Sample output · default answers
New Baby Prep Checklist — full sample
This is the actual structure our generator produces from the default answers. When you buy, you fill in the form and your version reflects your household — rooms, timeline, province, and everything else.
Second trimester
- Confirm due date (your due date) with care provider
- Book prenatal classes
- Tour hospital / birthing centre
- Decide on care provider: OB, family doctor, or midwife
- Add baby to benefits plan (pre-registration if allowed)
- Life insurance review for both parents
- Update / draft wills naming guardians
- Start nursery plan and colour / theme
- Choose baby name shortlist
Third trimester
- Install car seat; get it inspected before your due date (see Car seat & monitor safety below)
- Pack hospital bag (see next section)
- Choose and register with paediatrician / family doctor
- Freeze 2-3 weeks of meals — one-hand, reheat-only dinners for the newborn stage
- Set up a meal train with family or friends for the first few weeks
- Stock pantry and household basics so a partner or helper can shop without guessing
- Set up nursery: crib, mattress, monitor, sound machine, rocking chair
- Wash all baby clothes 0-3 mo in gentle detergent
- Sanitize bottles and pump parts
- Meet with lactation consultant if desired
- Line up postpartum support (family, friends, doula)
- Discuss birth plan with partner and care provider
Hospital bag
- Health card, ID, insurance card, birth plan
- Phone, chargers (long cable), camera
- Loose comfortable clothes (2 outfits)
- Toiletries, lip balm, hair tie, glasses
- Nursing bras / tank tops
- Slippers with grip, warm socks
- Snacks and reusable water bottle
- Going-home outfit for parent and baby (2 sizes: newborn + 0-3M)
- Car seat installed and inspected
- Onesie, sleeper, swaddle, hat, blanket
- Diapers and wipes (hospital usually provides, bring backup)
- A few postpartum recovery basics from the section below, in case the hospital doesn't provide enough
Postpartum recovery supplies
- Maternity/postpartum pads — heavy flow, several packs; bleeding lasts several weeks regardless of delivery type
- Mesh disposable postpartum underwear, or a few sizes-up cotton underwear you don't mind retiring
- A perineal irrigation bottle ("peri bottle") for gentle rinsing
- Witch hazel pads and padsicles for perineal swelling in the first 48 hours
- Nipple cream and nursing pads if breastfeeding or chestfeeding
- A robe or nightgown that opens easily for feeding
- Stool softener on hand — a common postpartum need nobody warns you about
- A pillow for sitting comfortably, and one for supporting a feeding position
- A sitz bath or bath insert for soaking, if recommended by your care provider
- High-waisted, soft postpartum underwear that sits above a C-section incision
- Incision care supplies as directed by your care team
- A small step stool or pillow to brace against when standing up or getting out of bed
- Arrange help for the first 2 weeks — no stairs or lifting beyond baby per your surgeon's instructions
- Ask your care team specifically what they recommend for your situation — this list covers the essentials, but individual recovery varies
Government paperwork (ON)
- Register the birth with ON Vital Statistics (in-hospital or online)
- Order the birth certificate (allow 6-12 weeks)
- Apply for baby's Social Insurance Number (SIN) — bundled with birth registration in most provinces
- Apply for Canada Child Benefit (CCB) via CRA My Account or automated benefits application
- Apply for provincial health card for baby
- Apply for EI maternity + parental benefits — birthing parent (Service Canada)
- Apply for EI parental benefits — second parent (Service Canada)
- Add baby to health / dental benefits plan (within 30/60 days)
- Update life insurance beneficiaries
- Set up RESP once SIN arrives
Nursery + gear
- Crib meets current Health Canada safety regulations — no drop-side, and check the recall list for your exact model
- Firm, flat mattress that fits the crib tightly — you shouldn't be able to fit two fingers between mattress and frame
- Crib slats no more than 6 cm (2 3/8 in) apart
- No bumpers, pillows, blankets, or stuffed animals in the crib — Health Canada's safe sleep guidelines
- Rocking chair or glider — for 3am feeds, this is worth prioritizing over almost anything else in the nursery
- Changing station set up at a height that doesn't strain your back, with a pad and a safety strap
- Keep diapers, wipes, cream, and a spare outfit within arm's reach of the changing station — never leave a baby unattended on it to go grab something
- Diaper stash: newborn + size 1 (small — babies grow fast)
- Wipes (unscented, sensitive)
- Diaper pail
- Sound machine
- Bassinet or safe-sleep space in parents' room for first 6 months
- Stroller compatible with your car seat
- Baby carrier or wrap
- Nail clippers, thermometer, nasal aspirator
Car seat & monitor safety
- Install the car seat rear-facing — required by law until at least age 2 in most provinces, and recommended even longer
- Get the installation inspected by a certified Child Passenger Safety technician before your due date
- Ask your local fire department or EMS/paramedic service if they run a free car seat inspection clinic — many do, and it's worth calling ahead to book
- Register the car seat with the manufacturer so you're notified of any recalls
- Baby monitor — video is worth the extra cost over audio-only for real peace of mind
- Position the monitor and any cords well out of reach of the crib — cord strangulation is a real and preventable risk
- Test the monitor's range from every room you'll actually be in before you need it at 2am
Baby-proofing & home safety — start before baby is mobile
- Outlet covers on every accessible plug — sliding plate covers, not the small cap style, which are themselves a choking hazard if pulled out
- Cabinet and drawer locks in the kitchen and bathroom, especially anywhere cleaning supplies or medications are stored
- Safety gates at the top and bottom of every staircase — hardware-mounted at the top, not pressure-mounted
- Door knob covers or locks on any room you don't want explored later (basement, home office, laundry room)
- Anchor every dresser, bookshelf, and tall piece of furniture to the wall — furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of preventable child injury
- Anchor or wall-mount the TV — don't rely on a stand alone to keep it from tipping
- Stove knob covers and a stove guard to keep hands off the burners
- A fridge lock once your child starts figuring out how to open it
- Appliance locks on the oven, dishwasher, and washer/dryer doors
- Corner and edge guards on sharp furniture corners at head height for a new crawler
- This list covers the essentials to start with — for the full room-by-room baby-proofing checklist as your baby gets mobile, see our dedicated guide
First 3 months
- Register birth (if not done in-hospital)
- Book first paediatric appointments (48h, 1w, 2m, 4m)
- Update EI reports / benefits as required
- Order baby's passport if travelling
- Take photos + start a memory book
- Meal train sign-up shared with friends
- Establish sleep-safe habits: back sleeping, empty crib
- Follow Health Canada vaccination schedule
- Postpartum check for birthing parent at 6 weeks
- Ask for help — book weekly rest / walk time