Parent guides · Pregnancy
Things to do while you're pregnant, week by week
One thing to try for every day of a pregnancy, 281 in all, from writing down the date at conception to the handover on the last day past the due date. Pick a month and a kind of activity; each card opens its day, with the steps, what to watch for, and the sources.
Days count from the first day of your last period, the way your provider counts them, and a scan can move your dates: read each one as “around now”. The same activities arrive one a day in Your pregnancy, day by day.
Month
Kind of activity
Showing 281 of 281 activities
Month 1 · Weeks 2 to 4
2 weeksCheckups and safetyThe conception calendarFind the first day of your last period and write "day 1" on it, on paper or in your phone's calendar.Time: 5 minutes
2 weeks + 1 dayBondingThe half-from-each listEach of you takes a page and writes the other's name at the top.Time: 10 minutes, together
2 weeks + 2 daysFood and drinkThe folic acid checkFind whatever vitamin is in the house and read the label for "folic acid" and the amount.Time: 3 minutes
2 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe last-drink noteWrite the date of your last drink, and roughly how much and how often in the weeks before it, on one line.Time: 2 minutes
2 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe quit-date circleIf you smoke, pick a date within the next seven days and circle it on the calendar from day 14.Time: 5 minutes
2 weeks + 5 daysCheckups and safetyThe medicine cabinet listEmpty the cabinet, the bedside drawer, and your bag onto the table.Time: 10 minutes
2 weeks + 6 daysGetting readyThe clean-air pactOn one sheet, write the house rule for the next nine months: no smoking, no vaping, no cannabis in any form, indoors, in the car, or around her, by anyone.Time: 5 minutes, both of you
3 weeksCheckups and safetyThe implantation timelineOn the calendar from day 14, find the end of week 2, around when the egg was released.Time: 5 minutes
3 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe test-kit read-throughRead the leaflet, not the box front. Note the wait time; research suggests waiting 10 minutes for the most accurate result.Time: 5 minutes, before you open the test
3 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe spotting logOpen a note on your phone titled "spotting" with four columns: date, time, color, amount.Time: 2 minutes when it happens, or now to set it up
3 weeks + 3 daysYour bodyThe nap permission slipOn a card, write: "I have permission to lie down for 20 minutes this week, during the day, without earning it." Sign it.Time: 3 minutes to write, 20 to use
3 weeks + 4 daysFood and drinkThe caffeine tallyWrite down everything with caffeine you drank or ate yesterday, with the size of each.Time: 5 minutes, with yesterday in mind
3 weeks + 5 daysCheckups and safetyThe litter-box handoffName the person who scoops for the next nine months. NICHD's advice is simply to have someone else change the litter box.Time: 10 minutes, with whoever else lives with you
3 weeks + 6 daysYour bodyThe symptom scorecardDraw five boxes and label them: fatigue, sore breasts, nausea, mood swings, peeing more.Time: 3 minutes, pen and paper
4 weeksBondingThe poppy-seed picturePut one poppy seed on a white plate.Time: 2 minutes, at the kitchen table
4 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe morning testTest first thing in the morning; it may improve accuracy.Time: 10 minutes, first thing
4 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe first-call scriptWrite the first day of your last period. Pregnancy is dated from it, and it's the first thing the office will ask.Time: 10 minutes to write, then the call
4 weeks + 3 daysFood and drinkThe prenatal vitamin labelFind the folic acid line. Most prenatals list 800 to 1000 mcg; the pregnancy target is 600 mcg a day from food and vitamins together.Time: 5 minutes, bottle in hand
4 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe ten-minute walkPick the hour today and walk for ten minutes at a pace that's brisk for you; brisk walking is the CDC's own example of moderate activity.Time: 10 minutes, brisk
4 weeks + 5 daysFood and drinkThe pantry passDeli meat, cold cuts, hot dogs, dry sausages: mark them "heat to 165°F or until steaming hot," or skip them.Time: 15 minutes, fridge open, list in hand
4 weeks + 6 daysFeelings and supportThe who-knows listDraw three columns: now, at the scan, later.Time: 15 minutes, together
Month 2 · Weeks 5 to 8
5 weeksBondingThe found-out pageWrite today's date, and the first day of your last period. Pregnancy is counted from that day.Time: 5 minutes
5 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe testing askOpen your first-visit list, or start one, and write: "Please test me for STIs."Time: 2 minutes
5 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe smell mapWrite the three smells that have turned on you: the coffee pot, the fridge, a colleague's lunch.Time: 5 minutes, then a handover
5 weeks + 3 daysFood and drinkThe craving checkKeep a line on your phone. Each time a craving hits, write what it was and whether you gave in. No scoring.Time: 1 minute a day, for a week
5 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe flu-shot dateCheck the month. The CDC says September and October are generally good months, and recommends vaccinating in flu season ideally by the end of October; later is still beneficial.Time: 5 minutes
5 weeks + 5 daysFeelings and supportThe worry inventoryOne page. Write every worry, large and absurd, one per line, until nothing else comes. Don't edit.Time: 15 minutes, alone
5 weeks + 6 daysFeelings and supportThe partner's questionPartner: write the one question you most want answered at the first visit. Not the one you think you should ask; the one you'd ask at 3am.Time: 5 minutes
6 weeksFood and drinkThe snack clockSet a quiet reminder every 90 minutes from waking to bed. The MedlinePlus rule is a snack as often as every 1 to 2 hours.Time: 5 minutes to set up, then all day
6 weeks + 1 dayFood and drinkThe ginger testPick one: ginger ale or ginger tea. Keep it the same for all three days.Time: 2 minutes a day, for three days
6 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe B6 askWrite the question exactly: "Should I try vitamin B6 for nausea, and how much?"Time: 5 minutes
6 weeks + 3 daysYour bodyThe early nightPick one night this week and set lights-out an hour earlier than usual. Write it where your partner can see it.Time: 5 minutes to plan, one evening to do
6 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe weekly weigh-inPick a day and a time, first thing and after the bathroom, and the same scale every week.Time: 2 minutes, once a week
6 weeks + 5 daysFood and drinkThe between-meals sipFill one bottle this morning and keep it within arm's reach: desk, car, bedside, wherever you are.Time: all day, a few seconds at a time
6 weeks + 6 daysFood and drinkThe vitamin D lineFind the vitamin D line on your prenatal vitamin's label and write the amount in your notes, in whichever unit the label uses.Time: 3 minutes
7 weeksFood and drinkThe eight-glass bottlePick one bottle. Pour a medium glass of water into it and mark where it reaches with a strip of tape or a marker.Time: 5 minutes
7 weeks + 1 dayYour bodyThe twenty-pound ruleList what you lift in a normal shift, and then at home: the grocery haul, a toddler, the laundry basket, the dog food, the suitcase.Time: 10 minutes
7 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe fifteen-minute sitWalk through a normal shift in your head, hour by hour, and write where a seat is within reach in each one: the back room, a stool behind the counter, the car at break.Time: 10 minutes to plan, then one shift
7 weeks + 3 daysYour bodyThe heat planLine one, fluids: your eight medium glasses, and where the bottle lives on a hot day. Dehydration is the risk the CDC names first.Time: 10 minutes
7 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe travel hourSet a repeating reminder on your phone every 60 minutes for the length of the trip. When it goes off, get up and walk; on a drive, that means the next stop.Time: 5 minutes, before any trip over an hour
7 weeks + 5 daysFeelings and supportThe feelings thermometerTonight, give the day a number from 1 to 10, where 10 is the best you feel. Write it with the date.Time: 1 minute a night, for a week
7 weeks + 6 daysYour bodyThe headache diaryWhen one starts, write the time and what you'd had to drink since waking.Time: 2 minutes per headache, for a week
8 weeksCheckups and safetyThe appointment listWrite the first day of your last period and any dates you're unsure of; the dating scan comes between 8 and 14 weeks.Time: 15 minutes
8 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe full-bladder planWhen the scan is booked, ask whether they want a full bladder for it.Time: 5 minutes now, an hour before the scan later
8 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe evening fluid cutoffKeep the NHS's eight medium glasses as the day's target.Time: 1 minute to plan, all day to do
8 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe blood-panel previewRead the list once: complete blood count, blood type and Rh, rubella, hepatitis, syphilis, HIV, cystic fibrosis carrier screen.Time: 5 minutes
8 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe call-line cardWrite your provider's daytime number and the after-hours number. If you don't have the second, call the office and ask.Time: 10 minutes
8 weeks + 5 daysFeelings and supportThe one-worry conversationEach of you writes the single practical worry that's loudest right now: money, housing, work, who will help.Time: 15 minutes
8 weeks + 6 daysBondingThe inch on the rulerFind 16 mm on a ruler; that is this week's raspberry. Then look at the inch mark, which the Office on Women's Health says the baby is nearly at by 8 weeks.Time: 5 minutes
Month 3 · Weeks 9 to 13
9 weeksFeelings and supportThe accept-help listWrite three jobs you would let someone else do this week: the big shop, the school run, one dinner, the bins.Time: 10 minutes, then one message
9 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe screening questionOn the top of your visit list, write: "Which screening do you offer, and what would a positive result lead to?"Time: 5 minutes
9 weeks + 2 daysFood and drinkThe fish listWrite three columns on a card: Best (2 to 3 servings a week), Good (1 a week), Avoid. Copy the names from above.Time: 10 minutes
9 weeks + 3 daysYour bodyThe bra refitMeasure around your ribcage just under the bust, and around the fullest part. Or get measured in a shop; it's free and quicker.Time: 15 minutes at home, or a shop visit
9 weeks + 4 daysBondingThe eye-colour betEach of you writes a guess at the baby's eventual eye colour on a slip of paper, with your name.Time: 5 minutes
9 weeks + 5 daysFeelings and supportThe plus-one planDecide who comes to the booking visit: your partner, a friend, your mum, or nobody. Any answer is fine, but make it a decision.Time: 10 minutes, together
9 weeks + 6 daysYour bodyThe easing listWrite the three symptoms you most want gone, worst first.Time: 10 minutes
10 weeksFood and drinkThe six-meal dayWrite tomorrow's six slots on a sheet: early, mid-morning, lunch, mid-afternoon, dinner, early evening.Time: 10 minutes tonight
10 weeks + 1 dayYour bodyThe after-meal strollShoes on before the dishes. The dishes will wait; the light won't.Time: 10 minutes, after dinner
10 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe Doppler askAdd to your visit list: "Will you listen for the heartbeat at this visit?"Time: 5 minutes to write, then the visit
10 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe diagnostic-or-screening cardTake an index card and write three lines: "Screening estimates risk." "Diagnosis answers." "I can say no to either."Time: 5 minutes
10 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe slow standWhen you wake, sit up and put your feet on the floor. Stay on the edge of the bed and count to ten before you stand. Standing quickly is the trigger the NHS names.Time: 10 seconds, every morning this week
10 weeks + 5 daysYour bodyThe hat-and-sunscreen habitPut a hat you'll actually wear on the hook by the door, where your keys are.Time: 5 minutes
10 weeks + 6 daysYour bodyThe bed-head liftPut blocks under the two legs at the head of the bed, or a wedge under the head of the mattress, to raise it about 6 inches (15 centimeters).Time: 15 minutes, two people
11 weeksBondingThe ten-fingers noteTake a card or a page and write today's date and "11 weeks" at the top.Time: 10 minutes
11 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe pain-severity ladderRung one, on a card: "A pull or twinge that eases when I sit, change position, or rest." That's stretching; rest and recheck.Time: 10 minutes
11 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe cool-down kitFill a water bottle and leave it by the door, so it's the thing you pick up with your keys. Dehydration is what makes heat dangerous faster in pregnancy.Time: 10 minutes
11 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe window on the calendarOn the calendar, mark the first day of week 11 and the last day of week 14.Time: 5 minutes
11 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe discharge checkNote what your normal looks like today: white and milky, with no strong smell.Time: 2 minutes
11 weeks + 5 daysYour bodyThe fatigue walkPick the hour you usually sag; for many people it's mid-afternoon.Time: 10 minutes
11 weeks + 6 daysCheckups and safetyThe visit mapTurn a sheet of paper sideways and draw one line across it, marked from week 12 to week 40.Time: 15 minutes
12 weeksCheckups and safetyThe dating-scan questionsWrite "How many?" The scan looks for a multiple pregnancy.Time: 5 minutes
12 weeks + 1 dayFood and drinkThe weight-gain rangeFind your pre-pregnancy BMI category; the recommended range depends on it.Time: 5 minutes
12 weeks + 2 daysFeelings and supportThe work-announcement draftSentence one is the fact and the date: "I'm pregnant, and I'm due around [date]."Time: 10 minutes
12 weeks + 3 daysGetting readyThe unit tourList every place within reach where you could give birth. The NHS names three kinds: a hospital, a midwife-led unit, or home.Time: 20 minutes, plus the visit
12 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe family-history pageTake one sheet and draw a line down the middle: your side, the other parent's side.Time: 20 minutes, plus a phone call or two
12 weeks + 5 daysFood and drinkThe first real mealName the meal you've missed most, the one you couldn't face three weeks ago.Time: an hour, most of it cooking
12 weeks + 6 daysYour bodyThe symptom recheckDraw the same five boxes you drew in week 3: fatigue, sore breasts, nausea, mood swings, peeing more.Time: 5 minutes, pen and paper
13 weeksBondingThe second-trimester welcomeWrite today's date and "13 weeks" at the top of a page.Time: 10 minutes
13 weeks + 1 dayYour bodyThe first Kegel setFind the muscles: the NHS's description is the feeling of pretending to pee and then stopping midflow. Use that to locate them, then do the exercise sitting or standing, not while actually peeing.Time: 1 minute, three times a day
13 weeks + 2 daysFeelings and supportThe closeness conversationPick a time that isn't bedtime, and sit somewhere you'd normally talk, not the bedroom.Time: 10 minutes, together
13 weeks + 3 daysFood and drinkThe ten-cup dayPick one cup or bottle and learn what it holds, so a tally mark means the same thing every time.Time: all day, a few seconds at a time
13 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe gum checkBrush as usual, gently, and look at what you spit out. Pink or red means the gums bled.Time: 3 minutes, tonight
13 weeks + 5 daysFeelings and supportThe risk-assessment requestWrite one paragraph: that you're pregnant, roughly when you're due, and that you'd like your role reviewed for anything that needs changing. Asking for a workplace risk assessment is on the NHS's list for this week.Time: 15 minutes
13 weeks + 6 daysGetting readyThe class sign-upAsk your provider or midwife what's offered locally and what they'd recommend; MedlinePlus makes it a question for them.Time: 20 minutes
Month 4 · Weeks 14 to 17
14 weeksYour bodyThe colostrum noteIf you spot a yellow stain, write today's date in the notes you keep for appointments. The NHS says it's probably colostrum, your first milk.Time: 2 minutes, when you notice it
14 weeks + 1 dayBondingThe placenta sketchDraw the wall of the womb as a curve, the placenta as a flat disc attached to it, the cord, and the baby floating in fluid. That's the arrangement the NHS describes: attached to the womb, connected by the umbilical cord.Time: 10 minutes
14 weeks + 2 daysFood and drinkThe iron questionTurn your prenatal vitamin round and find the iron line. The number you're looking for is 27 mg.Time: 5 minutes
14 weeks + 3 daysYour bodyThe sleep-position calendarFind the date you'll be 28 weeks: 14 weeks from today. Write "side" on it. After 28 weeks, sleeping on your side is safest.Time: 5 minutes tonight
14 weeks + 4 daysFeelings and supportThe strain conversationEach of you names one thing that's been harder since the test. Say it plainly; no fixing yet.Time: 20 minutes, phones in another room
14 weeks + 5 daysCheckups and safetyThe amnio explainerOne index card, titled "Amnio". Line one, who it's offered to: 35 or older at delivery, a positive screen, a previous baby with a birth defect, or family history.Time: 10 minutes
14 weeks + 6 daysCheckups and safetyThe checkup cardOne index card. Four rows: BP, weight, heartbeat, bump. Those are the four things a follow-up visit checks.Time: 5 minutes to make, 2 minutes after each visit
15 weeksBondingThe first conversationSit somewhere quiet. Say one sentence to the baby, out loud, in your normal voice. The NHS says the baby begins hearing around now and may hear your voice.Time: 2 minutes, both of you
15 weeks + 1 dayYour bodyThe itch kitOne unperfumed moisturiser, kept by the bed.Time: 10 minutes
15 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe side-jab ruleStop what you're doing.Time: 10 minutes, when it happens
15 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe second screenLook at your appointment schedule. If a blood test between 15 and 20 weeks is on it, write its date and name.Time: 5 minutes, plus one message to the office
15 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe flat-shoe swapPick the one pair of shoes you trust most: flat, gripping, and comfortable, that doesn't pinch anywhere.Time: 10 minutes
15 weeks + 5 daysFood and drinkThe five-portion plateCount on your fingers what you've already eaten today that was fruit or vegetables. One finger per portion.Time: 2 minutes now, 10 at dinner
15 weeks + 6 daysCheckups and safetyThe anomaly-scan bookingFind the date. If it isn't booked, ask the office for a slot between 18 and 20 weeks.Time: 10 minutes
16 weeksBondingThe first bump photoPick a spot with a plain wall and daylight, and stand side-on. The same spot every week is what makes the series work.Time: 3 minutes, then 1 minute a week
16 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe results reviewTake the checkup card you started at 14 weeks, or any card, and write the names down the left: blood group and Rh, anemia, rubella immunity, HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis.Time: 5 minutes before the visit, 10 in the room
16 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe blood-pressure numberWhen the cuff comes off, ask for the reading as two numbers, and write both on your checkup card with the date.Time: 2 minutes at the visit
16 weeks + 3 daysFood and drinkThe fiber shelfClear one kitchen shelf at eye level. Not a cupboard you have to open; a shelf you see.Time: 15 minutes, including the shop
16 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe Tdap windowCount forward from your due date and mark the start of week 27 and the end of week 36 on the calendar you both use.Time: 5 minutes
16 weeks + 5 daysYour bodyThe secondhand-smoke sweepList every place you breathe smoke in a normal week: the car, the porch, a relative's house, the break area at work.Time: 10 minutes
16 weeks + 6 daysFood and drinkThe trimester-two gain checkWrite today's weight on your checkup card under the one from your first visit.Time: 5 minutes, after a visit
17 weeksBondingThe flutter watchEat, then lie on your side somewhere quiet; after meals and while you relax are when movement is most noticeable.Time: 10 minutes, after dinner
17 weeks + 1 dayFeelings and supportThe support namesWrite three people you'd actually call on a bad day: not the most impressive names, the ones who pick up.Time: 10 minutes
17 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe stretch-mark truthWrite one sentence for the day someone sells you a cream. Something like: "Lotions can't prevent stretch marks, and they usually fade after birth." Both halves are MedlinePlus's.Time: 5 minutes
17 weeks + 3 daysGetting readyThe birthplace shortlistWrite two options from the NHS's three: hospital, midwife-led unit, home. If only one is realistic where you live, write it and the nearest alternative.Time: 15 minutes, together
17 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe pillow arrangementLie on your side with your knees bent.Time: 5 minutes, at bedtime
17 weeks + 5 daysBondingThe half-kilo bagWeigh out 500 g of rice, flour, or dried beans into a bag. That's the placenta at the end of pregnancy.Time: 5 minutes
17 weeks + 6 daysYour bodyThe maternity-clothes sortPull everything that stretches, wraps, or ties to the front of the wardrobe: leggings, knit dresses, your partner's shirts.Time: 20 minutes
Month 5 · Weeks 18 to 22
18 weeksCheckups and safetyThe anatomy-scan questions"What do you check?" The scan looks at the baby's anatomy, and later ultrasounds can also assess age, growth, position, and sometimes sex.Time: 5 minutes, written on the back of the appointment letter
18 weeks + 1 dayYour bodyThe trip-hazard sweepWalk the route you take most at night: bed to bathroom, bathroom to kitchen. Do it slowly and look down.Time: 10 minutes, one room at a time
18 weeks + 2 daysBondingThe find-out-or-not talkEach of you says your first instinct out loud before any discussion: know, or wait.Time: 15 minutes, no phones
18 weeks + 3 daysBondingThe dark-line noteIf you're taking bump photos, take this week's. If you aren't, take one anyway; it's week 18.Time: 2 minutes
18 weeks + 4 daysBondingThe tummy-talk minuteSit back, one hand flat on the bump, and rub gently; rubbing your tummy and talking is one of the things the NHS lists as prompting movement.Time: 1 minute, any time you're sitting still
18 weeks + 5 daysCheckups and safetyThe one-leg ruleSay it out loud once: one leg, not two. One calf that is swollen, red, warm, or painful, when the other isn't, is a call today.Time: 3 minutes
18 weeks + 6 daysBondingThe partner's playlistPartner: pick three songs. One you love, one that was playing at a moment that mattered to the two of you, one that's just loud and happy.Time: 15 minutes to choose, 10 minutes to play
19 weeksYour bodyThe exercise swapLook at your week and find the one run, class, or workout that has started to hurt or jar.Time: 30 minutes, once this week
19 weeks + 1 dayGetting readyThe halfway countdownWrite the five things you most want done before the birth. Five, not fifty: the ones you'd regret skipping.Time: 20 minutes
19 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe back-care routinePractise the lift once: crouch with bent knees to pick something light off the floor, keeping your waist straight.Time: 15 minutes today, then a minute or two each day
19 weeks + 3 daysFood and drinkThe snack upgradeName the snack you reach for most days, and the time you reach for it.Time: 10 minutes, plus one shop
19 weeks + 4 daysBondingThe quiet lie-downAfter lunch or dinner, lie down on your side with your knees bent; many providers recommend the left.Time: 15 minutes, after a meal
19 weeks + 5 daysYour bodyThe cramp stretchStand an arm's length from a wall, hands flat on it.Time: 3 minutes, before bed, every night this week
19 weeks + 6 daysYour bodyThe nosebleed fixPut a saline nasal spray on the nightstand and use it when the air feels dry.Time: 10 minutes to set up
20 weeksBondingThe halfway letterDate it: 20 weeks.Time: 15 minutes
20 weeks + 1 dayBondingThe tape-measure momentFind a tape measure or a long ruler.Time: 5 minutes
20 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe preeclampsia primerOn the call-line card on your fridge, write the CDC's three: a headache that won't go away or gets worse; changes in your vision; extreme swelling of your hands or face.Time: 5 minutes
20 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe six-in-an-hour ruleOn the call-line card, write the headline: contractions every 10 minutes or more often, or six or more in an hour.Time: 5 minutes
20 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe cervix-length questionIn your notes for the next scan or visit, write: "Is my cervix length being measured, and how?".Time: 5 minutes now, 2 minutes at your visit
20 weeks + 5 daysBondingThe movement baselineEach evening, write down when you felt the baby most today: morning, afternoon, evening, or night.Time: 1 minute each evening, for a week
20 weeks + 6 daysGetting readyThe paperwork folderPick one folder, paper or digital, and give it a name you'll both search for.Time: 20 minutes
21 weeksCheckups and safetyThe fall planWrite three lines on the card by the phone: sit down, breathe, call the midwife or provider.Time: 5 minutes
21 weeks + 1 dayYour bodyThe hemorrhoid kitFill a water bottle and keep it where you sit most. Fluids are the first line of prevention.Time: 15 minutes
21 weeks + 2 daysFeelings and supportThe results conversationBook the follow-up, and ask how long it will be and who you'll see.Time: 20 minutes
21 weeks + 3 daysGetting readyThe partner's class seatFind the class you chose on day 97 and check whether a partner's place is included. Antenatal classes are on the NHS list for this week, partner invited.Time: 10 minutes, the partner's
21 weeks + 4 daysFood and drinkThe takeaway swapName the night that's usually a takeaway. That's the one you're swapping, just this week.Time: 30 minutes, once this week
21 weeks + 5 daysBondingThe pattern logEach evening, write one line: the hour today when the baby was busiest, and roughly what you were doing (after a meal, lying down, at your desk).Time: 1 minute a day for a week
21 weeks + 6 daysBondingThe read-aloud pagePick one page of anything: a chapter of the book you're reading, a children's book you loved, a recipe, the news.Time: 2 to 5 minutes
22 weeksFeelings and supportThe wellbeing planTake one sheet of paper. At the top, write "what helps": a walk, a friend, a bath, an early night, whatever is true for you.Time: 15 minutes
22 weeks + 1 dayFood and drinkThe flavour weekWrite seven days down the side of a page.Time: 10 minutes to plan, then a little each day
22 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe immediate-call listOn a card, write three lines in big letters: severe pain, bleeding, fluid leaking.Time: 10 minutes
22 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe itch-without-rash ruleNext time you itch, look at the skin. Is there a rash, or does it just look like your skin?Time: 2 minutes
22 weeks + 4 daysBondingThe stethoscope askFind the date of your next appointment and write "heartbeat?" next to it, so the question doesn't get lost among the others.Time: 2 minutes now, 5 at the visit
22 weeks + 5 daysCheckups and safetyThe glucose-test previewCall or message your provider's office and ask when you'll be screened. Most women are screened between 24 and 28 weeks, earlier if risk is high.Time: 10 minutes
22 weeks + 6 daysGetting readyThe month-six previewOn a calendar, mark weeks 24 to 28 and write "glucose test" across them; that's when most women are screened.Time: 15 minutes
Month 6 · Weeks 23 to 27
23 weeksCheckups and safetyThe slow-kick callWrite the number you'd call about the baby's movements: your midwife, your provider's office, or the maternity unit. Save it in your phone under a name you'd find in a hurry.Time: 5 minutes
23 weeks + 1 dayYour bodyThe stair pauseOn every flight of stairs today, stop at the landing or halfway, on purpose, before you need to.Time: 30 seconds, every flight
23 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe breast-pad drawerAdd a pack of breast pads to this week's shopping. Disposable or washable, whichever you'd actually use.Time: 5 minutes, plus one shop
23 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe gestational-diabetes pageAt the top of a page, write what it is in one line: high blood sugar that starts in pregnancy, usually around 24 weeks, often with no symptoms.Time: 10 minutes
23 weeks + 4 daysGetting readyThe leave-date pencilIn pencil, choose a planned last working day. Pick a week, not a perfect day.Time: 15 minutes
23 weeks + 5 daysFeelings and supportThe anxiety check-inTonight, rate the past week from 1 to 10: 1 is "I've been struggling", 10 is "I've been fine". Write the number in your phone with today's date.Time: 2 minutes, once a week
23 weeks + 6 daysFood and drinkThe tea swapWrite down every caffeinated drink you had yesterday, with the cup size, and put a rough number next to each from the MedlinePlus list above.Time: 5 minutes, then one cup a day
24 weeksGetting readyThe neonatal-unit questionAsk your midwife or provider what level of newborn care the unit where you plan to give birth has. The NHS describes what these units do: help with breathing, feeding, warmth and infections.Time: 5 minutes, at your next visit or on the phone
24 weeks + 1 dayGetting readyThe birth plan, page oneWrite three headings on one page: Where. Who's with me. Pain relief.Time: 15 minutes
24 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe glucose-drink dayAsk your provider which test you're having, one-step or two-step, and whether you need to fast.Time: 10 minutes
24 weeks + 3 daysFood and drinkThe hungry-hour planName your hungriest hour. For many people it's late afternoon, on the way home, or the hour after dinner.Time: 10 minutes, plus one shop
24 weeks + 4 daysFeelings and supportThe no-comparison ruleWrite the rule in one sentence, in your own words. Something like: "My bump is checked by my midwife, not by the internet."Time: 10 minutes
24 weeks + 5 daysFeelings and supportThe spacing conversationSay the question out loud first: if there were another baby, when? "Never" and "no idea" are both complete answers today.Time: 15 minutes, together
24 weeks + 6 daysBondingThe pound-and-a-halfPut a bowl on the kitchen scale and add rice, flour or sugar until it reads 1 pound 8 ounces.Time: 5 minutes
25 weeksBondingThe hiccup watchWhen you feel small jumps in the same spot, stop and pay attention to whether they repeat at a steady beat. Kicks wander; hiccups tend to stay put.Time: 5 minutes, whenever you notice them
25 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe ring checkEach morning, before anything else, check two things: do your rings turn, and do yesterday's shoes go on.Time: 1 minute each morning
25 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe urgent-three cardOn a small card, write three lines: headache that won't go away; changes in my vision; pain under my ribs.Time: 5 minutes
25 weeks + 3 daysGetting readyThe pain-relief menuWrite down every kind of pain relief you've heard of, medical or not, from friends, family, books or the class. Don't sort them yet.Time: 15 minutes
25 weeks + 4 daysFeelings and supportThe birth-partner askChoose the person. If you're between two, ask your maternity unit how many people can be with you.Time: 15 minutes
25 weeks + 5 daysGetting readyThe partner's leave planFind your employer's policy on parental or paternity leave: the handbook, HR, or a manager you trust. Note how much leave there is, whether it's paid, and how much notice they need.Time: 20 minutes, for the partner
25 weeks + 6 daysFood and drinkThe small-plate rulePut the side plates where the dinner plates usually live.Time: 1 minute at each meal
26 weeksBondingThe eye-colour mythFind the eye-colour bet you sealed back in your third month. If you never made one, take two slips of paper now and each write a guess.Time: 5 minutes
26 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe follow-up test factsTake an index card. On the front write: "A high first result means a longer test, not a diagnosis."Time: 5 minutes
26 weeks + 2 daysGetting readyThe benefits checkDraw two columns on a page: "Before the birth" and "After the birth".Time: 20 minutes
26 weeks + 3 daysGetting readyThe lists habitPick one place for every list from now to the birth: a sheet on the fridge, a shared note on your phone, or a small notebook in your bag. One, not three.Time: 10 minutes to set up
26 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe sneeze testNotice, without fuss, whether the next sneeze, cough or big laugh brings a leak. Either answer is useful.Time: 2 minutes, three times today
26 weeks + 5 daysYour bodyThe sit-down spotBefore your shift or working day starts, find the chair, stool or ledge you can use, close to where you actually work.Time: 5 minutes to find it, then 15 minutes in every hour if you stand at work
26 weeks + 6 daysYour bodyThe handrail habitOn every flight of stairs, at home, at work, in the station, keep one hand on the rail, going up and coming down. No exceptions, even for two steps.Time: No extra time; every staircase, from today
27 weeksCheckups and safetyThe Tdap appointmentWrite two dates on the calendar: today, when the 27-to-36-week window opens, and the day you turn 36 weeks, when it closes.Time: 10 minutes
27 weeks + 1 dayYour bodyThe side-sleep trialGather three pillows: one under your bump, one between your knees, and one rolled at the small of your back.Time: 5 minutes at bedtime, three nights
27 weeks + 2 daysFood and drinkThe prune plateMake breakfast a high-fiber one: a whole grain or bran cereal, with prunes or a piece of raw fruit on the side.Time: 5 minutes each morning, three days
27 weeks + 3 daysGetting readyThe birthplace decisionTake out your shortlist, or make one now from the options your provider offers.Time: 20 minutes
27 weeks + 4 daysFood and drinkThe 200-calorie snackAsk your provider which figure fits you, or start with the NHS's 200 and adjust when you know more.Time: 10 minutes
27 weeks + 5 daysCheckups and safetyThe RSV-season checkWrite your due date and the date you'll be 32 weeks, five weeks from now.Time: 10 minutes
27 weeks + 6 daysCheckups and safetyThe kick-count primerPick a time of day when your baby is usually busy; the pattern you've been noticing since 20 weeks is your guide.Time: 10 minutes
Month 7 · Weeks 28 to 31
28 weeksCheckups and safetyTen kicks in two hoursUse the time you chose yesterday, ideally one when your baby is usually busy, and keep it the same each day.Time: About 20 minutes, sometimes longer
28 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe RhoGAM questionFind your blood type in your notes or patient portal. You're looking for a plus or minus sign, or the words Rh-positive or Rh-negative.Time: 5 minutes
28 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe side-sleep pillowLie on your side, ideally the left, with your knees bent.Time: 10 minutes at bedtime
28 weeks + 3 daysBondingThe two-pulse countSit down and rest for a minute first, so you're counting your resting pulse.Time: 2 minutes
28 weeks + 4 daysGetting readyThe sleep-space decisionChoose the product: a crib, bassinet, play yard, or bedside sleeper made for infant sleep.Time: 20 minutes
28 weeks + 5 daysYour bodyThe feet-up hourFill a large glass of water and put it within reach before you sit down.Time: 1 hour, in the evening
28 weeks + 6 daysCheckups and safetyThe newborn-screening askWrite at the top of a page: "Newborn screening: what, when, and how we hear the results."Time: 5 minutes now, 5 at your next visit
29 weeksGetting readyThe birth plan, page twoWrite "My birth partner" at the top, then their name, and a backup if they can't be there.Time: 20 minutes
29 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe vaccine checklistWrite four lines: Tdap, flu, COVID-19, RSV.Time: 10 minutes
29 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe night-light pathWalk the route from your side of the bed to the toilet with the lights on, and look at the floor.Time: 15 minutes
29 weeks + 3 daysFeelings and supportThe practical-worries listWrite the three practical worries that come back most often: money, housing, work, the relationship, childcare, whichever are actually loudest.Time: 15 minutes
29 weeks + 4 daysGetting readyThe eleven-week listWrite the weeks from 30 to 40 down the left side of a page, one line each.Time: 20 minutes
29 weeks + 5 daysGetting readyThe route rehearsalDrive or map the route to the hospital or birth centre from home, and from work if one of you works away from home.Time: 45 minutes, once in daylight and once after dark
29 weeks + 6 daysCheckups and safetyThe preterm-signs refresherFind the card you made earlier with the six-in-an-hour rule, or start a fresh one.Time: 5 minutes
30 weeksFeelings and supportThe dream journalKeep a notebook and pen by the bed tonight.Time: 5 minutes, first thing in the morning
30 weeks + 1 dayBondingThe face-distance measureHold your hand up in front of your face, palm towards you, and move it until it's about 20 to 25cm away.Time: 2 minutes
30 weeks + 2 daysGetting readyThe three-stages readRead the three stages above once, slowly, out loud if your partner is with you.Time: 15 minutes
30 weeks + 3 daysGetting readyThe first-clothes basketFind a basket or a box that will hold no more than a small armful.Time: 20 minutes
30 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe RSV decisionWrite down your due date and the month it falls in. In the US, the season for the pregnancy vaccine is September through January.Time: 10 minutes
30 weeks + 5 daysCheckups and safetyThe COVID-vaccine questionCheck your vaccine record or patient portal: have you had a COVID-19 vaccine during this pregnancy?Time: 5 minutes now, 2 at your visit
30 weeks + 6 daysFeelings and supportThe stress talkPick the one worry that's loudest this week. Just one.Time: 15 minutes
31 weeksCheckups and safetyThe position questionAsk: "Which way is the baby lying right now?"Time: 2 minutes at your next visit
31 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe tightening timerWhen your bump tightens, note the time it starts and stops. Is it around 20 to 30 seconds?Time: A few minutes, whenever the next one comes
31 weeks + 2 daysGetting readyThe mattress fit testPush the mattress hard against one side of the crib, then look along the opposite edge. There should be no gap against the crib walls.Time: 5 minutes
31 weeks + 3 daysGetting readyThe feeding conversationEach of you says what you hope feeding will look like, without the other one correcting.Time: 20 minutes
31 weeks + 4 daysGetting readyThe sling practiceBorrow a friend's sling or carrier, or try a few in a shop, before you buy one.Time: 20 minutes
31 weeks + 5 daysBondingThe daily helloPartner: pick a time that already happens every night, like after dinner or before lights out.Time: 1 minute, every evening
31 weeks + 6 daysGetting readyThe hospital bag, round oneFind the bag and leave it open on a chair where you'll see it every day.Time: 15 minutes
Month 8 · Weeks 32 to 35
32 weeksCheckups and safetyThe same-as-yesterday ruleAt bedtime, think back over the day's movements: the kicks, the rolls, the busy times.Time: 1 minute, every night
32 weeks + 1 dayGetting readyThe stroller testBrakes: put the brake on and push firmly. It shouldn't roll. On a second-hand one, this is the first check.Time: 20 minutes
32 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe shorter routePick a loop from your front door that you can finish without strain. Shorter than your old one is fine.Time: 10 to 20 minutes
32 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe RSV appointmentFind what you wrote down about RSV a couple of weeks ago. If the answer was yes and your dates fall in the season, carry on.Time: 10 minutes
32 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe rest-break scheduleOpen your diary or calendar for the coming week.Time: 20 minutes a day, in two pieces
32 weeks + 5 daysGetting readyThe pediatrician shortlistText two people you trust who have young children: who's your pediatrician, and would you choose them again?Time: 30 minutes
32 weeks + 6 daysBondingThe names conversationSeparately, each of you writes three names you'd be happy to say every day for the next eighteen years.Time: 30 minutes
33 weeksGetting readyThe car seat purchaseDecide which kind: a rear-facing-only infant seat, or a convertible seat you'll install rear-facing.Time: 30 minutes
33 weeks + 1 dayGetting readyThe one-inch wiggle testInstall the seat rear-facing, using either the seat belt or the lower anchors, following both the seat's manual and the car's.Time: 30 minutes
33 weeks + 2 daysGetting readyThe technician checkSearch for a certified child passenger safety technician near you, as the AAP suggests, or a car seat check event. Your hospital or birth center is a good place to ask.Time: 15 minutes to book
33 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe contraction call cardOn a card, in big letters, write: "Painful, or regular, or more than five in an hour: call." Those are the NHS's and MedlinePlus's lines in one sentence.Time: 5 minutes
33 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe afternoon offOpen your calendar and pick one afternoon this week. Block it out in a color you don't use for anything else.Time: One afternoon this week
33 weeks + 5 daysYour bodyThe pool sessionIf your provider has given you any limits on exercise, check that swimming is fine for you first.Time: 30 minutes, once this week
33 weeks + 6 daysFeelings and supportThe older-child talkIf there's no older child at home, skip to For you.Time: 15 minutes
34 weeksYour bodyThe lightening noteAsk yourself two questions: is breathing easier than last week, and am I going to the toilet more?Time: 2 minutes
34 weeks + 1 dayFeelings and supportThe speak-up scriptName the one thing that has bothered you most at your visits. Just one.Time: 10 minutes
34 weeks + 2 daysGetting readyThe early-arrival planOn a card, write line one, who to call: your provider's number, the hospital's labor and delivery number, and the person who'd look after any other children or pets.Time: 10 minutes
34 weeks + 3 daysGetting readyThe newborn-look listWrite five lines, one for each normal thing: blue hands and feet; white, waxy vernix; a few seconds before the first cry or splutter; fast breathing, then slow, with gaps of up to 5 seconds; and, for a boy, genitals that look enlarged for a few days.Time: 10 minutes
34 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe bathroom mapList the places you go most weeks: work, the shop, the school gate, the park, a friend's house.Time: 10 minutes
34 weeks + 5 daysCheckups and safetyThe weekly-visit calendarCount forward to 36 weeks, nine days from today, and mark it. From there, visits usually go weekly.Time: 15 minutes
34 weeks + 6 daysGetting readyThe nursing-bra fitGet measured now, at a shop fitting or with a tape at home, rather than guessing from your old size.Time: 30 minutes
35 weeksCheckups and safetyThe GBS swab explainerAsk at your next visit which week your swab will be, and write it down.Time: 10 minutes
35 weeks + 1 dayYour bodyThe perineal massage startAsk your provider, midwife, or class whether it suits you and how to do it. This note doesn't teach the technique; they should.Time: 10 minutes to plan
35 weeks + 2 daysGetting readyThe first-feeds readSit down together and read the newborn guide's feeding section out loud, one paragraph each.Time: 15 minutes
35 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe under-rib ruleLearn the difference in one sentence: a kick comes and goes; pain that stays under the ribs is a call.Time: 5 minutes
35 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe penicillin-allergy checkLook at what your records say about penicillin, and write down what you remember: what happened, how old you were, who said it was an allergy.Time: 15 minutes
35 weeks + 5 daysGetting readyThe numbers updateTake down the card from your second month and add the labor and delivery unit's direct number, plus the hospital's address and the entrance you'll use at night.Time: 20 minutes
35 weeks + 6 daysGetting readyThe hospital bag, round twoCheck the AAP's list against the bag: toiletries, clothing, reading material, a list of contacts, a receiving blanket, and the baby's going-home clothes.Time: 30 minutes
Month 9 · Weeks 36 to 40
36 weeksGetting readyThe reference-number cardAt the top of one index card, write your hospital reference number, if your hospital gave you one.Time: 15 minutes
36 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe breech questionWrite "Which way is the baby lying?" at the top of the page you bring to appointments. Third-trimester visits check the baby's position.Time: 5 minutes, then at your next check
36 weeks + 2 daysGetting readyThe last-work-day decisionPick a date. Count back from your due date, then ask yourself honestly how the last week felt at work.Time: 20 minutes
36 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe GBS result planIf you haven't had the swab yet, ask at your next weekly check when it's booked.Time: 5 minutes
36 weeks + 4 daysCheckups and safetyThe weekly-check questionsOn the note you bring, write: "Which way is the baby lying?" Position is part of every third-trimester visit.Time: 5 minutes before, 5 minutes during
36 weeks + 5 daysGetting readyThe feeding-support namesAsk at your next weekly check who helps with feeding at the hospital, and whether anyone follows up once you're home. Write down the name or number.Time: 15 minutes
36 weeks + 6 daysGetting readyThe partner's bagIf you're the partner, pack your own small bag, separate from hers, so nobody has to dig.Time: 20 minutes
37 weeksCheckups and safetyThe thirty-nine-weeks noteOn your appointment note, write: "Is there a medical reason before 39?".Time: 5 minutes
37 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe labour-signs cardOn a card, write the five signs: tightenings, a show, backache, an urge to go to the toilet, waters breaking.Time: 10 minutes
37 weeks + 2 daysYour bodyThe nesting limitPick one job for today, the one that would bother you most to leave undone.Time: 2 minutes to plan, then your stop time
37 weeks + 3 daysGetting readyThe backup-provider nameAt this week's visit, or by phone, ask: "If you're not working when labour starts, who will be?" The AAP lists the backup among the details to record before delivery.Time: 10 minutes
37 weeks + 4 daysYour bodyThe lean-forward sitPick a firm, steady seat that puts your hips above your knees, the position the NHS describes. A kitchen chair with a cushion on it often does it.Time: A few minutes at a time, a few times today
37 weeks + 5 daysBondingThe newborn-guide readSit together with one screen or a printout of the newborn guide's "What's developing" section.Time: 20 minutes
37 weeks + 6 daysFeelings and supportThe postpartum-mood planChoose one person, not your partner, who will ask you two weeks after the birth: "How are you, really?" Two weeks, because symptoms that last beyond 2 weeks may be postpartum depression.Time: 10 minutes
38 weeksFeelings and supportThe help-names listWrite five names. Not the most capable people you know; the ones who'd pick up at 6 a.m.Time: 15 minutes
38 weeks + 1 dayGetting readyThe cesarean readRead MedlinePlus's "Going home after a C-section" once, together, start to finish.Time: 15 minutes
38 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe induction conversationAsk: "If nothing happens on its own, when would you offer induction?" The NHS says it may be discussed beyond 41 weeks; your provider may have reasons to suggest a different date for you.Time: 10 minutes at your next checkup
38 weeks + 3 daysYour bodyThe notes-in-the-bag walkPack a small bag: your pregnancy notes, as the NHS suggests, a charged phone, water, and the card with the hospital and provider numbers.Time: 20 to 30 minutes
38 weeks + 4 daysGetting readyThe breast-pump checkFind the member services number on your insurance card and call it.Time: 15 minutes
38 weeks + 5 daysGetting readyThe sibling's hospital planName who takes your child if labour starts in the day, and who if it starts at 3 a.m. They may not be the same person. Arranging this care is on the AAP's list.Time: 20 minutes
38 weeks + 6 daysGetting readyThe safe-sleep setupTake everything out of the crib, bassinet, or play yard, then put back one fitted sheet. The CPSC calls it "Bare is Best": no pillows, no blankets. Bumper pads go too.Time: 15 minutes
39 weeksCheckups and safetyThe show explainerOn your card of hospital numbers, write: "Show: mucus, yellow, brownish, or streaked with blood. Normal. Labour may still be days away".Time: 5 minutes
39 weeks + 1 dayCheckups and safetyThe sixty-and-five ruleOpen the stopwatch on a phone. How long a contraction lasts is from the moment it starts to the moment it eases.Time: 10 minutes
39 weeks + 2 daysCheckups and safetyThe emergency-signs fridge listAt the top of a sheet of paper, write your maternity unit's number and 911.Time: 10 minutes
39 weeks + 3 daysCheckups and safetyThe waters notePut a pack of maternity pads in the hospital bag and one by the bed. A pad shows you the colour; a towel doesn't.Time: 5 minutes
39 weeks + 4 daysGetting readyThe first-minute readRead the five Apgar checks out loud together: heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, responsiveness, skin colour, at one minute and five.Time: 10 minutes
39 weeks + 5 daysGetting readyThe first-checkup bookingCall the pediatrician's office you chose. Give your due date and ask how to book the first visit, the one the AAP recommends within 48 to 72 hours of discharge.Time: 15 minutes
39 weeks + 6 daysGetting readyThe final installPut the seat in the back seat, rear-facing, ideally in the middle. Never in front of an active passenger airbag.Time: 30 minutes
Your due dateYour bodyThe due-date walkPut the hospital bag by the front door and charge both phones.Time: 20 to 30 minutes
After the due date · Weeks 40 to 42
1 day past your due dateCheckups and safetyThe past-due factsOn one page, write the three reasons MedlinePlus gives for a date that's off: an unclear last period, varying cycle lengths, no early ultrasound.Time: 10 minutes
2 days past your due dateCheckups and safetyThe daily-kick ritualPick the same time every day, ideally a time your baby is usually busy.Time: 20 minutes, once a day
3 days past your due dateCheckups and safetyThe monitoring explainerOn a card, write "Nonstress test" and under it: a belt, the baby's heart rate and movements, no medicine.Time: 10 minutes
4 days past your due dateCheckups and safetyThe induction methods readRead the MedlinePlus list aloud together: IV oxytocin, vaginal suppositories, rupturing the membranes, a cervical catheter, or a combination.Time: 15 minutes
5 days past your due dateCheckups and safetyThe PMT-feeling noteIf you feel period-like cramps or a low backache, write the day and time in your notes.Time: 2 minutes, each time you notice something
6 days past your due dateCheckups and safetyThe fluid questionAsk whether your fluid has been measured yet, and if so, what it showed.Time: 5 minutes, at your next appointment
7 days past your due dateCheckups and safetyThe forty-one-weeks conversationAsk one open question: "What's the plan for this week?" Write the answer in your provider's own words.Time: 15 minutes, at this week's appointment
8 days past your due dateGetting readyThe peeling-skin noteOn your list of how newborns look, or a fresh page if you don't have one, add: red, dry, peeling skin is common in overdue babies.Time: 5 minutes
9 days past your due dateGetting readyThe waiting-room kitFind a small bag that isn't your hospital bag, so you never unpack one to fill the other.Time: 15 minutes
10 days past your due dateFeelings and supportThe weight-and-date poolSend one message to the people who keep asking: guess the day, the time, and the weight.Time: 10 minutes
11 days past your due dateCheckups and safetyThe forty-one-week visit cardOn one card, write three headings: Fluid, Heart trace, Induction date.Time: 10 minutes
12 days past your due dateGetting readyThe if-induction-fails readRead the MedlinePlus page on going home after a C-section together, start to finish.Time: 15 minutes
13 days past your due dateGetting readyThe day-one previewOpen your first month and read day 1 aloud, one of you reading, one listening.Time: 15 minutes, tonight
14 days past your due dateGetting readyThe handoverClose this series. You don't need any more pregnancy notes; you've done the reading.Time: 5 minutes
Get the right one each morning
Add your due date to a free Chorevia household, and each morning the day's note arrives with its thing to try.
Create your household