I'd get a car seat and figure out how to install it. Honestly, it's SO easy to do this ahead of time.

If you don't want to research here's my advice:

-buy the Chicco Keyfit 30
-get two bases
-install bases in both of your cars
-DONE. back to Netflix

Anonymous wrote:Many pediatricians require a new patient visit where you go in while you're still pregnant to have a conversation. Get that done.

My first was unexpectedly born at 37 weeks. I called a pediatrician after he was born and asked to be signed up, they scheduled the first appointment for later that week with no problem. A new patient visit is not necessary.

Anonymous wrote:Wash all the new clothes and have them organized in drawers.

Actually, don't do this. I had an 8lb 8oz baby. She wore newborn clothes for approx 3 days. I wish I could have exchanged some of my newborn clothes for 0-3 month stuff.

Wash SOME of it. Any grandmas that are around would also love to wash those sweet baby clothes.

Anonymous wrote:It's not a need, but I was happy I got a haircut right before the baby came, because it was many months before I was able to get another one.

OMG this! It was on my 38 week to do list, and I didn't make it past 36... But I had short hair and missing a cut was a real issue for issue, drove me batty. It was the first thing I got a babysitter for.

And, in part due to being unexpectedly early, I was absolutely on amazon - both during and after labor - and then had a pile of things waiting for me when I returned that I needed but hadn't gotten to ordering/picking. Did I *need* most of that stuff right away? Nope. But it sure was nice to have some newborn sized clothing when I'd been expecting a big baby, and frankly I wasn't going much of anywhere the first few weeks after birth, forget a store, so I highly recommend Amazon prime... but prime can save you and help you avoid advanced planning.

But I agree with some PPs, insurance may be the only must (and disability or work related paperwork - at least to know what you need to do, if anything) - both what they need to cover baby and any pre cert requirements for delivery, other than some of the *things* you must have. Pre-reg at the hospital is nice but not foolproof (they "lost" mine, despite it all being electronic).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pack a hospital bag.
Pretty much everything else you can do later (including buying a carseat, diapers, crib, etc.). Target and Amazon Prime FTW.

Our hospital won't let you leave without a car seat.

Yeah...you're in the hospital for at least two days. You order on Prime or have your husband go to Target.

Which would totally be a pain! This falls into the "do now" category for me.

Me, too. No way in hell will I be on Amazon in the hospital.

Maybe not for the car seat, but when you discover that your baby spits up a ton and you need double the diaper rags you thought you did or that your baby really likes a pacifier or one particular swaddle blanket and you need more or damn it your milk's not coming in fast enough so you're going to need fenugreek and some protein bars to keep your calories up or or or... basically *plan* to use Amazon at least once in the week after birth!

Many pediatricians require a new patient visit where you go in while you're still pregnant to have a conversation. Get that done.

I agree that you don't "need" to do much, really! The best suggestion I've seen was about insurance. That's #1. The rest you can do one day at a time.

Focus on insurance and any work related stuff first... STD, who to notify, benefits, etc. for bith babies I wrote all that stuff down ("step 1, call Thisguy. Step 2, call Thatguy") to make it easier on my PP brain.
Then baby basics... I agree that having the carseat and installing the bases in your cars would ideally be before-baby. Just in case.
Then, everything else. I got a dental cleaning, stocked up on TP and laundry soap, made sure pets were up to date, car maintenance, etc.
Amazon Prime. You can subscribe from your couch

Having gone into labor a month early, I was glad we had our car seat. I had to send my husband home to put the crib and rock 'n play together. I wish we'd had time to have toilet paper and snacks in the house. We were on track for a large baby we thought, but then she was born early (6.5 lbs a month early) so we had to get newborn clothes (we only had 0-3 month size) which was also annoying.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pack a hospital bag.
Pretty much everything else you can do later (including buying a carseat, diapers, crib, etc.). Target and Amazon Prime FTW.

Our hospital won't let you leave without a car seat.

Yeah...you're in the hospital for at least two days. You order on Prime or have your husband go to Target.

Which would totally be a pain! This falls into the "do now" category for me.

Me, too. No way in hell will I be on Amazon in the hospital.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pack a hospital bag.
Pretty much everything else you can do later (including buying a carseat, diapers, crib, etc.). Target and Amazon Prime FTW.

Our hospital won't let you leave without a car seat.

Yeah...you're in the hospital for at least two days. You order on Prime or have your husband go to Target.

Which would totally be a pain! This falls into the "do now" category for me.

Sign up for Amazon Prime

Pick Daycare, get on the wait-list and put a deposit down.

Anything that might be due the first couple of months like your Car Inspection.

Unless you have medical complications, it is absolutely easier to get stuff done before the baby comes. If you have stuff you want done, do it now. I love my 2yo, but she is a major impediment to getting anything productive done.

- Hospital pre-registration
- Freezer meals if you're into that type of thing
- Clean, organized house (again, if that's your thing)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pack a hospital bag.
Pretty much everything else you can do later (including buying a carseat, diapers, crib, etc.). Target and Amazon Prime FTW.

Our hospital won't let you leave without a car seat.

Yeah...you're in the hospital for at least two days. You order on Prime or have your husband go to Target.