There’s so much to do before baby comes and I’m in full nesting mode trying to get everything ready however I have yet to pack my hospital bag! I thought I’d write a post while I’m packing it so I know I don’t miss anything essential.
I also included a FREE printable hospital bag checklist for moms at the bottom of this post. Feel free to print it and use it (or pin now and come back to it!) while you pack for your stay.
Hospital Bag Essentials for Mom
I learned a lot from my first birth as I brought a lot of stuff that I didn’t actually need. I’m pairing it down to only things that I know that I will want/need so that we don’t have a ton of extra stuff to carry on the way home.
To easily shop everything that I mentioned below, head over to my Hospital Bag Essentials shopping list, almost everything is available on Amazon Prime!
How much do you really need to pack?
This time around I’m using a suitcase because I’m packing for my husband, baby and I in the same suitcase but an overnight bag is great too! I love ones like this duffle that are roomy and have a slot for you to slide over your luggage handle. Considering that most likely you will only be staying one night, you really don’t need to be packing too much.
In my last delivery we stayed for two nights due to some complications but my husband was able to drive home as needed to grab anything else that I needed. For first time moms/dads you aren’t sure that your husband/partner will be able to leave and drive home but trust me, if you live close enough to the hospital, you’ll be fine! So don’t feel like what you pack in your bag is what you are stuck with unless you truly are super far away from home.
Birthing and Post Partum Essentials for Mom
Don’t forget these!
- Insurance Card and Photo ID – hopefully you’ll be able to pre-register at your hospital before you arrive so that they have all of this info, but still important to have with you.
Items for comfort during labor and delivery
- Socks and Slippers – I was able to do lots of walking before I got my epidural which helped me get through many contractions. Having comfy slippers really helped and then you’ll want cozy socks when you are laboring in bed. Or just get these anti-skid socks if you don’t want to pack both!
- Nightgown (Labor and Delivery Gown) – of course not necessary but I loved having my own nightgown and this nightgown is the best one for labor and delivery, with the tie closure it’s easy access for doctors and nurses and then perfect for skin to skin time or breast feeding once the baby arrives.
- Robe or Cardigan – In case you get cold, which I always do!
- Comfortable bra – A lot of people say just wear your nursing bra, but for me I was more comfortable in my favorite bralette and I stayed in it throughout my labor and delivery.
- Pillow and Light blanket – You’ll want to be comfortable during your labor so it’s up to you if you want to bring these things but I did find that I was very happy to have a few of my own items from home. And don’t forget your own pillowcase! They are much softer than the ones that the hospital provides.
Beauty/Health Essentials
- Face Wipes/Makeup Remover Towelettes – These are great to have on hand even if you don’t have makeup on and just want to refresh your face as labor is hard work!
- Moisturizer – I hate when my face feels dry so this is an essential for me. This is my favorite moisturizer at the moment that is lightweight and non greasy.
- Makeup – When you are in labor there’s no time to even care about your makeup! But after the baby arrives you may want to have some on when everyone comes to visit and wants to take photos. It’s up to you how much you want to bring but I always go for some powder, concealer, blush and lipstick just so I look natural but also a little bit more alive in photos!
- Shampoo/Conditioner/Bodywash – if you’ll want to take a shower before going home you’ll need these items! This travel kit is great so that you don’t forget any of it!
- Toothpaste/Toothbrush/Floss – same as above but in case you don’t get the kit, just don’t forget to pack these!
- Hair Dryer – I can’t stand leaving with wet hair so a travel hair dryer is essential as the hospital will most likely not have one!
- Towel – I bring both a face and body towel as they are just one of those things that I need to have. Our hospital allowed me to labor in the bathtub whenever I wanted and it really did help my contractions so once you get out of the bath, it’s nice to have a big cozy towel to wrap into and not the small scratchy ones that the hospital has.
- Flip Flops – if you plan on taking a shower at the hospital, you’ll want them!
- Hand & Body Lotion – you will probably want this during labor as hospital air can be quite drying.
- Lip Balm – you’ll so appreciate having packed this as your lips will get so chapped and dry, especially after you get to the point where you won’t be able to eat or drink anything. I’m a fan of aquaphor and will always have a tube with me.
- Ponytail Holder/Headband – just in case you want your hair out of your way.
Electronics
- Cell phone – Definitely don’t leave this at home if you are phone addicted like me! 🙂
- Phone charger/Power Bank – You’ll want to bring your charger but I prefer a power bank so that I can charge my phone and keep it close to me or use it while it’s charging. And then I just charge the power bank if needed. This is my favorite power bank and it charges my phone to full battery up to 3 times before it needs to get charged again! It’s much better than having to find a wall outlet and leaving your phone there.
- Camera and camera batteries – with a new iPhone, I’m excited to have the fancy camera to use but I do still like getting photos from our DSLR and will have my husband take some photos to remember the day. To get good quality photos in a small space like the hospital room, I recommend the 35mm lens.
- Power Strip – in between my husband and I, we have lots of items that could potentially need plugging in. So in case you need it to charge multiple things and you don’t want to hunt down all the outlets in your hospital room.
- Laptop – haha if you are a workaholic like me (I worked through my first labor until I couldn’t) but hey you can also watch netflix if you want to!
Snacks/Nourishment
- Pre packed snacks – so much easier to pack these snacks that are already pre packaged and you get a variety. I’m kind of obsessed with this pack of 40 different snacks! Perfect to share with your husband and any other visitors you may have.
- Water Bottle – I drink a ton of water all day, so my last labor, I brought my own water bottle and was so glad that I did. My husband could pack it with ice so that it stayed cold and he didn’t have to keep refilling the bottle as it held a ton more water than the cups the hospital provided.
- Mints/Gum – sometimes I just wanted something to chew on but didn’t want to eat anything so it was great to have these available.
Essentials for after labor and delivery
- Nursing Pillow – Learning how to nurse is already tough enough for both mom and baby. Having the right tools definitely help so I recommend packing a nursing pillow to help make it a little easier for the both of you to get a hang of things.
- Nursing pads – You may not need these right away as it does depend when your milk comes in but trust me, you’ll want to be prepared with these as soon as possible so having them on hand is very helpful.
- Nipple balm – Again, it might not be something that you need at the hospital but helpful to have if you do and you’ll want it ASAP when you get home and you are nursing!
- Post Partum Underwear – The hospital does provide you with some mesh undies that do the job. Trust me, with the thick pads and all the stuff going on down there, you won’t be wearing your cute little bikini briefs for awhile, but if you want something more comfortable and just plain cuter than hospital underwear, these are a great option.
- Nursing Bra – You may need to try out a few styles/brands before you find one that you love but this is an essential to have. You will appreciate the clips and how easy it is to breastfeed.
- Belly Band – I love the belly band during pregnancy but it also works post partum! At the hospital, you’ll want it for when you are nursing as I found that I kept on having to lift my shirt up to nurse and then my belly would be exposed and I’d be freezing! I just slipped this on to help me with keep my midesction warm and covered while nursing.
- Nursing Tank – this does the same thing as the belly band/nursing bra combo but it’s a tank top. It keeps your midesction covered and has clips for easy access for nursing. You don’t need to pack bot the tank and the bra/belly band as it does the same thing, but both are nice to have!
- Pretty Robe – You will probably want to take a lot of photos with your new little one and if you plan on posting on social media, you may want a pretty robe just so you aren’t wearing your hospital gown in every photo. It’s definitely a vanity item but for someone who loves to take photos like me, it’s something that I know will make me feel prettier and like the photos if I’m wearing something that I like. We go through so much giving birth, it’s not a crime to want to look and feel good after all that hard work bringing your baby into the world!
- Going home outfit – When you go home, you’ll still look pregnant so you’ll want to wear comfortable and loose clothing. You may not want to wear pants and just bring a flowy dress. For me, because I will still want a little support in the belly area, I will most likely wear my Belly Bandit Leggings, a loose sweater and comfy sneakers.
- Peri Bottle “The MomWasher” – The hospital provided a peri bottle for me which I appreciated but I recently discovered the Mom Washer from FridaBaby (who’s products I love!) so I got one to try it out. It definitely looks useful and I’ve only seen great reviews on it.
Of course if you have other essentials like contacts/glasses and prescriptions don’t forget to pack those! I’ve compiled my list into a handy little check list that you can download and print. Just pop your email below so I can email it to you!
