Your Pregnancy Map: A Checklist of Prenatal Essentials

There are new things to do each month of your pregnancy and a lot of various prenatal care items. With so much to do it can be hard to know when to do what. Our list below covers the practical prenatal care visits with your provider, planning for your financial future, getting the nursery and baby gear ready, and planning your transition back to work again. 

Want to add a bit of fun to each milestone? Sign up for Baby Center to see what fruit or vegetable size your baby is each week. 

Helpful Things To Do Before You’re Pregnant

• Preconception physical
• Ask your relatives about family medical history including birth defects, miscarriages, genetic disorders, and childbirth history
• Start taking prenatal vitamins
• Cut out alcohol, processed foods, and caffeine
• If you’re self employed, apply for a private disability policy 

First Trimester

Weeks 1-4

• Confirm pregnancy
• Share the good news with your partner
• Begin looking for a care provider -- OB, or midwife (hospital, birth center, or home)
• Interview providers and schedule your first visit
• Check your health insurance coverage
  Take care of your body!
  Continue to take prenatal vitamins, consider taking a probiotic, get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, and eat plenty of protein and vegetables.

Weeks 4-8

• Make sure your partner has short and long term disability
• Make financial plans and map out the next year
• Create a budget to start saving if you haven’t already

Weeks 8-12

• Attend your first prenatal care checkup. Hear the heartbeat!
• Decide on genetic testing
• If needed: Chorionic villus sampling
• Nuchal translucency screening (week 10-12)

Second Trimester

Weeks 12-16

• Start planning maternity leave and postpartum work schedule, especially if you’re self-employed.
• Tell your boss about the pregnancy
• Have a prenatal visit with care provider
• Begin to feel better after the first trimester <3

Weeks 16-20

• Start planning nursery and decluttering house to make room for baby gear
• Research childcare options
• Have a prenatal visit with care provider
• 20 week anatomy ultrasound
• If needed: Amniocentesis and triple screen (week 15-18)

Weeks 20-24

• Research and sign up for childbirth education classes
• Prenatal visit with care provider

Weeks 24-28

• Update or write will, including directions for child's inheritance and guardianship
• Purchase life insurance
• Update 401K and retirement account beneficiaries
• Begin interviews with birth doulas
  
  • Let us set up your doula interviews for you! Check out our services page to schedule a consult.
• If returning to work soon after giving birth, start childcare interviews
• Create your baby registry
  
  • Make sure you register for things that you can use as well. Read our blog post: Make Your Baby Registry a Parent Registry Too
• Prenatal visit with care provider

Third Trimester

Weeks 28-32

• Interview pediatricians
  
  • Not sure where to start? Read our guide: Hiring a Pediatrician

• Prepare your “birth preferences”
• Cook and freeze meals for after delivery
• Attend a childbirth education and Breastfeeding Class
• Prenatal visit with care provider
• First visit with birth doula

Weeks 32-36

• Baby shower
• Finish putting nursery together
• Get car seat installed (or ready for taxi)
• Pack hospital bag
  Take the guessing game out! Download our guide: What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag
• Second prenatal visit with birth doulas
• Buy any baby items still needed
• Prenatal visit with your care provider (every other week)
• Group B strep test (week 35-37)
• Take infant CPR class
• Send thank-you notes for gifts (start one week after shower)

Weeks 32-36

• Weekly visits with your care provider
• If needed: Non-stress test
• If needed: biophysical profile
• Rest and stay hydrated
• Last day of work!

Happy Birthing Day!

Month 1

• Pediatrician visit within first week of the birth
• Schedule visits with daytime or overnight postpartum doula