Your To-Do Checklist for TTC, Pregnancy and Beyond

When you’re gearing up for baby, there’s a lot to do. This handy month-by-month pregnancy checklist walks you through the key tasks for every stage of the journey, from TTC to your first month with baby.

TTC Checklist

• Start taking prenatal vitamins
• Talk to relatives about your family medical history, including birth defects, miscarriages and genetic disorders
• Get a preconception checkup
• Get a tetanus booster and German measles and chicken pox immunizations
• See the dentist
• If you’re self-employed, apply for a private disability policy

Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 4-8

• Take a pregnancy test
• Tell your partner the good news
• Find an ob-gyn or other prenatal care provider
• Schedule your first prenatal checkup
• Check your health insurance policy to see what prenatal and childbirth care is covered
• Figure out how pregnancy, baby and maternity leave will affect your finances
• Create a savings plan for your child’s future expenses and education; companies like Stash can help you set up a custodial account
• Estimate how much raising a baby will cost and start saving accordingly
• Go to your first prenatal checkup (right around week 8)

Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 8-12

• Talk to your doctor about any prenatal testing you should (or want) to get
• Consider doing a First Trimester Screening to determine the risk of any chromosomal abnormalities in baby (between weeks 11 and 14)
• Complete your nuchal translucency screening (between weeks 10 and 12)
• If you’ve been planning to change your last name before baby is born, now is a good time; companies like HitchSwitch can help make the process stress-free
• Go to your next doctor’s appointment

Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 12-16

• If you haven’t already, get into a healthy pregnancy workout routine; sign up for a class or download a training app
• If you haven’t already, send out pregnancy announcement cards or come up with creative ways to announce your pregnancy to family and friends
• Tell your boss or employees about your pregnancy
• Start planning your maternity leave
• Go to your doctor’s visit

Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 16-20

• Start decorating your nursery or enlist professional designers
• Get started on your baby registry
• Look into childcare options
• Begin buying maternity clothes—or consider renting them!
• Go to your doctor’s appointment
• Have your mid-pregnancy ultrasound (around week 20)

Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 20-24

• Start interviewing pediatricians
• Research and sign up for childbirth classes
• Figure out baby shower logistics (date, host, location, guests, etc.)
• Go to your doctor’s visit

Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 24-28

• Finalize your baby registry
• If hosting, send out baby shower invites
• Update or write your will, including directions for baby’s inheritance and guardianship; you may even be able to complete it online
• Purchase life insurance; companies like Policygenius can make it hassle-free
• Update your 401K and retirement account beneficiaries
• If using a doula, start interviews
• Begin childcare interviews
• Go to your doctor’s visit
• Do your glucose challenge screening test

Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 28-32

• Babyproof the house
• Start fetal kick counts
• Create a birth plan
• Round out your pregnancy wardrobe with third trimester clothes, or rent some
• Enjoy your baby shower event!
• Send baby shower thank you notes for gifts (start one week after your shower)
• Take a childbirth class and a breastfeeding class, if you so choose
• If you want to bank baby’s cord blood, figure out where and order your kit
• Cook and freeze meals to have on hand after delivery
• Go to your doctor’s visits (two this month)

Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 32-36

• Buy any baby items you still need
• Prepare a baby first aid kit
• Finish painting and designing the nursery
• Install baby’s car seat and get it inspected
• Pack your hospital bag
• Find out what screening tests your hospital routinely gives newborns and talk to your doctor about any additional tests you’d like to run
• Go to your doctor’s visits (two this month)
• Do your Group B strep test (week 35-37)

Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 36 Until Delivery

• Wash baby’s clothes with newborn laundry detergent
• Go to your doctor’s visits (weekly until delivery)
• If needed, take a non-stress test
• If needed, do a biophysical profile

Month 1

• Go to pediatrician’s visits (likely two to three times this month)
• Give baby first Hepatitis B vaccine (and second dose between 1 and 2 months)
• Ask pediatrician about Vitamin D drops for breastfed babies
• See a lactation consultant to help with breastfeeding, if needed
• Schedule your postpartum doctor’s visit (usually 6 weeks after birth)