15 Things To Do Your Last Month of Pregnancy

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The last month of pregnancy is a crazy time… There is so much anticipation all along the way, and then at 36 weeks, reality sets in! Baby can come at anytime! After two pregnancies, I’ve compiled a list of 15 things to do the last month before baby arrives.

15 Things To Do Your Last Month of Pregnancy

1. Purchase/Install the car seat – Take the car seat out of the box, read the manual, install the base, learn how to work the straps, and schedule a car seat check a month before your due date.

Related post: Car Seat Basics

2. Assemble Baby’s Furniture – You’ll want to have a place for baby to sleep like a bassinet. We use the Arms Reach Clear-Vue Bassinet while our daughter sleeps in our room. Also, assemble the nursery furniture like the crib, changing table, etc…

3. Order Your Free Breast Pump – Most insurance plans cover the purchase of a breast pump for every pregnancy. I went through Aeroflow and was able to get a free Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breastpump Starter Set both times. They sent them out about a month before my due date each time. I registered for the Medela Breastpump Shoulder Bag and the Medela Breastmilk Storage Solution when I had my first daughter and am using them again for my second.

To get started on qualifying for your free breast pump through insurance, simply fill out the form here.

4. Stock the Nursery – Have the nursery stocked with diapers, wipes, diaper cream, etc…

Related post: Diaper Changing Station Essentials

5. Select a Pediatrician – Your nurse at the hospital will ask for the name of your baby’s pediatrician. You will be going for your baby’s first appointment a day or two after you’re both discharged from the hospital and will continue to see the pediatrician quite often through baby’s first year. Some things to consider when selecting a pediatrician include: location, hours, other providers your child may see for sick visits, hospital privileges, insurance, and after-hours policy.

6. Pack your Hospital Bag – You never know when baby is going to come, so it’s best to be prepared for a quick departure.

Related post: What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag

7. Contact Human Resources about Leave – Where you work and the number of hours you work will determine how much time off you’ll have when you have your baby. Talk with your supervisor and human resources ahead of time to understand how much time off you will have and the paperwork requirements.

Thinking about being a stay-at-home mom? Check out this post: 7 Ways To Earn Extra Money From Home – Perfect for Stay-at-Home Moms

8. Schedule a Newborn Photographer – There is nothing like capturing those sweet moments with your newborn in the first few weeks of life. Many newborn photographers book far in advance, so the last month of pregnancy is a good time to secure a photographer who is available near your due date.

9. Send Thank You Notes – Catch up on all of your thank you notes for any gifts you’ve received at showers, etc… After baby comes, you may receive a few more gifts, dinners, and help for which you’ll want to be sure and send out additional notes.

10. Take Pregnancy Pics – These don’t have to be over the top, but you’ll want to be sure and capture your growing bump during the last few weeks… You can just have your hubby snap a few pictures. You’ll be glad to have those memories down the road.

11. Start Writing in the Baby Book – Fill out as much of the info in the book that you can before baby arrives. And, don’t forget to take it with you to the hospital so that the nurse can get your baby’s footprints and handprints stamped in the book. We purchased the C.R. Gibson Memory Book, Happi Baby Girl and the C.R. Gibson Baby Memory Book, Bella for our daughters.

Also, I recently created a super helpful resource for pregnant moms called the Pregnancy Printable Bundle! In it, you’ll find 28 pages of printables that will enable you to track important information and memories from your pregnancy, fill out your packing list for your hospital bag, keep track of information from your doctor appointments and the birth, write notes to your baby, plan out your maternity leave month by month, and so much more. Check it out in my Shop here!

12. Develop a Plan for Siblings and Pets During Birth – If you have older children and/or pets, it’s important to have an idea of who will watch them while you’re at the hospital.

13. Develop a Playlist for Your Baby – This is something fun that we did for both of our girls. We combined songs that were popular near their birthdays with sweet songs about daughters, family, etc… Then we played the songs during labor and once we got back home. I like that each has their own playlist to look back on and will see what songs were popular at the time of their birth and the special songs their parents played for them.

14. Go on a date – You’ll probably be spending a lot of time at home after baby arrives recovering and taking care of your sweet little newborn. So, take some time to go on a few dates with your spouse. It’s also a good time to plan something special with your older children since so much of your time will soon be devoted to your newborn.

15. Pamper Yourself – Whatever you can do in the last month to make yourself more comfortable, do it. Get a pedicure, schedule a haircut, or simply try to get some rest.

Freebie! Subscribe below to receive your free Baby Registry Checklist printable sent straight to your inbox.

Expecting? Check out these helpful posts:

Shop Amazon – Create an Amazon Baby Registry

Helpful Resources

Below are some great resources for shopping, saving money, making money, and more!

$5 Meal Plan – If you’re like me, coming up with new meal ideas can be difficult, especially with little ones running around. That’s why I’m trying out a new weekly meal plan that I’m super excited about. We’ve already tried some of the recipes and love them. The great thing about this inexpensive service is you receive delicious recipes every week, along with a shopping list. I’m hoping this saves us a lot of money and time!

Ebates – Ebates is a free and easy way to earn cash back when shopping online. Some of my favorite places to shop through Ebates include: Amazon, Target, Etsy, Old Navy, Lowe’s, Walmart, and more! Ebates earns a commission on referrals, and they share that commission with you. I talk about it in depth in my post here: How To Earn Cash with Ebates. It’s super easy (and free) to join. You just provide your email address, and choose a password. You can get a $10 cash bonus after your first $25 purchase by signing up through my link here.

Ibotta – Ibotta is another free way to earn cash back. It’s like using coupons without the hassle of clipping coupons. You simply sign up for a free account and then after you shop, scan your products that have coupons in the app, scan your receipt, and watch the cash fall into your Ibotta account. I use the app when I shop at Target and Kroger, but there are a lot of places you can use the service. You can receive a $10 welcome bonus by signing up through my link here.

Airbnb – Airbnb is a great way to travel. Instead of staying at hotels, you can rent someone’s house, apartment, or room. I have even seen people list their Airstream trailers for rent. How cool is that?! We used Airbnb on our last trip to Washington, D.C., and it was awesome. We stayed in a cute little neighborhood near Dupont Circle and were able to walk to the grocery store, local bookstore, and local restaurants nearby. There were four of us total, and we rented the whole apartment and had everything we needed for a great stay. If you’re looking for a fun, cost effective way to travel, check out Airbnb. This referral link will give you $40 toward your first trip.

Free Blogging Resources – There are so many amazing free blogging resources available that I listed all of my favorites in one place. From learning how to start a blog to learning how to increase page views… even a free Pinterest course! You can access the full list in this blog post here.