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You’ve made it through the first trimester and flown through the second— Welcome to the third trimester of pregnancy!
With baby’s arrival right around the corner, this final stage is all about wrapping things up and preparing to meet your adorable new baby.
Related: First Trimester Checklist
Related: Second Trimester Checklist
Third trimester checklist (at a glance)
- Sign up for a childbirth class
- Prepare for breastfeeding
- Pack your hospital bag
- Make a shopping list
- Stock up on household items
- Wash baby’s clothes and linens
- Sterilize baby bottles/breast pump
- Prepare for postpartum recovery
- Declutter, clean, and organize
- Prep meals for later
- Install baby’s car seat
- Get serious about baby names
- Download a contraction tracker
- Wrap up maternity leave plans
- Make plans for your other children and/or pets
- Choose a pediatrician
16 Tasks to check off your 3rd trimester to-do list
1. Sign up for a childbirth class
The first task to check off your list? Consider taking a prenatal class.
👉 I recommend taking THIS virtual childbirth class.
You’ll learn everything from pain management to newborn care without having to change out of your comfy clothes and leave your home.
2. Prepare for breastfeeding
Next, if you plan to breastfeed, you’ll need a few breastfeeding must-haves.
Things like…
- Nursing bras
- Nursing pillow
- Nursing pads
- Breast pump
- Nipple cream (Don’t forget this!)
Also set aside some time to read up on the best breastfeeding tips for getting a good latch, etc. This can be tricky as a new mom.
3. Pack your hospital bag
Make sure your hospital bag is all packed and ready to go.
(Don’t forget baby’s homecoming outfit)
The third trimester can be unpredictable. Sometimes baby shows up 2 weeks before your due date. Sometimes it’s a few days after.
Once your bags are packed, keep them close by just in case!
Prepping for a c-section? Here’s what to pack.
4. Make a third trimester shopping list
Do you have everything you need for baby?
If not, this is the perfect time to make a list of the last-minute baby items you need to purchase.
A few baby items you may have forgotten about:
- Cotton swabs and alcohol for umbilical care
- Gas relief drops
- Diaper rash ointment
- A baby book!
5. Stock up on household items
Additionally, since you won’t be going grocery shopping for a little while, it’s also a good idea to add extra household items to your list.
Think about the things you typically have to make a quick trip to the store for.
Things like dishwashing liquid, toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, laundry detergent, etc.
6. Wash baby’s clothes and linens
Speaking of laundry detergent– Do you have baby’s clothes all clean and ready?
At the bare minimum, you’ll need to have a few blankets, burp cloths, and at least 2 clean sheets ready.
Related: 12 Easy Nursery Organization Ideas
7. Sterilize baby bottles/breast pump
As far as washing and cleaning goes…
Sterilize all baby bottles, pacifiers, and also your breast pump + accessories if you plan to use one.
8. Prepare for postpartum recovery
Have you picked up the essentials you’ll need for recovery?
You’ll definitely want to have enough maternity/heavy flow pads to last and comfy clothes (including high waisted underwear if you’re having a c-section) to wear.
Related: C-Section Recovery Tips + Essentials
9. Declutter, clean, and organize!
That urge to clean and organize like a madwoman? They call it nesting.
Your third trimester is the perfect time to finally clean your messy house and finish organizing allll the baby clothes, products, and more. Just don’t overdo it! 🙂
10. Prep meals for later
Next, prep some meals now so that you won’t have to stress over dinner later.
Cooking probably won’t be on your radar while you’re adjusting to life with a newborn. And fast food will drain your wallet in a hurry.
There are endless inexpensive and delicious make ahead meals that will make your life much easier while you’re recovering.
11. Install baby’s car seat
I highly recommend installing baby’s car seat way before it’s time to head to the hospital.
That way, you can strap baby in and head home right away after you’ve been released.
Don’t forget to assemble the rest of your baby gear (and learn how to use it) while you’re at it!
12. Get serious about baby names
Have you decided on baby’s name yet?
If you already have the perfect name pick out, that’s great! But if you haven’t, time to start narrowing down your options. 🙂
13. Download a contraction tracker app
A contraction tracker app will help you keep track of your contractions so you’ll know exactly when/if you should head to the hospital.
Very useful to have in your third trimester!
14. Wrap up maternity leave plans
And, of course, wrap up allll maternity plans.
Do you plan on returning to work? Are you considering NOT going back to work at all?
(If you are planning on transitioning to a stay-at-home mom, these are my best SAHM tips— 📌 Pin them for later!)
Let your employer know about your plans if you haven’t already. And if you’re already a SAHM, that’s one less thing to worry about! 🙂
15. Make plans for your other children and/or pets
If you have other children or you’re a pet parent, you’ll need to make plans for them as well.
Who will care for them while you’re in the hospital? What about while you’re recovering?
16. Choose a pediatrician
Finally, select a pediatrician for your new baby.
If this is your first child, don’t fret. You can do the majority (if not all) of your research on Google and Facebook.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask around if you have friends or family with younger kids.
Third trimester checklist printable
Don’t head out without a printable third trimester checklist!
Check things off as you complete them, add additional to-do’s if you need to, or use the blank version and personalize your to-do list from scratch. 🙂
Printable Third Trimester Checklist
Help other mamas out by pinning!
1 Comment
So many great tips for the third trimester, thanks for sharing. I am pregnant with my first and just beginning the third trimester. We have only done two things on your list… we better get moving lol!