What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag

Depending on whether your baby is on time, early, or late you need to be prepared to get to your birthing location ASAP! Going to the hospital can be a very stressful event when you start labor. Packing a bag and the car with all the items you will want with you should be something you do well ahead of time, because – trust me – you are likely to forget something in the craziness of rushing off to have a baby! Here is a list of what was in my hospital bag, and all the things I wish we had thought to bring – who knew?!

My recommendation is to bring three bags, one for mama, one for daddy, and one for baby. I know that may sound excessive and you’re probably thinking, “why does my baby need an entire bag all for themselves?” Well, for one, when you go to the hospital, you are going to come home with a lot of swag! They are happy to give you tons of stuff for postpartum care, baby care, and a lot of papers! , Quick tip – anything you can ask for, DO IT! Take everything you can get! You will want a big bag to put it all in and that can go right in the baby’s bag. I didn’t do this and I wish I had. I did have packing cubes in my bag to help organize my different clothes, including one for the baby. Even so, I ended up needing a lot more space than I thought.

Mama’s Bag

1. Robe- Not a fan of having your fanny peeking out the back of your hospital gown? A warm comfy robe will be just the cover-up you need, especially if you are walking up and down the halls during labor.
2. Slippers- for comfort and warmth, slip-ons are best for easy on and off when getting in and out of your bed. Who doesn’t love slippers? 
3. Shower Flip Flops- You may not even care when it comes time to take a shower, but if you are someone who finds public showers gross – even hospital ones – then bring a pair!
4. Shower Toiletries- nice smelling shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
5. Toiletries- toothbrush/paste, hairbrush, chapstick, unscented deodorant, etc. (avoid perfume because your newborn baby will want your natural scent). 
6. Nail clippers- I only put this on here so you can think about cutting your own nails short before holding the baby, just a thought, in case.
7. Hair ties- Just remember at least one! You don’t want your hair all in your face when giving birth!
8. Makeup- There is no shame in wanting to look good for pictures or just to feel good about yourself. You will feel like a giant blob afterward, and if you want to feel somewhat normal, and this is something that does that for you, then you get it girl! Make sure you have WATERPROOF mascara! You will just be a big emotional crying mess once the baby is born. Also, bring a makeup cloth remover to take your makeup off. 
9. Sleeping Eye Mask- You will definitely want one of these when you are trying to get some sleep at the hospital. The rooms really aren’t that dark and can be very bright with the lights and the windows, and nurses are coming in about every hour to check your vitals. Having a mask helped so much when I was just trying to get some rest, especially during labor when it was daytime. 
10. Glasses- You are not going to want to deal with contacts and solution in this scenario.
11. Maternity Tank Tops- easy access for breastfeeding.
12. Maternity Nightgown- easy access for breastfeeding but also nice because it is loose-fitting and easy to maneuver around in, which after giving birth your body will not be the same and you will feel like a massive blob. 
13. Comfy Clothes- Think of sweat pants, leggings, long cardigan sweater, t-shirt, socks- 
14. Wide Shoes- Your feet will most likely be VERY swollen afterward, make sure you bring shoes you can wear home, like flip flops. 
15. Underwear and pads- The hospital will give you something like mesh panties and these really huge jumbo pads to wear after giving birth, but you should definitely bring your own “briefs” as well just in case. I’m talking about “granny panties,” like the really large full coverage super unattractive underwear you remember seeing when you were a kid and your mom made you fold the laundry! Pick up a big pack at the store because it is all you will wear for weeks afterward while healing. And you probably will want them one size bigger than what you are because you will have a lot more fat on your body and no woman wants her underwear tight and digging into her skin postpartum. And you will need LOTS of pads afterward for weeks, so stock up!
16. Breast Pads- Bring disposable ones because you will go through them like crazy in the beginning when your milk comes in. Leaks will occur! Guaranteed!
17. Nipple Cream- bring a ton of this stuff, because your nipples will be hurting and this will help, especially if you start taking care of them right away at the beginning of the process. Avoid getting cracks or bleeding at all costs! 
18. Music/Bluetooth Speaker- It can be incredibly helpful to have music on when you are going through labor as a distractor or just something to do while you wait for your contractions to get closer. Make a playlist you will enjoy!
19. Headphones
20. Magazines/Books/Puzzle books- Some women are in labor for an extended time, sometimes crossing into the next day!! It’s possible you might want something to do to pass the time, that is if you are able to focus on anything. 
21. Cell phone charger- Not just any charger, get a LONG one! The outlets in rooms are usually very scarce and they are also not anywhere near your bed typically. 

Other Items to Consider Bringing…

1. Electric Pump- I had to have my mother go back to our house to bring mine because I needed to start producing milk ASAP for my baby (we had some medical issues) and getting the colostrum to come out first can take time. 
2. Hands-Free Pumping bra- I cannot recommend this enough, because if you do have to start pumping right away in the hospital, sitting there holding two bottles to your boobs for 15 minutes is exhausting, especially if you are new to it and have never done it before!
3. Microwavable Pump Parts Sanitizer Bag- Again, this is only if you are someone who needs to bring the pump, but this goes along with all the other stuff you will want with it. 
4. Oil Diffuser- I was skeptical when my husband wanted to bring ours, but wow, I am so grateful we did! Our room smelled like lavender and vanilla. It was so soothing and relaxing. We got loads of compliments every time the nurses or doctor came into the room. It also helped with distracting from the pain of contractions. 
5. Boppy- SO necessary when you are a first-time parent and you have no idea how to hold your baby. I kept thinking I was going to do it wrong, or hurt my son somehow. A boppy is just so incredibly helpful in supporting and feeding them until you are comfortable, as well as having others hold them like a grandparent or younger sibling. 
6. Exercise Ball- Being in labor is very uncomfortable and painful! It can be incredibly challenging to find a comfortable position to sit in, but using an exercise ball not only can help with comfort but also with moving things along during labor. 
7. Car Seat- Okay obviously this is a “duh” item, and preferably you need to have this installed WELL in advance of going to the hospital. If for whatever reason you didn’t though, it’s not the end of the world. You don’t actually NEED to have it when you go to the hospital to deliver. So before being discharged to go home you can always go pick it up if you didn’t have time to grab it or install it into your car. The only reason I put this on here is because I want to make it very clear that you should absolutely learn how to adjust the straps BEFORE the baby is born and you take them home. My husband and I were all ready to go home with our son and when it was time to put him into the car seat, we had to adjust the straps so they would fit him. Well, the nurse informed us that the hospital is not allowed to assist us and can only tell us if it is still wrong. We STRUGGLED to figure out how to properly adjust the stupid straps and tighten the belt that was sneakily underneath the entire seat. It took us 2 hours and watching tutorial videos online, it was horrible!! Just familiarize yourself with the car seat before the baby is born. Use a doll or a stuffed animal for practice if you have one. I honestly never thought it would be as challenging as it was. 
8. Your own pillow and blanket- Hospitals can be limited with these items or they can be just downright uncomfortable. Bring your own, you won’t regret it. 
9. Camping Cot or twin sized air mattress- Just hear me out, there is often not another bed in the room for the fathers to sleep on. We had just a terrible awkward recliner chair in the room that my husband had to sleep on. Some may have a pull-out couch, but it is a good idea to ask and consider bringing something for the dads to be able to sleep on. 
10. Camera- Obviously you are going to want to take a million pictures of your adorable new baby! Don’t forget to also bring batteries/charger, tripod, carrying case, etc. And an extra SD card so you don’t have to worry about running out of room for all the amazing memories you want to capture.
11. Snacks- I highly recommend bringing a lot of snacks for both mom and dad. You do get meals three times a day but sometimes you are there at late hours of the night when the kitchen is closed and it’s never a bad idea to bring your own comfort food. 

Daddy’s Bag

1. Toiletries- toothbrush/paste, deodorant, etc. 
2. Sleep Eye Mask
3. Music/Headphones
4. Computer/Tablet- Don’t forget the chargers
5. Cell Charger
6. Books/Magazines
7. Pillow/Blanket-Definitely bring this for dad because he is not going to get a bed and will need to make do with whatever is available in the room. 
8. Sweatpants
9. Socks
10. Slippers
11. T-shirts
12. Sweatshirts

Baby’s Bag

Bring different sizes of clothes because you just never know how big your baby is going to be when it arrives. Having this bag packed ahead of time means you’re ready for any scenario, so I would pack at least one preemie outfit (just in case), a newborn size, as well as a 0-3 month size. Make sure to wash everything first with unscented laundry soap, and feel free to bring lots of options. It can all vary depending on weather, time of day, size of the baby, etc. 

1. Short-Sleeve Onesies
2. Long sleeve Onesies- I recommend the ones that have the fold-over hand covers which are so handy if you don’t want to bring mittens. Babies will scratch their little faces and poke their tiny eyes, etc. 
3. Long Footie Pajamas- Make sure to get ones that have a zipper! Snaps are the worst and they just take forever to dress the baby. 
4. Mittens- Babies WILL scratch their faces
5. Socks- You will want to keep their feet warm, even if it is warm weather
6. Hat/Headband- the hospital will provide you with a hat, but you could pack a headband if you are having a girl and you want a cute picture.  
7. Blanket- I love the Aden and Anais muslin swaddle blankets, they are super soft and lightweight, big, and adorable prints/patterns. You will want a couple to wrap and hold the baby as well as put one over them when they go in their car seat home. I also recommend bringing a couple that you may need to use as head supports for the car seat. We had to roll a couple and put them on either side of our son’s head when we left for the hospital because he was so tiny in the car seat. 
8. Swaddle- The hospital will usually give you one but then again, it never hurts to have one packed just in case. They also come in a variety of fabrics for different temperature conditions so it may be a good idea to pack one appropriate for the weather. I know a lot of swaddles come with velcro as the attachment, but they are SO loud, scratchy, and obnoxious! I do not like velcro swaddles and would much rather have zippers all the way, but this is a personal preference and you may not care. Blankets are just as great to use as well for swaddling especially with newborns.  
9. Pacifier/Clip- I would definitely pack one just in case. I love the Avent Soothie pacifiers for newborns and we, fortunately, were gifted some at our shower. We needed to use one at one point at the hospital and they only had these really terrible pacifiers that were really bad for babies to start with because of breastfeeding issues, and they would make the babies’ lips tight and pursed rather than pushed out. I already had latching issues and I was so happy we had these pacifiers instead of what they were trying to give our baby. And use a clip too so it is tethered to the baby and you don’t lose it! 
10. Car Seat Cover- I would only put this on the car seat for when you are leaving the hospital and you don’t want people reaching in and touching your baby, or for weather considerations. Once you’re in the car though you could remove it because you will want to constantly watch your baby’s face because they are adorable and finally coming home! 

Side Note…

• Jewelry- leave it at home or wear a silicone ring if you really want to wear a wedding band of some kind. 

Those are all my tips and tricks for packing a hospital bag for mama, daddy, and baby. Hopefully, this helps another expecting mama and gives some good ideas of what you really need, and what you can leave at home. What do you make sure to pack in your bag? Tell me in the comments!