Most families have a good handle on what they should do before the miracle of birth occurs. They get the nursery together, pack a bag to take with them to the hospital, and may have cleaned the house from top to bottom. However, there are other things that Mom and Dad can do to pass the time before the baby comes. These things are not always thought of, but can certainly make life much easier after the baby comes. Once your little one arrives, your life is going to change forever. Get a few other things done and you may just find some time to catch your breath.
One thing you can do before the miracle of birth happens in your family is make some food. Find some space in your freezer and some recipes that are known to freeze well. Make enough food for a few weeks of dinners and put them all in the freezer. The last thing you are going to want to think about after the baby comes is cooking dinner. It is easy enough to get into the freezer and put something out each morning to thaw and then heat it for dinner. There are many great recipes for this out there, so look around, plan what you like, and cook like a food while waiting for the magical day.
If you got a lot of clothes as gifts, and then shopped to finish out your baby's new wardrobe, you may have spent a lot of time folding and putting those things away while waiting for the miracle of birth. Before you do that, make sure you wash everything. There are a few good detergents made just for babies, so get some and start washing. Babies have remarkably delicate and sensitive skin, so you want everything to be free of irritants before you put them on your baby. These detergents are a bit more expensive, but you use smaller amounts of them per load.
Another thing you can do while awaiting the miracle of birth is to make sure you have all prescriptions that you or your spouse may take all filled up. If you run out of whatever you may need to take a few days after the baby comes, someone is going to have to deal with getting things refilled. It may not sound like a big deal, but it may mean the difference between getting another hour of sleep or dragging yourself to the pharmacy. Have all 'must have' items stocked up so you don't have to worry about them for a while.
You may also want to tie up any other last minute tasks before the miracle of birth occurs. Finish up those thank you notes from your baby showers, and make sure those who may not know where you are have directions to your home to come see the baby. Stock up so that you have plenty of batteries for your cameras and camcorders, and see that all important emails have been answered. Those small things should not be on your mind while you are getting to know your new little baby.