Getting your home ready for the first weeks, a gentle checklist.
The best time to prepare for the early weeks is before the baby arrives, while you still have some energy. You do not need to do everything. Choose the few things that will make the biggest difference.
Food
- Cook and freeze a few meals, or ask friends and family to bring meals after the birth.
- Stock simple foods and snacks you can eat one-handed.
- Save the numbers or apps of a few places that deliver food.
- Fill a water bottle for the places where you will feed and rest.
A place to rest
- Set up a comfortable spot with cushions, a blanket and a good light.
- Keep a basket nearby with a phone charger, snacks, water, tissues and anything else you reach for often.
- Think about where you will rest during the day, so you can lie down when you can.
The house
- Wash the baby's first clothes and bedding ahead of time.
- Do not aim for a perfect house. Aim for one clean kitchen and one clear place to sit.
- Arrange for groceries or household shopping to be delivered if you can.
- Make a plan for laundry, even if that plan is "someone else does it".
People and help
- Write a short help list of small jobs, and decide who you will ask for each.
- Agree who can stay, for how long and on which days, as in the helper checklist.
- Choose a person who will answer messages and share news, so you do not have to.
- Decide your visiting rules in advance, such as short visits, hand-washing and bringing food. See how to ask for help.
Contacts to keep close
- The phone numbers of your doctor, midwife or clinic.
- Your local emergency number.
- A friend or family member you can call at any hour.
- Your hospital or birth centre details and anything you need to take there.
Be kind to yourself
No list covers everything, and no house is ready for how it feels. The aim is simply to remove a few worries, so there is more room to rest and to enjoy your baby. If family is far away, ThinkMoms can connect you with experienced mothers who are paid to show up, and with a community of mothers who understand.
Common questions
When should I start preparing my home for the first weeks?
Many mothers start a few weeks before the due date, while they still have energy. Focus on food, a place to rest and a list of people who can help.
What matters most to prepare?
Meals you do not have to cook, a comfortable place to rest, and a clear plan for who helps with what. Everything else can wait.
Come just as you are
You do not have to do the early weeks alone. Join ThinkMoms and let us stay with you at every step.
Join ThinkMoms, it's freeThis page is general information, not medical advice. If you are worried about your health or your baby's health, please speak to your doctor, midwife or local emergency service.