As you enter the final weeks of pregnancy, you may start feeling anxious about labour. Don’t worry, feeling nervous or unsure as your due date gets closer is completely normal.
It’s time to start preparing all the necessary things like baby clothes, hospital needs, and more. It also helps to know what to expect when contractions or other signs of labour begin.
Your birth preferences, appointments, baby car seat, and other essentials may also need some preparation before your baby arrives.
It may be overwhelming, but don’t worry. It’s not always required to be 100% perfect. You can be organised and get things ready, but it’s okay if you can’t be perfectly organised. What matters is to stay calm and just get the necessary things ready.
As per my experience, here is the guide that can help you prepare for labour and delivery. I found that the most useful preparation is always the simple stuff, like knowing who to call, having a plan for getting to the hospital, preparing the basics for the baby, and thinking about what you will need once you and your baby come home.
If you are in your third trimester and want to know what to expect during these final weeks, you can also read my Third Trimester Pregnancy Guide: Symptoms, Baby Development & What to Expect.
Here is what I personally focused on before my labour.
Know Where You Are Going and Who You Will Call
Save your maternity ward, midwife, and doctor’s numbers on your phone. You don’t want to be searching online when your contractions begin. It may sound funny, but I heard this advice too!
In my hospital, around 28 weeks of pregnancy, we had a hospital visit where a midwife showed us the labour room, delivery room, and other areas related to labour and delivery. You can ask your hospital if they offer a similar visit in your area.
Before your due date, make sure you know:
- Where you need to go when labour starts
- Which entrance you should use outside normal office hours
- How you will get to the hospital
- Who will drive you
- What you will do if your usual driver is unavailable
- Where you have kept your pregnancy files and medical records
If you have another child at home, make sure you have childcare arranged as well. In my case, I invited my mother to stay with us, and she took care of my toddler while I went to the hospital.
Don’t Try to Predict Exactly How Labor Will Start
The final weeks can feel stressful, and sometimes you spend a lot of time waiting for the first sign that labour has begun.
Labour can start in different ways. For some women, contractions begin first, while for others, their water breaks first.
In my first pregnancy, my labour started with my water breaking. It wasn’t a big gush at first. I first felt a little pain in my stomach, then heard a sound like a balloon popping, followed by some fluid and a little bleeding.
I contacted my maternity team and followed their instructions about going to the hospital. My contractions slowly started, and about three hours later, I had a much bigger gush of fluid. Yes, that was the much bigger gush I had been expecting!
Some women may also notice back pain, increasing pelvic pressure, or other changes as labour approaches.
Labour can take several hours, and for some women, it can take even longer. As labour progresses, contractions usually become more regular, stronger, and closer together.
You don’t need to memorise every possible sign of labour, as this can sometimes make you more anxious. Instead, ask your doctor or midwife what you should do when you notice changes or think labour may be starting.
Know When to Wait and When to Call
As the weeks pass, contractions may become more noticeable, and you may start wondering whether labour is going to begin today. It can be difficult to know which changes are part of normal late pregnancy and when you should contact your maternity team.
Contact your maternity team if:
- Your water breaks
- You have vaginal bleeding
- Your baby is moving less than usual or their normal movement pattern has changed
- You are less than 37 weeks pregnant and think you may be in labour
- Your contractions become strong, regular, and more frequent
- You have severe or continuous abdominal pain
- You feel faint, very unwell, or worried that something is not right
According to NHS guidance, it is especially important to contact your maternity unit if your baby’s movements have reduced or changed from their usual pattern.
Please don’t ignore these signs or wait until the next morning or your next appointment if you are concerned. Follow the advice given by your own maternity team, as they can tell you when you should contact them and whether you need to be assessed.
If you want to learn more about your baby’s movements during pregnancy, you can also read my guide on when you start feeling your baby move.
Think About What You Want, but Leave Room for Things to Change
It’s absolutely fine to have preferences for your birth.
You may want to move around during labour, try certain positions, use pain relief options, or have your husband beside you.
You can also let your midwife know beforehand if you would like to have skin-to-skin contact with your baby after delivery.
But no one can promise you exactly how your delivery will go. You may have contractions, labour may begin, and the situation may change along the way. You may even end up having a C-section. We never know exactly how things will go.
For me, after 28 hours of labour, my little one finally came by emergency C-section. My midwife told me something that stayed with me: you can prepare and have preferences, but you cannot control every part of how your baby will be born.
So, have your preferences, talk about them with your healthcare team, but also leave some room for things to change. The most important thing is that you and your baby are safe and healthy.
Ask Questions at Your Appointments
During the final weeks, your appointments may become more frequent. These appointments are a good time to ask any questions you may have about labour and delivery.
You can ask:
- When should I call you if I start having contractions?
- What should I do if my water breaks?
- What should I do if my baby is moving less than usual?
- Where should I go when I arrive at the hospital?
- What happens if I go past my due date?
- Who should I contact outside normal office hours?
What I experienced may not be the same for you. Getting information directly from your doctor or midwife can be much more useful because they know your pregnancy and can tell you what to do in your specific situation.
Pack Your Hospital Bag, But Keep It Simple
I packed my hospital bag around 35 weeks of pregnancy. With my first pregnancy, I packed much more than I actually needed, but later I realised that I didn’t need to take so many things.
These days, social media can make hospital bags look like you need to pack everything.
Instead of focusing on taking lots of clothes, think about the things you will actually need, such as your mobile charger, important documents, comfortable clothes, toiletries, maternity pads, comfortable underwear, and any regular medicines you take. If you are travelling home by car, check whether you need to have your baby’s car seat ready as well.
You can also check what your hospital provides. My hospital provided clothes for both the baby and me, as well as diapers. So, there was no point in taking plenty of clothes and packing as if I were going away for a long vacation.
Pack the essentials, but don’t stress about having a huge hospital bag. You can always check with your hospital beforehand to find out what they provide.
Prepare for the Journey, Not Just the Destination
Make a plan for how you will get to the hospital before labour begins. It is better to check the route in advance, especially if the hospital is far from your home. Think about how you will get there when labour starts and who will drive you.
If your labour begins, try not to panic. Stay calm, take slow breaths, and support each other. Keep your mobile phone charged so you can contact your doctor, midwife, or hospital when needed.
During one of my final-week appointments, my doctor told me that a first delivery can sometimes take longer than expected. That helped me understand that labour may take time, so I didn’t need to panic if things didn’t happen immediately.
Prepare Your Home for the First Few Days
You don’t need to have your baby’s room picture-perfect before delivery. Instead, focus on having the things you and your baby will need during the first few days at home.
A few useful things to have ready include:
- A safe place for your baby to sleep
- Enough diapers and a few comfortable baby clothes
- Feeding supplies that fit your feeding plans
- Muslin cloths
- Sanitary pads for you
- Easy-to-prepare or ready-to-eat food for yourself
If you have other children, think about their needs too. For example:
- Who will take them to kindergarten or school?
- Who can help you with them while you recover?
- What meals can be prepared easily with little effort?
Everyone naturally focuses on getting things ready for the new baby, but the person recovering from birth needs preparation and care too.
Having a few things arranged in advance can make those first days at home much easier.
Don’t Buy Everything Before Your Baby Arrives
With our first baby, we bought many clothes and prepared everything, including a baby crib. But once she arrived, we realised that some of the clothes were too loose for her, and she didn’t sleep comfortably in the baby crib we had prepared.
Babies grow and change so quickly that something you think you will use every day may not work as expected once your baby arrives.
My advice is to start with the things your baby genuinely needs. You can always buy more clothes, feeding supplies, or other baby items later when you know what works best for your baby.
Make Your Partner Part of the Preparation
Make sure your partner knows the important things before labour starts. You may not be in the mood to explain everything when contractions begin!
Your partner should know:
- Where the hospital is
- Who to call when labour starts
- Who will drive you to the hospital
- Where your pregnancy documents and medical records are
- Where the hospital bag is kept
- What your birth preferences are
- Who to contact if you need childcare for your other children
- Who to contact outside normal hospital hours
What Would You Like Help With at Home?
It is better to talk about this with your partner before the baby arrives. It can help reduce some of the stress for both of you.
People often spend so much time preparing for the birth that they sometimes forget about what happens after they bring the baby home.
Think about what your first evening at home might look like. The simple things can make those first few days much easier.
- Who will prepare food for you?
- Do you have some comfortable clothes and clean laundry ready?
- Can you keep the baby supplies you use most often within easy reach?
- Who can help you with cooking, cleaning, or your older children?
For me, having food ready was especially important because I also needed time to recover after birth. I knew I might not feel like cooking or doing household work during those first few days.
You don’t need to have everything perfectly organised. Just preparing a few basic things in advance can make the first 2–3 days at home with your baby a little easier.
Prepare for Your Recovery Too
After delivery, most of the focus is usually on the newborn. But moms, you need rest too. Whether you have a C-section or a vaginal birth, your body needs time to recover. Don’t hesitate to ask your partner or another family member for help.
Take comfortable clothes with you to the hospital. If you have a planned C-section, ask your maternity team before your delivery what you should know about recovery.
If you have a vaginal delivery, remember that recovery is still recovery. You may feel very tired, sore, emotional, and overwhelmed while adjusting to feeding and caring for a newborn all at once.
Please don’t try to prove to yourself that you can do everything immediately. Just rest, mama. Your body has been through a lot, and taking care of yourself is also part of taking care of your baby.
Don’t Let Your Due Date Become a Countdown You Have to Control
I think most women know that the due date is an estimate, not a deadline. You may go into labour a little earlier or a little later.
I remember how tough and stressful the waiting period could feel. You may start treating every cramp, backache, or trip to the bathroom as a sign that labour might begin that night.
If your due date passes, don’t try random methods you have seen on the internet to bring on labour. Just follow the advice of your maternity team and attend your appointments.
Final Thoughts
Preparing for labour is not just about preparing for the day of birth. It is also about preparing yourself for what comes before and after the birth.
Keep some space in your mind for things to change. Birth does not always happen the way you imagine it, and that’s okay. Prepare what you can, stay flexible, and focus on keeping yourself and your baby safe and healthy.
A Note Before You Go
Pregnancy and labour can look very different from one person to another. The information in this article is general and should not replace advice from your doctor, midwife, or other healthcare professional.
If you think labour may be starting, your water has broken, you have vaginal bleeding, your baby’s movements are reduced or different from usual, or you are worried about something, contact your maternity unit or healthcare provider as soon as possible.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Bhavana, a mother and the creator behind Happy Mama Ideas. Through my own pregnancy journeys, I have experienced many of the symptoms discussed in this blog, including morning sickness, food aversions, and fatigue. I share practical pregnancy, baby care, and motherhood tips based on my personal experiences as a mother, along with information from trusted medical sources, to help expecting and new moms feel more confident and supported on their journey.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or healthcare provider before trying any remedies during pregnancy.
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