Weeks 30 to 36: a two-week-at-a-time plan
Everything that has to be ready before birth, broken into small weeks so none of it lands at once.

The last stretch feels like a long list because it is usually written as one. Split across three fortnights it is about four decisions a week.
Weeks 30–32: decide, do not buy
- Choose your hospital and the route there at two times of day.
- Write down who is driving, and the backup.
- Pick your own clothing sizes — one size up from usual.
- Choose newborn size 0–3M and how many pieces.
Weeks 32–34: buy and wash
Order clothing now so there is time to exchange a size. Wash everything newborn once, fold it into one drawer, and do not add to it. This is also the fortnight to pack the hospital bag while standing is still easy.
Ready by week 34
Nothing on the list needs to be perfect. It needs to be findable by somebody who is not you.
Weeks 34–36: hand it over
Show one other person where the bag is, where the newborn drawer is, and where the documents are. Write the hospital address and your doctor’s number on paper and put it on the fridge. Then let the last weeks be slow.
Late-pregnancy comfort
More from the journal

Feeding at 3am: setting up so it is easier
Night feeds are not a problem to solve. They are a routine to make shorter and warmer.
Read guide
Newborn sizes, without the guesswork
Why 0–3M is almost always the right first buy, and how to read a label in ten seconds.
Read guide
How to wash newborn clothes (and what to skip)
Four rules that keep cotton soft for longer and keep newborn skin calm.
Read guideTurn this guide into a kit
The hospital bag, newborn clothing and first-30-days lists are all available as kits you can edit piece by piece.
