Where You Are in the Timeline
Weeks, trimesters, due date — and how months translate into weeks, which nobody explains clearly.
Complete Guide
Pregnancy: A Practical Month-by-Month Guide
From working out your due date to packing the hospital bag: practical guides for getting through pregnancy with fewer 2 a.m. searches — and, when the time comes, a free registry to build.
Getting Through the Rough Parts
Small miseries and big worries, and what actually helps.
Getting Ready for the Birth
The last stretch: what to organize, and when.
Looking Ahead
If a baby shower is coming, this is when the registry needs to exist — the link usually goes out with the invitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate your due date?
The standard method adds 280 days — 40 weeks — to the first day of your last period. A first-trimester ultrasound refines it against how the baby is actually measuring, and that estimate wins if the two disagree.
When is the best time to take a childbirth class?
Most people start between weeks 28 and 32, so the class finishes with a few weeks to spare. Book earlier than that: the good ones fill up.
What should you pack in your hospital bag?
Photo ID and your insurance card, prenatal records, a change of clothes for you and the baby, toiletries, long phone charger, going-home outfits. A full checklist is the difference between packing once and repacking at 3 a.m.
When is the right time to start your baby registry?
Most families build it in the late second or early third trimester. That leaves time for the long-lead items — stroller, car seat, crib — and gets the link ready before the shower invitations go out.