What do you wish you’d done before your baby arrived? from 100 moms

Wondering what to do before baby arrives? This post is all about what moms wish they had done before baby arrived. It may contain affiliate links.

We’re back with another 100 moms advice post! Today we’re talking all about what you wish you had done before baby arrived. We asked over 100 moms and compiled their answers here.

Some moms focused on things they should have done in pregnancy (mostly in their third trimester) to prep for the baby. Other moms chimed in with life goals they wish they had completed before they started on the journey of motherhood. 

Just like in the last “100 Moms” posts, answers are ranked in order of popularity (the most common responses first). I’ve separated the answers into two categories so you can distinguish between things moms wish they had done in pregnancy and things moms wish they had done in life before children. 

What Moms Wish They Had Done Before Baby Arrived

Things to do during pregnancy before baby arrives

• Deep clean and organize your house.
• Set up the nursery… earlier than you think you need to 
• Pack your hospital bags 
• Order your breast pump, wash the parts, and order a bottle (even if you plan on breastfeeding)
• Read a pregnancy book (if you’re only going to read one pregnancy/ birth / baby book, let it be this one)
• Make a list of quick 10 or 20 minute meals to pin to the fridge so you are not just ordering takeout every night post partum. The hardest part seems like coming up with ideas for meals when you have new mom brain.
• Hired a cleaner!! Some moms loved hiring a deep cleaner the week before their due date and others recommended hiring a regular cleaner to come after baby is here. Some one else recommended hiring a cleaner to come while you’re at the hospital so you come home to a clean house.

Things moms wish they did before having kids

• Make exercise a habit and priority 
• Prioritize education (finished school, gotten a technical degree, read more) 
• Develop specific habits

What moms wish they had done more of in their third trimester:

• SLEEP! 
• Take more pictures! So many moms weighed in wishing they’d taken more pictures during their pregnancy. Some wished they’d just taken more bump pictures. Some wish they’d splurged on maternity photos. Some wish they’d taken maternity pictures later in pregnancy when their bump was bigger.
• Stock up on freezer meals
• Get a pedicure (for the last time in awhile)
• Spend some quality time with your guy – whether that means more date nights, a weekend away, or a full fledged baby moon. 
• Girls day with friends (getting in all the quality time with adult friends)
• Be more active / Lose the weight / make exercise a habit and priority
• Schedule a spa day / make yourself feel pretty 
• Secure childcare for after the post-partum period 
• Spend one-on-one time with older kids
• Clean the car out (go ahead and just schedule a car detailing before you’re due)
• Set up baby changing stations all over the house (here’s my list of what we have at our changing station)
• Shave/wax/trim down there! It makes all the post-partum bleeding easier to deal with (but beware, waxing while pregnant is on another level)
• Stock up on household essentials (check out this list of household items to stockpile before baby arrives if you’re wondering what you need) 
• Prep meals like frozen meals or had a meal service subscription
• Get plenty of snacks and extra underwear for the post partum period (you’ll likely bleed through more than you think you will)
• Have pads and other mom self care items purchased beforehand. 

A few additional things from moms worth mentioning:

• “I wish I didn’t make such a big deal about trying to get the baby out by the due date and just enjoyed the last few days with my husband. I ended up being induced a week early and as happy as we were with baby’s arrival I really regret how I spent my time with my husband!”
• “I wish I would have taken time to prepare for my birth. I did freezer meals, a babymoon, cleaned and organized my house but I forgot to prepare for the actual birth. All went ok but my natural birth was hard.”
• “Trained my husband.” I laughed out loud at this one. I do think that figuring out how to hand off tasks that you are usually in charge of is really important. If your partner (if you have a partner) is less involved in specific tasks, it might be worth writing out how to do specific things or hiring help. This time around (due with baby #4 any day) I’ve made sure my husband knows all the things about our kids’ school routine (drop-off, pick-up, snacks, lunch, etc). I have also hired someone to come in and help with a few household things during this post partum period.