Pregnancy can be the most exciting time, especially if this is your first time being pregnant. Preparing to welcome a new life into the world can herald the start of changes in your life and is a big responsibility.

There is a plethora of advice online about how to get ready for giving birth and what to expect when you’re expecting (which, by the way, was a hit as both a book and a movie).

But practically, how can you prepare yourself for giving birth?

Compile Emergency Details

Make a list of contact numbers for your next of kin, family members, and health professionals you might be under the care of for reasons other than pregnancy. Once you have all of your numbers, include essential information medical facilities might need, such as the details for your pediatrician in the event of an emergency or you being unable to respond, such as health conditions, allergies, and medications they need to be aware of. They make copies. Keep one copy on you at all times and keep one at home and potentially one in your hospital bag.

Prepare For The Hospital

If you are giving birth in a hospital, you should make all the necessary arrangements before you need to go. Do not drive yourself and instead make sure you know how you will get there if need be and who will be taking you. Keep spare change for any parking charges at the hospital and now the best routes at different times of the day to get there quickly.

Hospital Bag

Making sure your hospital bag is packed with everything you need should be a top priority. You need to include your birth plan, a robe, medications you need to take, toiletries, comfortable clothing that isn’t too restrictive, tops that allow for easy breastfeeding if you choose to breastfeed, and adult diapers for post-birth will be required, amongst other essentials for comfort.

For a baby, you do not need to take diapers, feeding equipment if bottle feeding, different sized going home clothing such as from Foryourlittleone, and a car seat.

Prepare Your Home

Your baby’s due date isn’t an exact science, and only around 5-7% of babies are born on their due date. Most babies are delivered within seven days on either side of this date, but babies can be born during pregnancy, but of course, the later in the pregnancy, the better.

In the last few weeks of pregnancy, you want to make sure you have all of your baby clothes washed and organized, a stockpile of meals, or grab-and-go foods to keep you going in those heady newborn days. Your home should be re-organized to allow for easy access and navigation with a new baby. Think about where you would like to poison the crib or your cradle, where you want to set up your changing table, and where the best place to keep your essential supplies will be.

Make life easy as possible before the baby is at this moment looking at more minor details and logistics of your home so you can focus on the baby.