“If a woman has a high risk pregnancy and her OB feels she may go into labor early—for example, an expectant mom of twins—I’d recommend packing at around 35 weeks,” says Nicole Randazzo-Ahern, medical director of the newborn nursery at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. “In other cases, I’d recommend somewhere between 37 and 38 weeks. This way your basics are there should labor begin early and modifications can always be made if needed.” Of course, if you want to get a jumpstart on things, by all means start earlier—when to pack a hospital bag is up to you! But it’s a good idea not to leave it for later than 38 weeks: You want to have that hospital bag ready to go whenever baby is.