Almost time to have that baby? Feeling a little stressed about what you’ll really need to pack in your hospital bag to take with you? We’ve got you covered with our trusty Hospital Bag Checklist (and read to the end for a sweet little twist!).
Okay, lets start with the basics. What are you going to need at the hospital for you?
- Bathrobe and slippers
- Lightweight nightgown or pj’s with button front for nursing (preferably in a dark colour)
- NOTE: I’m not a huge fan of buying special clothes to have your baby in – in my experience a comfy bra that you wear to the hospital paired with a comfy t-shirt or hospital gown will be the best thing to labour in. Birth is a messy business, and there’s no point buying a new wardrobe for the occasion! That being said, once you’re in recovery you’ll likely want something clean and comfy to change into to snuggle your babe and welcome visitors – hence the pjs and robe!
- Socks (some rooms in the hospital get chilly – nobody likes cold toes!)
- Lip balm (this seems like a silly one, but the hospital air is typically super dry, and this was a lifesaver for me last time!)
- Water bottle (again, that dry air! I tell ya…)
- Phone, charger, camera (your partner can be in charge of manning these items once you’re at the hospital, but you’ll want to make sure you have them ready to go)
- Hair elastics and headband (because you’ll want that hair out of your face, and a headband covers a whole lotta hair messiness in recovery)
- Extra pillow (the hospital ones are thin, and you’ll want to be comfortable overnight! Plus, it’ll help if you’re breastfeeding)
- Mini pack of toiletries (hit up the dollar store and put together a mini pack of the essentials: shampoo, soap, dry shampoo, deodorant, toothbrush. You’ll probably want to freshen up at some point during your stay, but you don’t need to lug full size everything with you!)
- Comfy, non-underwire nursing bra (Your girls will be sensitive in the early days of nursing, so having a comfy bra that stretches to fit your ladies while your milk comes in will be key! We love the Bravado Original Nursing Bra
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- Comfy outfit to wear home (don’t forget, you’ll want something with easy nursing access and that’s loose fitting. You’re still going to feel about 4-5 months pregnant when you head home, so bring maternity friendly items and focus on comfort! We recommend Momzelle gear to every new mom we know, and our Gaby hoodie will definitely be in our hospital bag.)
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Gaby Nursing Hoodie at 9 mths Pregnant
So, we’ve got you covered! Now how about that new babe? Here’s what you’ll need for them:
- Newborn diapers (I’d pack about 10 just in case you’re there for a couple of days) and possibly a few size 1 diapers (there’s always a chance the babe comes out a little larger than planned!)
- Two sleepers (you’ll want lots of skin-to-skin time with the new babe, but will want a couple of cozy sleepers too for when it’s nap time)
- Baby socks and hat
- Swaddle blanket and car seat blanket (especially if you’re having a fall/winter babe. Dotboxed makes the sweetest swaddles and cozy blankets, and we’ll be bringing their ‘Hello Bebe‘ minky blanket along for our little gal because we love it so much!)
- A ‘going home’ outfit (because you’re going to want to snap a few photos of that sweet little babe!)
- The car seat! (this doesn’t technically go in your hospital bag, but you’ll need to have it with you!!!)
And one last person who might need a few things at the hospital… your partner! Here’s what we think they’ll need:
- Paperwork (if you have any hospital documents, health cards, insurance info, cord blood banking kits, etc. – pack these in your partner’s bag. They’ll need to manage the logistics – once you’re in labour your mind will be elsewhere)
- Phone, charger, camera (they might use yours, but will likely want their own on hand too for documentation and contacting family/friends)
- Wallet/money (they’ll need to manage hospital parking passes and any other required fees while you’re there)
- Pillow and blanket (they’ll likely be sleeping on a reclining chair in your room, and will be thankful for a little extra comfort)
- Comfy sweatpants, t-shirt and socks/slippers (they’ll likely play double duty as sleepwear, so make sure they’re comfy)
- Basic toiletries (deodorant, toothbrush, shampoo)
So that covers all the essentials, and if you only bring those items, I promise, you’ll have a very comfortable stay post-baby.
But I have one more thing I’d like to recommend. If you have a minute in the weeks leading up to your delivery, a wonderful way to take your mind off what’s to come, and place your focus on others who might need your help, is to reach out to the NICU at the hospital you’re planning to deliver at. Place a quick phone call, and ask them what donations they’re in need of for the babies or families in their care. It may be a blanket, diapers, or something completely unexpected… but tucking a small donation into your hospital bag, and dropping it off at the NICU in honour of your new babe is such a sweet way to serve the families and babies alongside you in the hospital who could really use some extra love.
I promise, it’ll add one more ‘feel good moment’ to your time at the hospital, and a family in the NICU will so appreciate it.
Sending lots of love to you and your family as you head into this great adventure – and let me know if there’s something I’ve missed in the list above that you’d recommend to any new mama! We always love to hear your feedback too!
Note: We received some Momzelle wear at no cost to try out, and guess what? We LOVE it. Hence why we recommend it everywhere we can! We also received the blanket from the lovely folks at Dotboxed, and figure it’s destined to be loved by our new babe as much as it is by us – so we wanted to share the love with you! Also, we have a couple of affiliate links in the post above – and as always, appreciate the support for the blog!
