The Final Countdown: Preparing for Baby in the Last Few Days
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through them — at no extra cost to you. I only share products I genuinely use and love.
Pregnancy exists in its own strange parallel timeline to real life.
Somehow, it seems to go on forever, but at the same time fly by at light speed—until suddenly you find yourself days (or even hours) away from meeting your new little person.
I’m not quite sure how we went from a 5-week surprise positive test, to a scheduled induction in 48 hours… but here we are.
These last few days before we bring home a new family member, I’ve been doing all the final preparations, of course.
But I’ve also been trying to just enjoy what we have.
Enjoy the three older kids.
Spend time as a family of five.
Because that chapter is ending—and I want to really cherish it.
So these are the things I’ve been prioritizing in the final days before baby arrives.
1. Spending as much quality time with the older kids as I can
They want to watch a movie? Sure.
Play a board game? You bet.
I’ve also been trying to cook and prioritize sit-down family meals as much as I can manage.
Really, I’ve been trying to be present. Just be here as the mom they know—because I’m not sure what version of mom they’re going to get next week.
My partner and I have also been intentional about having honest, loving conversations with the kids about what’s coming.
That mom will be recovering from a major medical event.
That newborns require a lot of attention.
That we will both be tired—and they may need to help a little more.
But we’ve also made sure they know how much we love them.
That this baby belongs to all of us.
That he is adding to our lives, not taking anything away.
And we will keep that promise.
2. Nesting and finalizing preparations for the house
The nesting instinct is very real.
I started weeks ago, but these last few days have felt like a never-ending checklist.
I’ve meal prepped and grocery shopped for at least the next two weeks. I even wrote out a weekly essentials list so my partner doesn’t have to guess.
Not because he can’t manage these things—he absolutely can—but because these small things will make life easier for both of us.
He’s having a new baby too, after all.
I’ve washed all the baby clothes, set up the bassinet, and packed (and repacked) the hospital bags more times than I’d like to admit.
Basically, I’ve done everything I can to make sure that when we walk back through that door with our baby, everything is ready.
Because the last thing I want while recovering is to be assembling baby gear.
3. Creating intentional spaces for me and baby
One thing that has helped me feel so much more ready is setting up “mom and baby stations” around the house.
I’ve created spaces both in the bedroom and the living room so I can settle wherever feels best during recovery.
In both areas, I’ve made sure I have:
- A breastfeeding pillow (I’m testing out two different ones to see what works best)
- A large refillable water cup with a straw
- A Kindle holder (because Bookish Mama will absolutely be reading postpartum)
- A nightlight with a red light option for overnight feeds
- A couch table for my iPad or laptop
- A reading pillow for comfort while sitting upright
- Extra blankets
- Baby essentials (clothes, diapers, wipes)
And safe places to set baby down:
- A bedside bassinet upstairs
- A lounger and playpen setup in the living room
Knowing I can just sink into these spaces and have everything within reach has brought me so much peace about the postpartum period.
4. Prioritizing the things that fill my cup
Reading.
Video games.
Cooking.
Working on my journals and online projects.
These are the things that make me feel like me.
And I’ve been really intentional about not letting every second be consumed by baby prep.
I’ve been making space for myself.
Because I know from experience—those first weeks (or months) with a new baby can make you lose yourself a little.
And that’s not sustainable.
Moms need to fill their own cups too.
So I’ve been carving out at least an hour a day to just be a person. To do things that bring me joy.
I’m hopeful I’ll still find ways to do that after baby—but I know it may look different for a while.
5. Spending intentional time with my partner
We have three children—but we’ve never had one together.
So in many ways, this is a first for us.
Becoming new parents—together.
That’s going to shift our relationship in ways we can’t fully predict.
We’ve both had previous experiences where we felt alone during the newborn stage, and we’ve talked a lot about what we need from each other this time.
And honestly, I feel really good about it.
I feel like we’re going into this as a team.
But until then, we’ve been soaking up time together:
Movie nights.
Walks.
Quiet moments just lying in bed together.
Because that connection matters too.
There is only so much you can prepare for
You can buy all the things.
Make all the lists.
Organize everything perfectly.
And chances are… something will still surprise you.
Something will go wrong.
Something will be forgotten.
Something will feel harder than you expected.
That’s just part of bringing a new baby home.
So give yourself grace.
Be kind to yourself.
Be kind to your partner.
Because parenting is chaos—even in its most organized form.
Our countdown is on.
Yours may just be beginning.
Wherever you are in your pregnancy journey—and however prepared you feel (or don’t feel)…
You’ve got this.
I promise. 🤍
If you’re in these final days of pregnancy too, I’d love to hear where you’re at.
Are you nesting? Resting? Counting down the hours?
Feel free to share in the comments — whether you’re days away from meeting your baby or just starting this journey 🤍
And if you enjoy honest motherhood stories, bookish moments, and a little real-life chaos mixed in, you can join my email list below. I send out new posts, updates, and a few cozy extras straight to your inbox.
If you’re not quite ready to leave yet, you might also enjoy:
Leave a Reply