What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag (and what to leave out!)

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Yes, one of the lingering items on every mom-to-be’s to-do list. You don’t want to over pack and look like you are moving into the hospital but, you want to make sure you cover all of your bases and bring everything you need. So, what do you pack in your hospital bag? I have you covered with the list of what I’m bringing with me for baby #2! 

Download the full checklist here

The Essentials

These are items you DO NOT want to forget, like identification and insurance information.

• Driver’s License
• Insurance Card
• Pre-filled forms
• Birth plan (if you have one) I actually did not write a birth plan for either of my pregnancies. I agreed with my doctor on a basic plan and was open to adjusting as needed. My doctor was also very accommodating in that if I wanted to play music or watch a movie, I could, she did not necessarily need it written down. However, with that said, if there is something you feel strongly about and want to make sure happens, be sure to bring your birth plan so that everyone is on the same page, this is YOUR delivery.
• Phone & Charger – get these extra long chargers, you will not regret it. The outlets in hospitals never seem to be close to the bed!
• Tablet – with a movie – With my first, I watched a movie with my husband after the epidural was administered while I waited to dilate. Also, great for playing music if you choose to.
• Camera – I actually used my Iphone for pictures but, if you have a nice camera be sure to bring it for all of the moments you want to capture!
• Snacks/Cash for vending machines – With my first, I finished delivering at 10:30 at night and was not in a room until close to midnight. After being in labor basically ALL day and hardly eating anything, I was starving! A Kind bar and some gummy bears were perfect to give me a little something to eat before going to sleep.

For Mom

While your spouse and family will be able to come and go, the hospital will be your ‘home’ for 2-5 days depending on your delivery so you will want to make sure you have what you need to be comfortable. (Atleast for me, if I had to explain to my husband the specific pair of leggings/bottoms I wanted we would just end up arguing and I would probably still have the wrong pair! Best to be prepared!) 

• Pajamas (2-3 sets) – comfortable pajamas are a must! If you plan to breastfeed, make sure you pick a style that is easy access like these. I chose a style with shorts and brought some comfy lounge pants too in case I was cold in the hospital (which I was). 
• Nursing tops/ Nursing bras – These nursing tank tops are so comfortable and I honestly lived in these for the first couple months at home with my first. Even after maternity leave, I frequently would layer these underneath tops so that I could lift my shirt to nurse or pump and still be covered at the stomach. They are super comfortable and what I wore both days in the hospital. These nursing bras are really comfortable and perfect for sleeping. ** plus, a tank top that ties at the shoulders. My son was born late at night so I was kept with an IG overnight. Being hooked up at the wrist meant I couldn’t change my top and just put comfy pants with my hospital gown the first night. If you have a top that ties or snaps at the shoulders, you won’t have this problem.
• Dark bottoms/leggings – Dark bottom colors are the way to go for the hospital. I packed a pair of comfy maternity leggings (these come in a 2 pack and were under belly) but mostly wore loose, cozy lounge pants.
• Robe – while comfortable, the nursing tanks are not the loveliest look or the most coverage. A pretty robe for overtop was great. It provided a little extra coverage and was cozy for the cold hospital plus it was a nicer look for pictures.
• Cozy socks – the hospital will give you some but they are not plush, these plush socks with grip were so soft and comfortable!
• Underwear – the hospital will also provide you with the infamous mesh underwear. I used these the first night and then opted for my own underwear the second night and to go home. I purchased this pack specifically for postpartum and the hospital – comfortable and more importantly black. 
• Flip flops (for shower) – with my first, I was actually the first person to ever stay in my hospital room since it was a newly built building of the hospital so I knew it would be clean but, still was more comfortable having a pair of flip flops for the shower. Now, almost 3 years later, I will definitely be packing them again!
• Going home outfit – You will want to pick something comfortable and loose that fit you around 6 months pregnant. Prior to giving birth to my first, I would have expected to be able to wear my prebaby clothes leaving the hospital. Luckily, someone warned me that would not be the case so I was prepared! It took 9 months to grow you belly and will take more than 3-5 days for it to go back! I opted for a maxi dress, loose and comfortable while looking put together for a couple going home pictures.
• Nipple cream/ Nursing pads – if you plan to breastfeed this is a must! This Earth Mama nipple cream is the best and is safe for baby to consume so you can put it on anytime without worrying about your baby eating it. The Nursing pads I didn’t need as much, the first few days is colostrum anyway so leakage should not be a problem but, better to have a few just in case!

• Shampoo/conditioner – travel size so you have your own if you decide to wash your hair.
• Face wash/lotion – again, travel size! Having your own stuff will help you feel more like yourself while staying at the hospital.
• Body wash/lotion – same here! I liked having my own (even though the hospital will have body soap).
• Toothbrush/toothpaste 
• Deodorant
• Glasses/contacts – if you need glasses or contacts you will not want to forget these! I have an extra pair of glasses so I packed that in advance to make sure I didn’t forget and plan to be wearing my contacts when I go. I also packed an extra travel contact case and lens liquid.
• Brush/hair ties 
• Makeup (basic) – I brought some tinted moisturizer, concealer, face powder and lip gloss. I mostly used the moisturizer, concealer and lip gloss but took the powder out for a couple pictures.
• Hair Dryer/straightener – These were items I planned to throw in last minute (I don’t have an extra set at home) but, I ended up slowly laboring all day so I actually washed and blow dryed and straightened my hair before going to the hospital. This time, I am planning the same. If I get the chance to do my hair prior to going, I will likely leave these things behind.

For Baby

The reality is there is very little you actually need to bring for baby that the hospital does not provide. They will give you diapers, a blanket, hat and sleep shirt. Our hospital even gave us a pacifier when we gave in on the 2nd night (clearly our plan to try not to use them worked really well!) but, you will want to bring a few basics to take pictures of those memorable first moments in something other than hospital wear.

• 1-2 outfits – I packed a couple of outfits I planned to used for a few hospital pictures. The hospital will provide you with some basic white baby shirts which are great (we took a few home!) This Birth: Nailed It onesie was one of our favorites.
• Swaddle blanket – same here, I packed a soft muslin blanket I planned to use for pictures. The hospital blankets are flannel material so I preferred the feel of the muslin also,
• Hat – matching outfit(s) – again. You will get the standard baby hospital hats but if you plan to take pictures having a matching hat is too cute!
• Burp cloths – Having a few of these was great to burp baby and also for my husband to hold up and block me if I was going to start nursing while we had visitors. Whether it is your first baby or third, having a little privacy when you and your new baby are getting the hang of this is important.
• Going home outfit – yes, THE going home outfit. I may have put too much thought into this but it is something that you will remember and photograph. 

• Car Seat – Probably the most important thing on this list! They will not let you leave the hospital without the proper car seat so make sure you have one! (My hubby saw another dad bringing up a booster seat while in the hospital and then hours later returned with the convertible car seat, still not set up for an infant. Make sure the car seat you pick is the right one). Also, be careful with used car seats from anyone you do not know as you do not know if the car seat was previously in an accident and damaged. It is recommended to replace the car seat after any kind of accident.

For Dad

Now that the height of COVID has passed us here in South Florida, most hospitals have gone back to regular protocols so dad is able to come and go from the hospital, however, it is still a good idea for him to pack a few essentials should he need them in the hospital. With my first, my husband left during the day a few times to check on our dogs and to shower and change at home instead of at the hospital but he did stay overnight in the hospital (on the oo so comfy ‘sleeper’ couch) and having a toothbrush and some basics came in handy!

• Comfy sleep outfit – some basketball shirts or sleep pants and a tshirt are all they really need
• Change of clothes – my husband is not normally cold but he got cold in the hospital. He kept an extra pair of jeans, tshirt and a sweater.
• Body wash/deodorant – travel sized so they can freshen up and in case he decides to shower.
• Toothbrush 
• Flip flops (for shower) – being in Florida, my husband just wore his flip flops to the hospital, he didn’t actually pack extra shoes
• Water bottle – the nurses are taking care of mom and baby and will make sure you have water but may not be checking on dad, him having a refillable water comes in handy

Extras

These are items that I personally wouldn’t consider essential, but they are definitely nice to have. I brought some, others I chose to leave behind. With my first, we chose to leave some of these items in the car so that if I needed/wanted them, it was a quick walk out for my husband to grab it.

• Nursing pillow/ Nursing cover – The nursing pillow was something I kept in the car with my first son and never ended up taking out. I did have extra pillows in my room though so I used those to prop up my arm and hold baby. If you are unsure if your hospital will have enough pillows, I would put this in the car so you have it accessible if you want it. Being comfortable while you and your newborn are working on learning this new skill is important. A nursing cover is small and easy to include in your bag. I just used the burp cloths or baby blankets for this in the hospital but it is a personal preference.
• Birth Ball – you definitely want to have options for while you are in labor so that you can move if you want/need to. With my first, I got this birth ball which comes with a small pump so you can pack deflated and inflate quickly if you decide to use it. I ended up not using it because my water broke at home and by the time I was put into a delivery room and set up, my labor progressed quickly and contractions had gotten much worse so I had got the epidural. I am still happy I had it though. With my second, my doctor advised that the new labor and delivery rooms actually have birth balls so I will have access to one. Check with your doctor in case your hospital has them available!
• Board Sign/Photo prop – I loved having this and the pictures with my first. We decided his name at the hospital so I set up what I could at home (last name, placeholders for date, weight, etc.) and brought the rest of the letters/numbers to set up there. 
• Speaker/Earbuds – if music is important to you during labor or for afterwards, you may want to pack something so you are not just using your device speakers
• Earplugs/Eyemask/Pillow – if you need quiet or pitch dark to sleep, you may want these. Even at night, your nurse will come in to check you or baby and if door openings or light entry will wake you, these will come in handy. Also, for some, having a pillow from home is essential to feeling comfortable and a good idea to pack.

• Nurse Gifts/snacks – with my first, I made little thank you bags with notes for the 6 nurses that had taken care of me during labor and delivery. I had also planned to bring trays of cookies (1 for day shift and 1 for night shift) but went into labor before my induction date and totally dropped the ball on that. But, the individual gifts for the nurses that took care of me was something I am definitely doing again. This time around I made sets with small body lotions, face masks, eye masks, and chapstick. I set up the bags at home and brought cut ribbons and blank thank you cards to personalize and tie at the hospital. Check out my post with details on this and other nurse gift ideas

What I Didn’t Bring (or won’t bring again)

I didn’t realize how much the hospital would provide when I packed for my first and brought many of these items which took space and didn’t get used.

• Pads – the hospital will provide you with plenty of these. You can even take some home! If you want to throw in a couple, you can, but honestly the big bulky hospital ones are what I needed for those first couple days so I will be leaving mine at home.
• Witch Hazel pads – these are AMAZING for postpartum recovery but, the hospital provides them! You get a brand new unopened pack, and yes, you can take the rest home.
• Peri bottles– again, these are great for postpartum and you will want these but, you don’t need to pack them. The hospital will provide them and they are yours to keep.
• Diapers – the hospital will have newborn or size 1 so you should be covered whichever size your baby needs. They provide you with enough to use while there and some extra to take home too!
• Towels – while some people prefer to have their own towel to shower at the hospital, I was fine with using the hospital towels. You are bleeding and feeling pretty gross after giving birth so freshly changed towels (that I wasn’t going to have to take home and wash) were perfect for me.
• Hospital Gown – again, yes the hospital one might be a bit scratchiest than a nice one you purchase but, there isn’t really anything glamorous happening while you wear this. One less thing to take home and wash or to worry about was enough reason for me to skip this. I labored in the hospital provided one and then changed into my own comfortable clothes afterwards.
• Breast pump – While you definitely want a breast pump for home if you plan to breastfeed/pump (and it is free through your health insurance), you will not need this at the hospital. If you need to pump while at the hospital, they will provide you with a hospital grade pump to use and the necessary parts to go along with it.

Are you getting ready to pack for your hospital delivery bag? Anything you think you would need to add or take off from this list? Let me know in the comments!