Before/During pregnancy Take good care of the mom's health and emotional/nutritional needs Sign-up with a good OBGYN (ideally, this needs to be done even before pregnancy) Get familiarized on all the tests that need to be done during the pregnancy (your OBGYN is the best source of this info) Sign-up with a good hospital (many times, the choice of OBGYN dictates the hospital). Pre-register at the hospital Sign-up for child-birth related classes (at the hospital) Start cleaning the home to make space for the baby's arrival Shop for baby related items. Must have essentials follow. Travel System/Stroller/Car Seat New born clothes Bassinet/Crib Diapers Baby wash Anything else? Parents/in-laws : Not sure about the benefits of calling them over for first baby. But, just as an fyi, say worst case, they don't get a visa or can't travel, it is totally doable without parents. Nurses and doctors are really great. You can get food from some Indian catering service if such exist in ...