The third trimester - your baby’s development and preparing for birth
PREGNANCY / Parent Library
Bags, documents, contacts and a support plan, with room for rest.
A useful checklist leaves room for rest
In the final trimester, it helps to simplify preparations into a few clear areas: contact with the maternity unit, documents, bags, transport and help when you get home. Choose what really needs to be ready and share the tasks. If you have less energy, someone close to you can check the route, finish the shopping or organise paperwork.
What is happening for your baby?
During the third trimester, your baby keeps growing, builds up body fat and matures in preparation for life outside the womb. This does not mean movements should stop because space is limited. A change, reduction or absence of the usual pattern requires prompt contact with your care team. Do not wait until the next day or the next appointment in your calendar.
Pack according to your own hospital’s list
Requirements for clothes and toiletries vary. Write down what the maternity unit provides and what you need to bring. Keep things for labour easy to reach. Show your birth partner where the documents, clothes and charger are. This is easier than searching for them after admission.
Plan for continuity of care
Before the birth, discuss the plan for checks, necessary tests and how to contact the maternity unit. Ask about midwifery care after discharge too. The PDF includes questions and space for your own arrangements. If you receive individual advice, record it beside the relevant tasks instead of replacing it with a general online calendar.
Getting home starts before the birth
Prepare basic supplies and a few simple meals if you can. Agree who will do the shopping, laundry and respond to family messages. Plan backup support in case your hospital stay is longer than expected. The checklist helps you make arrangements; you do not need to tick off everything yourself to prepare well for your baby.
Frequently asked questions
What should be ready first?
Start with documents, the maternity unit’s contact details, transport and essential items for your stay. Arrange help in case you need to leave earlier than expected. Other shopping can be shared with family or friends. A packed bag is most useful when everyone also knows where it is and who can bring it.
Do I need to go to hospital exactly on my due date?
The date is an estimate. Agree the schedule of checks and when to attend with your maternity care professional and hospital. Do not draw conclusions from a calculator date alone. Record when your next assessment is due and which symptoms mean you should make contact earlier.
What if my birth plan changes?
Your needs and medical circumstances may change before and during labour. Write down your main priorities and questions so you can discuss the available options more easily. Ask your care team to explain proposed steps. A checklist is not a scorecard for whether the birth went as expected.
How can I prepare people close to me for a longer stay?
Choose one contact person and show them where extra items are kept. Record the needs of older children, pets and the home. Make a short list of things that can be brought in. You do not have to predict every possibility; what matters is that someone can take over practical arrangements if plans change.
How to use this material
Read the checklist, mark the items relevant to your circumstances and add your own arrangements. Follow individual advice for health matters. After a conversation, record the next step and date; return to the material as your needs change.
Sources and updates
Sources were checked on 18.10.2026. The content was additionally compared with publications from HSE (Ireland) and Healthdirect Australia / Pregnancy, Birth and Baby. This is an editorial source check, not a medical review. These institutions have not approved the OutletBaby materials.
This translation was prepared with AI assistance and checked editorially. The material has not undergone a medical review.