Get baby-ready in the weeks you feel best.

MedlinePlus advises scheduling your first prenatal visit as soon as you learn you are pregnant, and regular checkups are the backbone of a healthy pregnancy. If you already had your first visit, make sure the next ones are booked. Bring a list of questions and your health history.

Food questions come up at every meal, so it helps to settle them early. The FDA publishes a simple chart of which fish are lower in mercury and how much is typically recommended per week. The FDA suggests 8 to 12 ounces per week from its 'best choices' list. Save the chart to your phone for grocery runs.

Knowing your costs early prevents surprise bills later. All Marketplace and Medicaid plans cover pregnancy and childbirth, even if your pregnancy began before coverage started. Call the number on your insurance card and ask about prenatal care, delivery, and hospital coverage. If you are uninsured, HealthCare.gov explains Medicaid and CHIP options.

WIC is a federal program for pregnant women that provides healthy foods, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support. Applying early means benefits through your whole pregnancy. Eligibility is based on income. The USDA site links to your state's WIC office to apply.

Carrier screening is a simple blood or saliva test that shows whether you carry genes for certain inherited conditions. Asking now leaves plenty of time to talk through results calmly. ACOG's guide explains what the test can and cannot tell you. It is optional, so this is just a conversation to have at your next visit.

Some screening tests for the baby (blood tests and ultrasound checks) happen in the first trimester, so it helps to understand the menu of options now rather than deciding on the spot. ACOG's plain-language FAQ walks through what each screening test looks for. Bring your questions to your next appointment.

The federal FMLA can protect your job for up to 12 weeks of leave, but only if you and your employer qualify. Knowing where you stand shapes every leave decision ahead. Generally you need 12 months with your employer and 1,250 hours worked, at a company with 50 or more employees near your worksite. The Department of Labor FAQ explains the rules.

ACOG says oral health care is safe and important during pregnancy, and more than half of women skip the dentist while pregnant. Booking now gets it done while energy is decent. Tell the office you are pregnant when you book. A routine cleaning and exam is the goal.

ACOG's guidance says most pregnant women ideally get about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, like brisk walking. Setting an easy routine now pays off when the third trimester slows you down. Confirm with your provider what is right for your pregnancy before starting anything new.

ACOG says the best time to travel is mid-pregnancy, weeks 14 to 28, when energy is back and moving around is still easy. If you want a babymoon, book it inside this window. ACOG's travel FAQ covers flying, road trips, and what to pack. Check any airline cutoff dates for late pregnancy.

The AAP suggests asking parents you trust for names and interviewing candidates before the baby arrives. Starting the list now makes the final choice easy later. Check which pediatricians take your insurance and are close to home. You will interview favorites in a few weeks.

Popular classes fill up and you want to finish the course well before late pregnancy, so registering now beats scrambling in the third trimester. Ask your delivery hospital or provider's office what they offer; many have in-person and online options.

A registry is really a research project, and the second trimester is when you have the energy for it. Done now, gifts and hand-me-downs have months to arrive. Focus on the big items first: car seat, crib or bassinet, stroller. Friends and family will ask for the link sooner than you think.

Most health plans must cover a breast pump and lactation support at no cost to you. Knowing this now shapes what goes on your registry and what you can skip buying. HealthCare.gov explains the rules; call your plan to ask how they handle pumps and lactation visits.

Knowing what is coming — the anatomy ultrasound around 20 weeks, glucose testing later — makes appointments less mysterious and helps you schedule around work. MedlinePlus lists the typical visits and tests for this trimester in plain language.

The car seat is the one item you legally cannot leave the hospital without, and comparing seats takes real time. NHTSA's finder narrows it to seats that fit your car and a newborn. Use NHTSA's car seat finder and check that the seat fits your actual vehicle. A rear-facing seat is what newborns need.

CDC notes that a flu shot during pregnancy protects against flu-related hospitalization and passes protection to the baby. If any part of your pregnancy overlaps fall or winter, ask your provider about timing. This is a conversation for your next prenatal visit, not something to arrange on your own.

ACOG says the standard ultrasound is usually performed at 18 to 22 weeks of pregnancy, so it lands in this stretch. It checks the baby's development and is often when you can learn the sex. Confirm yours is scheduled. Partners often want to be at this one, so share the date early.

Cribs and bassinets sold new must meet federal safety requirements, and delivery can take weeks. Choosing now keeps nursery setup a calm second-trimester project. CPSC's safe sleep center explains what to look for. Remember 'bare is best': nothing in the crib but a fitted sheet.

Doing the nursery now, while bending and lifting are still easy, means it is done before energy drops. The AAP's safe sleep rules decide the setup: firm flat surface, nothing loose in it. The AAP parent guide covers the whole setup, including why baby should sleep in your room (not your bed) for at least the first 6 months.

Purely a nice-to-have, but the good ones book out months ahead. Newborn sessions in particular are reserved while you're still pregnant, because they happen in baby's first two weeks. Maternity 'bump' sessions usually happen around weeks 28 to 34. Newborn sessions are shot in the first 1 to 2 weeks after birth, so reserve a date near your due date now. Booking both at once often gets you a package rate.

The AAP recommends room sharing — baby's own crib, bassinet, or play yard in your bedroom, close to your bed — for at least the first 6 months. That choice shapes what gear you need where. Many families put a bassinet in the bedroom and a crib in the nursery. Decide now so your registry matches the plan.

Two minutes now means the manufacturer can reach you instantly if your seat is ever recalled. NHTSA recommends registering and signing up for recall notices. Use the registration card in the box or NHTSA's site.

Hand-me-down cribs and sleepers may predate current safety rules or be recalled. CPSC says to check recalls and use only sleep products that meet federal requirements. Search each item on SaferProducts.gov (linked from CPSC's safe sleep page) before deciding to use it.

March of Dimes suggests filling out a birth plan with your partner, then sharing it with your provider and the nurses where you will deliver. Drafting mid-pregnancy leaves time to discuss and revise. March of Dimes has a free fill-in PDF. Keep it to one page and bring it to a prenatal visit.

The AAP's infant safety checklist starts with working smoke alarms and fresh batteries. Easier to handle ladders and hardware now than with a newborn in the house. Test every alarm, replace batteries, and note anything else on the AAP's birth-to-6-months safety list you can knock out early.

If you want to bank or donate cord blood, arrangements must be made well before delivery. ACOG's FAQ explains the difference between public donation and private banking. Public banks are free; private banks charge fees. Ask your provider what your delivery hospital supports.

Preterm labor is labor before 37 weeks, and March of Dimes says even one sign means call your provider right away. Learning the signs now means you will recognize them for the whole second half of pregnancy. Signs include regular tightening of the belly, pelvic pressure, and changes in discharge. March of Dimes has a printable sheet.

The glucose screening (a blood-sugar check for pregnancy diabetes) is typically done between 24 and 28 weeks, so the window opens now. It is usually a sweet drink followed by a blood draw about an hour later. Your provider's office will book it — just make sure it is on your calendar.

Federal law gives most workers the right to break time and a private space (not a bathroom) to pump for a year after birth. Knowing this before leave conversations makes those talks easier. The Department of Labor's PUMP Act page explains who is covered and what employers must provide.

FMLA requires 30 days' advance notice when leave is foreseeable, like a due date. Filing paperwork now — months early — beats the legal minimum and locks your plan in while you have energy. Put the request in writing to HR, ask what forms they need, and confirm how your leave will be paid (PTO, disability insurance, or unpaid).

The AAP advises contacting and interviewing candidate pediatricians during the final months of pregnancy — and finishing the choice before the third trimester keeps it off your late-pregnancy plate. Many practices do free meet-and-greet visits. Confirm they take your insurance and how after-hours questions work.

Your health plan must cover a breast pump, and processing can take weeks. Ordering now means it arrives long before you need it. Call your insurer or use their approved supplier list; your provider's office may need to send a prescription.

CDC recommends a Tdap dose during weeks 27 through 36 of every pregnancy — preferably early in that window — to pass whooping-cough protection to the baby. The window opens this week. Bring it up at this week's or next week's prenatal visit so it can happen early in the window.

Insurance must cover breastfeeding support and counseling, and classes taken now finish before late-pregnancy fatigue. Booking is the last easy-energy window task. Ask your delivery hospital about classes, or ask your plan which lactation consultants are covered.

In the third trimester, visits typically move to every 2 weeks until week 36, then weekly. Block the time at work now so the new rhythm does not catch you off guard. Book the next several appointments in one call and put them all on your calendar.

The AAP recommends parents-to-be visit their pediatrician during the third trimester to build the relationship and cover newborn topics like feeding and safe sleep before the baby arrives. You already chose the practice — now book the get-acquainted visit. Bring your partner if you can.

ACOG recommends that all new mothers have contact with their care provider within the first 3 weeks after birth, with a full visit by 12 weeks. Planning support now is classic before-baby prep. Write down who checks on you, who handles meals and chores the first weeks, and when your postpartum appointments should happen.

The AAP's bringing-baby-home guide says to have equipment and clothing ready before delivery — including the going-home outfit and a properly dressed ride (no puffy coats under harness straps). Wash a starter set of newborn clothes and stage the going-home outfit with the hospital things.

CDC recommends the maternal RSV vaccine during weeks 32 through 36 for those pregnant September through January, to protect the newborn from a common serious lung infection. The window opens now. If you are outside those months, ask your provider about the infant antibody option instead. Either way it is a provider conversation.

Purely practical: the first weeks home are the hardest time to cook, and freezer meals made now are dinner then. Do it before energy dips further. Aim for one-dish meals that reheat well. Label with date and contents.

Babies can arrive early, and every U.S. hospital checks for a rear-facing seat before discharge. NHTSA offers free inspection stations where a certified technician confirms your installation. Install it rear-facing in the back seat using NHTSA's instructions, then book a free inspection — some stations are virtual.

Purely practical: full term is around the corner and labor rarely waits for packing. A bag by the door now removes one panic later. Cover documents (ID, insurance card, birth plan), phone charger, toiletries, comfortable clothes, and the baby's going-home outfit.

From week 36 on, prenatal visits typically become weekly. Book the remaining appointments as one block and arrange work around them.

ACOG explains that the test for group B strep (a common bacteria that can affect newborns) is done between 36 and 38 weeks, so it will happen at one of these visits. It is a quick swab during a regular visit. If it is positive, antibiotics during labor protect the baby — your provider handles the plan.

You are full term soon, so now is the moment to know what real labor looks like — and when to call. ACOG's FAQ explains contractions, water breaking, and how to tell false labor from the real thing. Agree with your provider on when to call and when to head in, and post those instructions where your support people can see them.

The easiest way to get your baby's Social Security number is to say yes when the hospital collects birth-certificate information — no separate office visit needed. Know this before delivery day. Bring both parents' Social Security numbers to the hospital. The card arrives by mail a few weeks later.

Having a baby is a qualifying life event that opens a short special enrollment window to add them to your health plan. Learn your plan's exact deadline now, because the clock starts at birth. Call your insurer or HR and write the exact deadline into your phone — these windows are measured in days, not months, and they differ by plan.

The AAP's schedule puts the first pediatrician checkup at 3 to 5 days old, so the appointment happens days after you get home. Ask your pediatrician now how they handle that first booking. Many practices hold newborn slots — confirm the process so it is one phone call from the hospital.

Going past 40 weeks is common. ACOG explains that at 41 weeks your provider may recommend extra monitoring (like heart-rate checks) and will typically discuss inducing labor. This is a normal, planned-for situation — use this week's visit to walk through the monitoring and induction options together.