The final weeks pull two ways: you want everything ready, and at the same time you have less and less energy. So it helps to split the preparations into a few steps and to start in good time.
According to the NHS, the third trimester begins at week 28.5 It is sensible to have most of the preparations done a few weeks before your due date: the NHS recommends packing your hospital bag at least three weeks ahead,1 the UK charity NCT from 37 weeks or earlier.2
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Weeks 28–32 | documents and the registry office (if acknowledging paternity applies to you), choosing a maternity hospital and getting its list of things to bring, baby kit from the list |
| Weeks 32–35 | car seat and trying it in the car, washing the baby’s first clothes, a sling or carrier and practising with a doll |
| Weeks 35–37 | packing the hospital bag, a nightdress and nursing bras, contacts to hand |
| The final weeks | rest, meals in the freezer, agreeing with family and friends who will help in the first weeks |
Slovak maternity hospitals generally ask for your ID card (občiansky preukaz), health insurance card (preukaz poistenca), pregnancy record card (preukaz pre tehotné, or tehotenská knižka) and test results. If you are not married and want your child to take the father’s surname after the birth, arrange the acknowledgement of paternity or the surname in advance at the registry office (matrika).3 Check your own maternity hospital’s list.
You will find an interactive tick-off list in the guide What to pack for the maternity hospital.
The NHS lists it among the things for the journey home.1 Try fitting it in the car before the birth. On the first drive there is no time to read the instructions.
If you plan to carry your baby, try out the wrap or carrier with a doll or a cushion. After the birth you will have less patience for learning something new. Start with the guide Carrying a newborn.
Nursing tops, bras and a nightdress that opens at the front serve you from the final weeks of pregnancy through months of breastfeeding. See Clothes for breastfeeding.
The numbers in the text refer to these sources. The links go to the publishers’ own pages; we simply cite them.
We last checked these sources on 13 October 2026.
A complete list of what to take to the maternity hospital, based on Slovak maternity hospitals and the NHS. Documents, things for the birth, for you afterwards, for the baby and for the journey home. With an interactive tick-off list.
In-depth guide 3 min read
A practical newborn kit list, sorted into what you need before the birth, what is useful and what can wait. Sleep, clothes, changing, feeding, travel and babywearing.
In-depth guide 4 min read
When to start carrying a newborn, which position is safest, how to check the airway, what to consider with premature babies, and how to avoid overheating.
In-depth guide 4 min read