I am officially 36 weeks along (can’t wait to share recent bump shots with you soon!), and I’m finally starting to feel the time crunch weighing heavily on my shoulders! While I hope that Baby H stays cooking until his/her due date, realistically I know that D-Day could happen at any point. Crazy!
My usual method for dealing with deadlines is making to-do lists. So, of course, a little while back I made Mr. H sit down with me and map out exactly what needed to be done – everything from nursery projects to getting ready for the hospital and everything in between!
While we have whittled down the list quite a bit, we still have the following things to get done:
- Finish making crib sheets (I’ve been DIY’ing these and have 3 of 4 done!)
- Finish making nursing cover (another DIY!)
- Wash all baby clothes, blankets and sheets
- Arrange with one set of friends to watch our pup Charlie when I go into labor, have another set of friends as backup
- Decide which friends I will call if I go into labor and Mr. H is working
- Write up birth plan for hospital
- Pack hospital bag
- Stock kitchen with plenty of food (check out my Food Planning post)
- Buy treats to give to the nurses
- Compile playlist on iPod for hospital
- Download any movies or books for hospital entertainment on the iPad
- Buy any essential items not received from registry (our second shower is this weekend!)
- Get carpet cleaned in the house (haven’t done this since we moved in)
- Write thank you notes for shower gifts
Reviewing this again, I am feeling better and better about getting everything accomplished! In the past few weeks we have gotten a lot accomplished. And, it feels great to cross things off the list. Of course, this doesn’t include the 18 million things I need to get done at work before going on maternity leave (preparing for 3 months out of the office is daunting!), but I’m definitely feeling better prepared at home.
How do you handle getting everything done before baby’s arrival?
squash / 13199 posts
I also made a list of things to do, and I am 37 weeks and mostly everything is done now. Just waiting to order my cloth diaper stash and also waiting for a few last minute orders to come in the mail.
blogger / pomegranate / 3201 posts
I’ve had a running to do list for a while now and things get crossed off, but other things also get added each day. I’m pretty sure there’s no way for everything to be totally done, but luckily we’ll have lots of help after baby TTT is born, so I know it will be ok. Some of the things on my current list are: organize pantry, stock up on frozen food, get my eyebrows waxed (it’s been soooo long), pack the dogs’ bag for when they stay at our friends’ house, print birth plans (they’re written, but I still need to print copies on colored paper), and more cleaning and organizing that just never ends! We also plan to have someone come clean the house while we’re in the hospital – we know a lady who we call a few times a year – so we can come home to a sparkling clean home.
clementine / 878 posts
By panicking?
I have a to-do list along with the calling list and packing list. At 32 weeks, I’ve started gathering items for my hospital bag.
My main shower isn’t until I’m 36 weeks, so I’m definitely a little concerned about having enought time to buy the remaining “needed” items before labor.
grapefruit / 4400 posts
Do the treats/cookies for the nurses help? I wonder if they get too many of them from moms-to-be and it doesn’t butter them up as much.
blogger / apricot / 366 posts
@HabesBabe: I assume that it can’t hurt
@Goldilocks1107: Don’t worry! We just had our big shower at 36 weeks and today I just bought all of the other things that I think are necessities that we didn’t receive. Anything you need can always be ordered online!
honeydew / 7968 posts
for me, the 3 big things to get done were packing my hospital bag, getting all the big ticket items, and washing all the baby items. check, check and check. still waiting for the cribs but since we’re not setting them up until after we move, don’t really need them right now.
for now, just waiting for d-day. hoping i didn’t forget anything important.
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
I always just figured if it didn’t get done, oh well. As long as we had the car seat in the car and ready to go, we’d be fine.
Some things that might help cut down your list- We have 3 crib sheets and we really only need two. So if you felt comfortable with less then I would just stop where you are. 3 is plenty! Also, we had no time to just relax and watch tv in the hospital. If I did have any free time, I would spend it sleeping.
pomegranate / 3053 posts
Hmm…good idea about treats for the nurses. I never heard of that. That’s great that you’re preparing early. I’m 39 weeks and it’s been so hard to get around preparing stuff. I’m almost about to just wing it b/c I’m too heavy and tired to think about doing anything else now…but I’m still on my toes busy with my almost 3-year-old.
grapefruit / 4671 posts
Gosh, your list makes me feel so behind. I’m almost 29 weeks and I haven’t bought or done a single thing. Nada.
GOLD / apricot / 341 posts
I agree with @artbee, you could definitely strike iPad entertainment off your list for the hospital. There really is no down-time until you go home…
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I disagree about striking the iPad for movies…there were some nights I totally could have used a little distraction. I remember specifically that my days and nights were mixed up and i was wide awake during the night after napping all day.
GOLD / pomelo / 5167 posts
For my first, I had bought my laptop (seeing I didn’t have an ipad) but trust me the iPad is the FIRST thing I will put on my to-bring list.
I hope you get everything done before bebe arrives! For my first I even had 1 extra week (he was late… little bugger!
nectarine / 2192 posts
Great ideas!