dresser
Order nursery rug
Order glider/ottoman
Pick nursery paint color
Nursery decor
Schedule nursery painting
Fix door locks
Finish Buy Buy Baby registry
Finish Baby Bliss registry
Research/buy baby monitor
Register for baby basics class
Research cord blood registry
Get prescription for Medela breast pump from Dr. (7months- ordered through care centrix -takes 7 -10 business days to arrive)
Research pediatrician
Find church/baptism
Preliminary nanny research
Copy of house keys
Buy delivery bag for hospital

[erbear]

Registering for hospital classes
Finishing the nursery (adding a fan, getting curtains- small things!)
Two baby showers in May
Washing clothes and blankets
Spending lots of quality time with H!

There's likely a lot more. That's about all I can handle now!

[ThePalindromicOne]

Checklist you say? I should probably make one of those... half kidding, I have a running list in my head and periodically checking things off but I should probably write something down.

[andreap525]

I'm a sweep-it-under-the-rug kinda gal, so I'm walking away from this thread now. Nope, nothing to see here. Definitely don't have EVERYTHING to do still........

[tulips114]

I have done nothing.

I plan to go through all our boxed up clothes and pull out the gender neutral stuff.

Buy some baby boy clothes.

Pull out & set up the PNP and sheets.

Wash all the baby laundry.

Buy new pump tubes and accessories.

Buy new pacifiers and bottle nipples.

I think that's all.

ETA - we aren't setting up a nursery yet. DD2 is still in the crib and we will probably move her around the end of the year to a big bed. That's when we'll set up this babies room. Until then he's in the PNP with us.

But I thought of some more.

Pack hospital bag, but that won't happen for a while.

Wash car seat cover.

Buy a new car.

[Deleted]

We "need" to paint the nursery put up the nursery art, curtains, and new blinds. Aside from those not necessary needs, we need diapers, bottles, and wipes. That's about it. Also need to put the fourth seat back into DH's car and get the car seat bases properly installed in both of our cars. Some days I feel like I'm ahead of the game and others I feel like there isn't enough time.

[MisDawnD]

Feb 25, 2015 11:07:18 GMT -5 jcprn said:

These posts stress me out! So far my registry is done and my shower is scheduled for the end of March. We got our nursery furniture (crib, changing table, dressers, and glider/ottoman). I've already accepted a day shift position in a couple weeks on a different unit at work because it'll be better for childcare once my maternity leave is over. Things left to do:

Finding a pediatrician
Buying all the things we don't get from the shower, including all the cloth diapers
Need to figure out how to order my breast pump and have my insurance cover it
Hospital preregistration
Hospital tour
Classes so I know what the heck I'm doing when LO comes
Freezer meals (thanks for the reminder mrsdee1982)
Talk to HR and see what I need to do for maternity leave
Completing the nursery is big on our list because there's so much to do. Currently looks like this:

Yikes!

I will be glad to email you the name of the lady /company that processed my breastpump. I emailed her my insurance member ID and she sent me my options. The medela pump in style was fully covered and I sent her my address and she mailed it out to me rhe next day. She said I can pass on her info if I'd like. It was the easiest thing I've done so far.

[jcprn]

Feb 25, 2015 14:12:33 GMT -5 MisDawnD said:

Feb 25, 2015 11:07:18 GMT -5 jcprn said:

These posts stress me out! So far my registry is done and my shower is scheduled for the end of March. We got our nursery furniture (crib, changing table, dressers, and glider/ottoman). I've already accepted a day shift position in a couple weeks on a different unit at work because it'll be better for childcare once my maternity leave is over. Things left to do:

Finding a pediatrician
Buying all the things we don't get from the shower, including all the cloth diapers
Need to figure out how to order my breast pump and have my insurance cover it
Hospital preregistration
Hospital tour
Classes so I know what the heck I'm doing when LO comes
Freezer meals (thanks for the reminder mrsdee1982)
Talk to HR and see what I need to do for maternity leave
Completing the nursery is big on our list because there's so much to do. Currently looks like this:

Yikes!

I will be glad to email you the name of the lady /company that processed my breastpump. I emailed her my insurance member ID and she sent me my options. The medela pump in style was fully covered and I sent her my address and she mailed it out to me rhe next day. She said I can pass on her info if I'd like. It was the easiest thing I've done so far.

I would appreciate that. After I posted this this morning I sent a message to my insurance to see if they could shed some light on it for me but who knows when they'll respond.

[mrsmonogrammed]

I feeling generally accomplished, but there's still lots to do!

-research more on BFing and CDing
-start CD stash (already have 1 and some inserts-look into more brands)
-Hang up nursery decor (waiting in glider and crib beddin to be delivered)
-Decide on and order pump through insurance (babies r us has a # to call and they do all the leg work for you!! It's been amazing so far)
-register for some sort of birthing class (already scheduled a hosp tour)
-washing all of LO's clothes and diapers before she arrives

Not panicking yet but I can see it happening during my "nesting" phase;)

[tiffbot]

DS is just 20 months next week, so baby stuff isn't an issue right now. We bought a double stroller and a couple carriers.
My biggest focus right now is turning our extra room upstairs into DS's new room. We bought a mattress and bed this month, and on Sunday my brother is coming over to help H set the bed up. We still need to buy him a comforter and sheets, so that's my March goal (in an effort to spread the expenses out). I need to clean out the closet in that room of our random storage stuff and find new places for it, but it shouldn't be too bad. Apparently in a sheer planning ahead genius move before I even got pregnant, all the hand me downs/gift clothing that is too big for him right now I already organized in the extra dresser that is in that room so I don't have to worry about too much about reorganizing his clothes when baby clothes go back in the nursery!
I'm not in a huge rush and don't want to push him into that room until he's ready for a bed, but I would like it done so whenever that day seems right it's ready to go and he can move in.

[mrskblack11]

To Do:

Clean out/organize the garage
Decorate the guest bedroom
Decorate the nursery
Buy essentials from registry that we don't receive at shower
Find a pediatrician
Take breastfeeding class
Order breast pump (I already got the how to info from my insurance)
Hospital tour

My mind is blanking. Hopefully that is all.

[laurenlou83]

To do:

-Get breast pump. Already contacted insurance, just have to actually start the process
-Put together crib that we purchased
-hospital tour, birthing class and breastfeeding class. I've registered for all, but they are not until end of March/April
-Find a Pediatrician. I have it narrowed down to 2 practices, just need to call and talk to them about insurance and how their office runs
-Hang up nursery decor
-Buy any essentials we don't receive at our shower
-Pack hospital bag

I have already:
-Finished registering
-Planned trips/travel for baby showers (both our of town for us)
-Washed and hung all the clothes we have bought and the hand-me-downs
-Put deposit down for daycare
-Contacted the company our STD is through to get details and how to start a claim come June

[noeliav]

Um. Let's see.
1) Secure waiver from insurance company to have birth center be "in network."
2) Name baby
3) Wash newborn clothes
4) Wash bottles/nipples/other breastfeeding items
5) Cook some freezer meals

A STM+ list is way shorter than a FTM

[MisDawnD]

Feb 25, 2015 14:36:52 GMT -5 jcprn said:

Feb 25, 2015 14:12:33 GMT -5 MisDawnD said:

I will be glad to email you the name of the lady /company that processed my breastpump. I emailed her my insurance member ID and she sent me my options. The medela pump in style was fully covered and I sent her my address and she mailed it out to me rhe next day. She said I can pass on her info if I'd like. It was the easiest thing I've done so far.

I would appreciate that. After I posted this this morning I sent a message to my insurance to see if they could shed some light on it for me but who knows when they'll respond.

I just messaged you the contact info. Hope they give you some good news.

[noeliav]

Oh yeah. Figure out what we want to do for daycare. LOL. Should probably get that on The List.

[maddib]

Oh just thinking about this sends me into panic mode. We have to get the basement room fixed for DS which includes dry wall for the while room(room is huge!!) and carpet, then sand paint walls move all his stuff down there. Then paint his old room for the nursery. Have absolutely no nursery furniture yet and barely any clothes. Still have to buy a car seat and stroller.. Then re do my DDs room so she doesn't feel left out.. I have to train my step mom on how to care for my DD because she is the only one willing to learn and I have to have a back up fully medically trained in order to get 24 hour nursing for DD when this little one is born. I am dreading everything we have to do. When we found out we were pregnant we were all like oh nine months! We have plenty of time.. Now that we only have about three or so I am in full panic mode.

[mrsdee1982]

Ugh, I forgot the following items:

Get life insurance for DH and I
Figure out a guardian situation (god forbid)
Put together a will

[wegrowsheep]

*Get car seat (Chicco in Rainfall)
*Get car that holds all three kids in their booster+convertible+infant seats.
*Sell mtn buggy duo and get single jogging stroller of some sort.
*