My Ultimate Hospital Bag Checklist

Pregnancy is such an exciting journey. I will have to share more details surrounding mine on another dedicated post another time, but it is so very exciting. For nine months you get to grow a tiny little human on the inside. Then, before you know it, it is time to have this baby. But, what exactly do you ‘need’ with you in order to have a baby in a hospital? For mommies who are birthing at home, I imagine that you do not have to have a ‘bag’ packed but rather just have everything in a designated spot. That seems fair enough, but what about when you have to go to a hospital or birthing center? What on earth do you bring?! I searched online, compared so many lists, talked with other moms and moms-to-be, only to conclude that packing for the hospital boils down to one thing: your preferences. I wanted to share with you the things I personally decided to pack in my hospital bag. This is by no means all that you can or should take with you, but this a list of what I deemed most important.

Things for the Baby

The burning question on my mind was “What do I need to take for the baby?!” I heard from other moms that you shouldn’t bring anything for the baby because the hospital will have everything. Then I heard you should bring your own things because sometimes hospitals do not have the quality or brands you may prefer. It was all so confusing, so I decided that I would bring a few things of my own [for her] just in case it turned out that I didn’t like the hospital’s version of baby items such as swaddles, blankets, diapers, etc. Here is what I packed for the baby [herself].

• A car seat (you won’t be discharged without this).
• A car seat boppy pillow (not necessary but it is super cute).
• A manual breast pump (if you plan to breastfeed). I packed a Haakaa pump because I have heard rave reviews.
• A few newborn sized diapers of your choice of brand. The hospital will have diapers to give you, but again, take a few of a brand you like just in case you don’t like the brand used in the hospital.
• A small pack of wipes of your brand choice.
• 2-3 outfits for the daytime (you don’t know how many days you’ll be there so it is better to have more clothes than not enough clothes).
• A going home outfit.
• 2-3 side snap onesies (for the first 1-2 days so the umbilical cord can begin to heal properly).
• 2-3 regular ‘plain’ white onesies (Carter’s and Gerber’s brands are great).
• 2 sleepers or sleep sacs.
• 2-3 no scratch mittens.
• 2 hats.
• 2-3 pairs of socks.
• A bunting suit (only for winter babies, not as heavy as a snowsuit but still warm enough to keep cozy in the cold.)
• Burp cloths (for burping, obviously).
• 1-2 blankets (to keep the little precious baby warm).
• Pacifier & clip (just in case you decide to introduce a pacifier this early). I packed a soothie pacifier because if the baby is fussy to no avail, it is said to help.

Things for Me

After securing things for the baby, I thought “Great, I am done! I am all packed.” But then I remembered I will need things for myself too! How could I forget that this is my hospital stay too? Silly girl. As previously mentioned, hospital bags all boil down to a mother’s comfort. The things I have listed here may or may not be what you need for comfort but a lot of them will be. Others will simply be cute to have if you are ‘extra’ like me and everything is an extravagant event.

• Birth plan & Insurance card.
• Your Bible (if you like to carry a physical Bible like I do).
• Supernatural Childbirth book (this is an excellent read with affirmations from scripture for labor).
• Cell phone or iPad and appropriate chargers.
• a Bluetooth speaker if you want to play music, or listen to any audio.
• Snacks of your choice (I packed things that are easy & quick to open like fruit snacks, granola bars, chewy bars etc.).
• Your facial products.
• Your prenatal vitamins in a ziplock bag (3 days supply because you want to keep taking these even after you’ve delivered).
• Scrunchies and/or a bonnet for your hair.
• A reusable water bottle.
• Chapstick (definitely if delivering in wintertime).
• Your contacts lens or glasses if you wear them.
• Your own washcloths & bath towels (if you do not want to use the ones the hospital will provide).
• Your toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash.
• Body wash and or a bar of soap.
• Body lotion.
• Deodorant.
• Flip flops for the shower (if you are like me and don’t like your feet in tubs or showers other than your own).
• Comfy socks.
• Hospital gown (if you want a cute one like I wanted).
• Maternity nursing gown (if you want a cute one like I wanted).
• Hands-free Maternity bra (convenient for pumping if you are going to pump).
• A comfy robe.
• Maternity leggings & comfy nursing tanks/tops for during the day.
• Nipple cream.
• Nursing pads for leakage.
• A sweatshirt or hoodie.
• Your going home outfit.
• A small bag for take-home goodies.
• Incontinence underwear or pads for leakage.
• A spray bottle (for if you get hot and want quick relief).
• Hot water bottle (for pain management of your back or pelvis which usually helps me with menstrual cramps so I packed it just in case).

This is the list of what I packed for the baby and for myself. As you can see, the vast majority of the things packed are for me. Take some time to think about what things make you feel at your best when you’re away from home. Those might be some things to consider adding to your bag. All the best with packing, and I wish you a safe, pain-free- beautiful delivery and birthing experience.