We thought we were pretty good at packing… until we started preparing for the most important journey of our lives. We've gathered everything we learned before Kai arrived, week by week, on one page. Every topic that needs more detail has its own guide.
Plan the nursery
Choose the room, finish any painting, air it out for 2–3 weeks.
Preparing the Nursery →Start shopping
A minimum list for the first 3 months; assemble furniture and anchor it to the wall.
Before Baby Arrives →Pack the hospital bag
3 bags for mum, baby and partner; install the car seat.
Packing the Hospital Bag →Set up the postpartum routine
Agree roles with your helper, fill the freezer, set a visiting rule.
Preparing for the Postpartum Weeks →Night-time nappy changes, managing visitors, keeping an eye on mum's water and meals, taking over the housework. Take an infant first-aid class together before the birth.
Before Baby Arrives guide →Choose a paediatrician before the birth. Find out in advance how to register the birth and add baby to your insurance; plan maternity and paternity leave.
Feeling low in the first 2 weeks (the baby blues) is common. If it lasts or gets worse, talk to your doctor; asking for help is part of being prepared too.
A foldable travel cot, a portable blackout blind and a white-noise machine keep the same sleep routine at home and in hotels.
Our travel guides →Ideally around week 20. Nursery and shopping in weeks 20–30, the hospital bag in weeks 28–36, and the postpartum setup from week 34.
Start at week 28 and have it ready by week 36 at the latest; earlier if there's a risk of premature birth. Keep the bag by the front door or in the car boot.
Lip balm, a long charging cable, a going-home outfit and the car seat (infant carrier). A baby can't be carried home on your lap in the car.
High-waisted underwear that sits above the incision, loose clothes with no tight waistband, slippers you can put on without bending, a small pillow to press against your tummy when you cough, and 1–2 days of extra clothes. A C-section hospital stay is usually 2–3 days.
For the first 3 months, 7–8 bodysuits and 6–7 sleepsuits are enough; babies grow fast. Newborns can use 8–12 nappies a day, but the newborn size doesn't last long: buy 1–2 packs and move on to size 1, and try a brand before stocking up on it.
The AAP recommends that baby sleeps in the parents' room for at least the first 6 months (ideally until age 1), but on their own separate, firm sleep surface. We moved Kai to his own room at 3–4 months; make the decision together with your paediatrician.
Around 20–22°C. Don't overdress baby; you can check their temperature at the back of the neck and keep a thermometer in the room.
Definitely buy: a car seat (infant carrier), a safe place to sleep, clothes for the first weeks, nappies and basic care products. Not needed in the first months: a high chair, baby walker, baby shoes, lots of newborn-size clothes. See our Shopping List for the products we used.
Take a breastfeeding class before the birth, learn the right latch and the signs that baby is feeding well, and ask whether your hospital has a lactation consultant. A pump isn't essential and can be bought after the birth if you need one. But even if you plan to breastfeed, keep 2–3 bottles on hand. Kai slept a lot, so I always pumped to avoid breaking up his night sleep.
Antenatal classes, a breastfeeding class and infant first aid (including the infant choking manoeuvre). Ideally both parents take the first-aid class together.
Postpartum bleeding is heavy like a period in the first days and lightens over the following weeks; keep plenty of maternity pads at home. Baby usually feeds every 2–3 hours, so sleep comes in short stretches; rest while baby sleeps. Feeling low in the first 2 weeks (the baby blues) is common. See your doctor if you have a fever, very heavy bleeding or large clots, redness or discharge at the stitches, or low mood that lasts or gets worse.
In Turkey, the birth is usually registered at the hospital; if not, the mother or father can register it within 30 days of the birth through the “Birth Notification Application” on e-Devlet or at the civil registry office. Contact your provider early to add baby to your health insurance (SGK or private). Vaccines follow the Ministry of Health schedule; the first one is usually given at the hospital right after birth. Plan the follow-ups with your paediatrician. If you live elsewhere, check your local registration rules.
Talk through roles before week 34; for most families the first 2–6 weeks are when support is needed most.
This guide is based on our own experience and trusted sources; always check medical decisions with your doctor.
Our Baby Shopping List
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