Week-by-week library · about 7 weeks old
Week 7: your checklist
Quick answer
What should I actually do at about 7 weeks old?
If parental leave is ending soon, this is the week to plan the handoff, not the week it happens. 6 concrete tasks below, grouped by what they're for.
What's going on this week
For families where one or both parents return to work around eight to twelve weeks, this is a realistic planning window: daycare or a caregiver needs lead time, and pump logistics for work need testing before the first real day back. FMLA (where it applies) guarantees job-protected leave, not paid leave, so confirm what your specific employer actually pays during this stretch.
Your checklist
Night-shift logistics
- If a return to work is coming, start shifting one of you toward the sleep schedule that job will require.
Feeding support
- Test the actual pump-at-work routine now (bottles, storage, timing) if pumping will continue after return; work out kinks before the real thing.
Appointments & paperwork
- If daycare or a nanny share is part of the plan, confirm enrollment paperwork and start dates now; good spots fill months out in many areas.
- Confirm what your employer actually pays during leave versus what FMLA merely protects (your job, not necessarily your paycheck).
Visitor management
- No specific action this week.
Partner care
- Talk through the return-to-work plan together explicitly, including who does drop-off and pickup; do not let it default silently to her.
Sourced to
- US Department of Labor, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Last reviewed by the First Dad Guide editorial team.