The Ultimate Hospital Bag Checklist For Mom, Dad and Baby

 

For my first baby I did a ton of research on what to include in my hospital bag checklist.

So many packing lists out there suggested bringing your own towels, pillows, diapers and a bunch of other things that the hospital already provides.  It was like packing for a week-long vacation!

So for the second time around I pared back the list knowing what I needed and what I didn’t.

I had a vaginal birth the first time and a c-section the second time.  For a vaginal birth you will stay about 2-3 nights and for c-section it is about 4-5 days. 

To be safe you should have your hospital bag packed and ready about 2-3 weeks before your due date.  I had my bag packed at 36 weeks and kept it in our mudroom closet with a list on top of any last-minute items I needed to add and couldn’t pack ahead of time so i wouldn’t forget anything.

So let’s jump into everything that you should (and shouldn’t) pack for Mom, Dad and baby.  There are many things that you may think you need but you don’t since the hospital will already provide it and there are a lot of MUST-HAVE items that you may never know you needed!  

This post is all about what items you need and don’t need to have on your Hospital Bag Checklist, for you, your baby, and your birthing partner

 

Hospital Packing List: FOR MOM

1. Phone & extra-long phone charger

You will need your phone to pass the time as you wait to go into labor, to call and FaceTime family after the baby is born and for all the pictures and videos you will be taking!

Make sure it stays charged by having an extra-long charger since usually all the outlets near your bed are being used my machines and medical equipment.  You don’t know how close the nearest available outlet will be to your bed and you are basically chained to that bed for a day or so.  Make sure to pack the extra-long charging cord in your bag well in advance so that if you have to go to the hospital unexpectedly it is already in there and won’t be forgotten.    You can have a portable power bank and not need to be close to the wall outlet.

This is my favorite power bank because all the different cords are already attached and pack up nice and neatly!

 

2. Hospital paperwork & insurance info

Make sure to bring your insurance card, photo ID, hospital paperwork and pediatrician’s number etc.  Bring all of this info in a folder with pockets so you can also have a place to put all of the paperwork you will be leaving the hospital with.  Smaller things like my insurance card & license I got a ziplock bag and stapled it to the inside of the folder ( staple with the bag open s o only one side is stapled to the folder.  That way you can still open the bag while it is attached to the folder).  This is also great for keeping little keepsakes like the hospital bracelets etc to make sure they don’t fall out of the folder.

Even if you already registered with the hospital, you will inevitably need this info on hand.  Make sure to put this info in a place that is easily accessible for your birthing partner to grab as needed as well.

 

3. Toiletries

I had 1 small toiletry bag that I kept on the table next to my bed and another that was in the bathroom (shower items)

• Hair ties & hairbrush

You will need to pull your hair out of your face with a clip or a hair tie and you will definitely want a brush to freshen up for all the pictures that will be taken!  If you have shorter hair you will want some kind of headband or clips to keep your hair out of your face

• Lip Balm

Whether you are having a c-section or a vaginal birth this is a MUST!  All of the breathing exercises to deal with the pain ends up drying out your lips.  Make sure you have it in an accessible place fro your partner to grab fpr you when you need it!

• Dental Items

Bring a travel toothbrush & toothpaste and any retainers or nightguards

• Daily Face care

Try to pare down to just the basics:

• • All-purpose face serum

    (good for AM or PM)

  • Day cream with SPF

    (even through the hospital windows you can still get UVA rays)

  • Night cream

• Dry Shower Items

When you are still stuck in bed and can’t take a shower yet.  These items can help you feel refreshed:

• • Face or makeup remover wipes

    to wipe your face and body

  • Deodorant

    since you will be sweating and may feel gross and smelly

  • Dry shampoo

    is great to have for a quick refresher especially if you have been sweating through labor.  There are some great travel-sized ones that are easy to stash in your toiletry bag without taking up too much space.

• Miscellaneous Toiletry Items

These are just great to have on hand.  Get small travel-size ones so if you don’t use, it isn’t taking up much space

• • Aquaphor

    Just a great all-purpose thing to have for any dry patches on your face or body, can be used on cuticles, lips, etc.  There is a great travel size one that doesn’t take up much room at all so it is easy to just toss in the bag in case you need!

  • Hand sanitizer

• Shower Items (in a separate toiletry bag in the bathroom)

Eventually you will be able to get up out of the bed and walk around and you will start having visitors.  Once you have the chance, a shower will feel amazing and make you feel more like yourself.  The hospital does provide body lotion and shampoo but having a few of your familiar products with soothing scents can feel relaxing, invigorating or just help you feel refreshed,  These are the products I brought:

• • Shampoo & Conditioner

• • Razor & shave cream

• • Loofah

• • Body / All-purpose Lotion

• • Face wash

• • Hair stylers for hair
    You don’t have a whole lot of time to freshen up since you will be exhausted and need sleep and you will also have a baby that is either sleeping or needs to be fed.  You will want to get in the shower and make it short & quick; not an elaborate routine. It just isn’t practical for you to be blowdrying or using hot tools on your hair so try to bring a styler for hair to air dry.

    I wanted to save space so I packed this serum that can be used on wet or dry hair.  

• Makeup

Keep it to the basics and easy to apply (don’t bring a million makeup brushes and makeup sponges).  Also, make sure that the packaging is good for on-the-go, either in stick form or applied by hands

• Compact makeup for face

  Something quick and easy for you to look at for touch-ups with an applicator inside

• Concealer

  In an easy-to apply stick form that can be blended with your fingers

• Mascara

  If you can’t live without mascara, go for waterproof!

• Multi-stick

Something that can be used on cheeks, lips and eyes for quick definition or pop of color.  Either swiped on in stick form or applied with your fingers.

4. Gum or Lozenges

Again, your mouth will get dry from all of the breathing through your mouth.  You aren’t really able to eat or drink so having anything that can help activate your salivary glands is very helpful

5. Glasses or Contacts / Contact solution

If you wear glasses or contacts on a regular or daily basis make sure you bring them!  There will be a lot of paperwork you will need to read and you also want to see that cute little baby’s face as clear as possible!

 

6. Birth Plan

Not everyone has a birth plan, but if you do then it is a good idea to print out a few copies and bring with you to the hospital for nurses and hospital staff.  Just be aware that it is more like a wish list, and often times things don’t go according to plan so you need to remain open and flexible as things may stray from what you intended.  As long as you and your baby are healthy that is all that matters!

 

7. Prenatal vitamins & any prescription meds

Bring any prescriptions that you take daily and make sure to let the nursing staff know what else you are taking to ensure that it won’t interfere with any meds they may be giving you.  

I continued to take the same prenatal vitamins that I was taking during the pregnancy since it actually helps in your recovery as well as breastfeeding.  Sometimes the hospital will provide these, but if you found one that you liked and were taking throughout your pregnancy, then keep taking those and bring them to the hospital (and make sure to tell nurses about that as well!)

 

8. 2 nursing bras

After birth your boobs will get leaky and sore so it does feel nice to have them tucked away and supported but you will also need easy access to them to breastfeed.  I got this set of 3 on amazon that I wore for the whole year after I had my baby and then again with my second baby.  

 

9. Slippers & Cozy socks

During labor and while in the hospital bed your feet can get cold.  Soft and cozy socks can help you feel much more comfortable.  The hospital will give you these little slipper socks with grippers on the bottom, but they aren’t very soft and cozy.

Also, before they discharge you, they will want you to start trying to walk up and down the halls and having slippers for that is very helpful and much more comfortable.

 

10. Comfy maxi dress to leave hospital in

I basically lived in these knit maxi dresses throughout my pregnancy and bought them in 6 colors.  It wasn’t even maternity per se, but it had an elasticized empire waist, were loose, easy and long so I didn’t need to worry about shaving half the time.  When you are ready to leave the hospital, putting pants on can be difficult and also not very comfortable if you have a c-section incision.  It is also easier to access your pads to change them when you have a dress on.  I just packed one of these which didn’t take up much space and I was able to easily put on myself without even having to get out of the bed!  You could also wear a nursing tank and more soft leggings that aren’t too tight. 

Don’t forget that after you have the baby, you still look about 5 months pregnant since it will take some time for your uterus to shrink back down to it’s original size.  So don’t bring any pre-pregnancy clothes to change into

 

11. Water bottle

I had a water bottle that I carried with me throughout both of my pregnancies.  It was great to have this since I could drink water while I was reclined since it had a straw and I could just have it in the bed with me.

 

12. Robe

This was a must have!!! It kept me nice and warm, was easy to throw on if there were unexpected visitors, and was also perfect to throw on to walk the halls.  Especially after a c-section the nurses want you to walk around.  I just chose this nice lightweight jersey knit robe that didn’t take up a ton of space in my bag.  I also put this on over my maxi dress as I left the hospital, kind of like a cardigan.

 

13. Delivery Gown

Obviously, the hospital will provide a gown for you.  I chose this delivery gown that is a little more cozy, which also had snaps at the shoulder so I could easily breastfeed and also had snaps in the back for doctors to have access for epidural.  While I was in the hospital, I was either wearing this, or the gown they gave me.  Putting separate bottoms on was a struggle so anything I could just pull on over my head of wrap around myself without having to wear a separate bottom was great!

 

14. Flip flops or Shower Shoes

When you finally get that first glorious shower you won’t want to have your bare feet on the hospital floor.  Bring a pair of flip flops, crocs or some other waterproof shoe.  It will not only help to make sure you don’t slip, but will also be more sanitary

 

15. Nursing gowns

My birthing gown doubled as a nightgown, but I did buy a few nightgowns that were on sale on Pea in a Pod that were so comfy and could have worked well at the hospital too.  They basically had a built-in nursing bra.  Just one of these with my robe over it would have been perfect!

 

16. Entertainment

I was induced the first time so we were there for a LONG time before any action happened.  The below items were key in passing the time and taking my mind off any discomfort or pain:

• Music (my husband made me a playlist of my favorite feel-good songs), 
• Movies – My husband downloaded some of my favorite movies and TV shows on his iPad
• iPad – to be able to play games, or stream TV shows
• Headphones
• Magazines

17. Essential Oil for Aromatherapy

One of my FAVORITE things I packed that really made me feel relaxed.  Every time a nurse walked in our room they said “wow! It smells amazing in here!!” See all of the oils I brought below, but my favorite combo that we landed on was lavender + lemon!

• Portable oil diffuser – this was nice and small, did not need to be plugged into the wall, and was able to make our pretty big delivery room smell amazing!  (Lemon + Lavender is what we landed on and it was relaxing and refreshing at the same time!)
• Lavender massage oil – I had this for my husband to rub my back as it started to hurt as labor was underway!
• I actually bought these tiny little rollerball vials and filled them with jojoba oil as a carrier oil and mixed in several drops of different essential oils (clary sage, frankincense, lemon and lavender)
• Cottonballs – I also had cottonballs in a ziplock bag that I could just take out and sniff if I needed for nausea (like peppermint oil)

 

18. Eye mask & ear plugs

For the first few weeks I was up at all hours of the day and barely knew what day it was or if it was day or night.  When you are breastfeeding you need to feed the baby every 2 hours and nurses will come in all the time to check on you, so you will be sleeping in short bursts here and there.  You may be trying to get sleep in the middle of the afternoon so being able to have earplugs and an eye mask is crucial.

 

19. Nursing Pads

In the beginning your boobs will not stop leaking milk!  Everything you wear will end up getting dried milk on it!  I had a big pack of nursing pads, you can just slip these in your bra and they help to keep them clean and dry.  I bought this big box of 200 but I packed a few in my bag for the hospital as well.

 

20. Mesh Underwear

The hospital provided some mesh underwear (and we also took a ton of them home before we left).  But I also ended up getting these adult diapers that were much more comfortable and I packed a few to bring to the hospital.  I also had post-partum underwear but I didn’t even wear them at the hospital since you have to wear these GIGANTIC pads also which was stretching them out.  Also, I didn’t want to get them messy.  I saved these for after all the bleeding stopped.

 

 

Hospital Packing List: FOR BABY

1. Car seat & Carrier

You literally can’t leave the hospital without this.  Make sure that you already have it installed and got it checked to make sure it was installed properly.  We were able to schedule for our seat installation to be checked by a technician at the hospital when we were there for an appointment.  You should have your car seat installed around the same time that you get your hospital bag packed.  Our hospital had something where we were able to drive your car up and get it checked ahead of time when 0ew were there for one of our doctor appointments.  When we were ready to leave the hospital, my husband brought the carrier to the room (which clicked out of the carseat) and we brought the baby down and clicked the carrier into the base in the car.  This one that we got was great and what I really loved about it was that the carrier just clicks right in, so if your baby is sleeping and you need to get them out of the car, you don’t need to wake them or unbuckle them.  The carrier also clicked right into the stroller.. 

 

2. Diaper bag

We packed the rest of the items that we brought for the baby in this bag.  This bag has lasted us for 5 years and we still use it.  Having a backpack as a diaper bag is sooo much easier than a shoulder bag! 

 

3. Swaddle / blanket

The hospital does provide swaddles, but if you want softer or cuter ones for pictures then bring one  (but don’t bring more than one).  I was bed-bound for quite a while after the baby so my husband had a headstart with me on learning to swaddle and was always better at it than me.  No matter what i did, my girls would escape from their little burritos.  But once I discovered these velcro swaddles I never went back! They were the only thing that worked!!!  Sometimes I would try my best to swaddle the baby with our traditional swaddles and then I would just use the velcro ones on top to really keep them in there and nice and warm.

You can also bring a baby blanket to the hospital if you want, but we just used a swaddle as a lightweight blanket in the carrier instead of also bringing a blanket.

 

4. Going home outfit (1 in newborn size & 1 in 0-3 month size)

We were pretty sure our baby was going to come out tiny so we brought 1 newborn size and 1 0-3 month size.  (our girls stayed in newborn sizes for the first 3 months since they are both teeny weeny little things.  But the only time we got the baby dressed at the hospital was for when we were leaving. 

In the beginning my husband and I were both so freaked out about trying to put any clothes on the baby that you had to pull over their head or slip their arms into.  Any time we went to pull a onesie over their head they would freak out like we were trying to smother them.  So we avoided those until about 2-3 months.  Also, anything that was a pullover we were both scared getting their arms into the sleeves.  The newborn baby’s arms are like little noodles and it felt like we were going to break or dislocate their arm trying to get it in there. 

So at least for the first month, our girls weren’t ever really dressed.  They were in swaddles or those wrap front tops that would snap or the sleeper onesies that zip or snap down the front.  

 

5. Hat & socks

We brought 1 pair of little mittens (but didn’t end up using them).  The best option would be to bring a sleeper onesie where the cuff folds over the hand to create mittens.  The hospital had some adorable little knit hats with bows on them, so we ended up using that instead of the one we had brought.  Also, if you aren’t bringing sleeper onesies that cover their feet, bring a pair of socks.

 

6. Pediatricians contact info

You will need to contact your pediatrician to make the newborn appointment and also you will need that info for your hospital paperwork.

 

7. Extra bag for freebies

When you leave the hospital, take all the freebies you can! Onesies, maternity pads, nipple cream, diapers, mesh underwear, you tubes of creams & witch hazel pads that you need to add to your pads

 

8. Breastfeeding pillow

This was one of the most-used items I had! So helpful at keeping the baby propped up and in position.  I loved this breastfeeding pillow I brought since it was flat on the top.  It even had a little pocket for nail files for the baby’s nails and nipple cream for me. 

 

9. Car Seat Cover

We had a carseat cover on our carrier that clicked right into the carseat base.  It was great to have since it kept the baby warm and also could keep the light out.

 

Hospital Packing List: FOR BIRTH PARTNER

Your birth partner can often be forgotten.  While everyone is taking care of you no one is taking care of them and while they may not be in physical pain, they are also exhausted or bored in the hospital room.  So having some of these items can help them feel more comfortable and cared for.  My husband just had a backpack with these items below:

1. Phone & extra-long phone charger

Your spouse or birth partner will be excited too and will want to update family and friends on how you and the baby are doing.  Make sure they also have an extra-long charger as well so both of your phones are always fully charged!

 

2. Snacks

Your birthing partner is with you for long hours in the hospital and they don’t get meals brought to them like you do.  There needs to be some quick snacks they can grab based on what they are craving.  So we brought snacks below:

• Salty snack (crackers, nut-thins, Skinny Pop popcorn)
• Sweet snack (hard candy, banana, mandarin orange)
• Protein (protein bars, nuts)
• Healthy / fresh (dried fruit / carrot sticks)

3. Water bottle for him

Your partner needs to stay hydrated too!  While there will be smaller cups of water, having a large, insulated water bottle will ensure that they always have ice cold water within reach and don’t have to keep refilling

 

4. Coconut water

While we brought the water bottle to re-fill, bringing coconut water was helpful to restore electrolytes and keep our energy up!

 

5. Entertainment

Your partner will also need to be entertained, so they should have an ipad with movies or shows downloaded or some reading material as well.  This is what my husband brought along to stay entertained while I was sleeping or while we were passing the time together:

• Book
• Laptop
• Headphones
• iPad

6. Change of clothes

My husband wasn’t doing so much of the heavy lifting, so his clothes weren’t exactly getting dirty.  Although, when we went to cut the cord on my first baby blood did squirt all over his tee shirt, haha.  Not sure why they didn’t give him a gown for that…Anyway, he was able to get away with the below as far as clothing goes:

• 1 pair of jeans
• 2-3 tee shirts
• A hoodie (it go cold at night)
• 1 pair of pajama pants

7. Toiletries

My guy husband is very low-maintance and didn’t need much.  He wasn’t showering or anything.  So all he needed was a toothbrush and deodorant and he just used my toothpaste.

 

8. Pills

Just like you, anything that your partner takes on a regular or daily basis they will need to bring with them.

 

9. Eyemask & earplugs

You partner will be exhausted too and also trying to get sleep.

 

10. Wallet and Cash

May sounds obvious, but you would be surprised what obvious things are forgotten in the shuffle when the baby is coming.  Your partner may want to run out and grab some food for themselves (the hospital will take care of you and the baby, but your partner is on their own as far as food goes).

 

What you DON’T Need in your Hospital Packing List:

You don’t want to show up with your entire registry of baby items or enough clothing and toiletries for a 2-week trip around the world!  Packing too much stuff is just going to clutter up your room and make it harder to find what you actually need.  If there is anything you really think you need on this list, you can always keep it in the car and if you need it, your birthing partner can run out to the car to grab it.

1. Bath towel

This takes up space and you will likely only get 1 shower while you are there right before you go home

2. Nipple cream

the hospital will have a million of these little tubes!  Make sure you also stock up on some before you leave!

3. Dermaplast, Tucks medicated pads, or Peri bottle 

Save your money and don’t buy one!  The hospital give you everything you need!

4. Too many clothes 

you will be on a hospital gown most of the time and you will be bleeding all over everything.  Having a little robe or something you can put on for pictures or when visitors come should be fine.  You will be sitting in a bed and no one will see your lower body, so don’t bother bringing a ton of clothes!

5. A pillow from home 

if you do choose to bring pillows from your partner because the hospital pillows are so uncomfortable, keep them in the car.  You can always grab them if you need them

6. Wipes, Diapers, Bottles or Vaseline / diaper cream 

the hospital will have EVERYTHING you need to care for the baby.  You can also fill an extra bag with a ton of that stuff before you leave!  Take all the free stuff you can!.

7. Birthing ball 

if you want to use one, call ahead and see if the hospital has one so you don’t take up valuable space with one 

8. Breast Pump

The hospital will have the fancy $2,000 Medela pump! There is definitely no need to lug your breast pump with you!  The one they have is way better anyway.

9. Baby Onesies

You can bring one for a nice picture and maybe one for going home outfit.  The baby needs their diaper changed almost every hour and skin to skin is really what is best early on.  So the baby should just be swaddled or in a diaper most of the time while you are at the hospital

 

 

So there you have it!  You know exactly what you need to bring to the hospital and what you don’t! 

I hope this post was helpful!  Please leave comments letting me know if there is anything I missed and what you would like more posts on!

This post was all about the ULTIMATE HOSPITAL BAG CHECKLIST FOR MOM, DAD AND BABY