What to pack in hospital bag is something many new moms struggle with. This post will tell what to pack in your diaper bag (for your newborn, dad’s and even includes a printable list!
What to pack in hospital bag has a lot of options. you’ll want a printable list for your newborn, for dad and for labor and delivery. This hospital bag list will be very helpful for both vaginal deliveries or a c section.
The bag, the bag! I’m sure you envision yourself, water broken needing to rush to the hospital with your BAG. Hence, it needs all the essentials. What to pack in my hospital bag is a question everyone has. Since I’m a labor nurse I’m going to share what I’ve seen my patients reach for time and time again as well as stuff for after the baby, a father bag and even a baby bag. I’ll tell you when to bring them and I even include the three most IMPORTANT items that you need close at hand.
Don’t feel like you need to take notes, you can get my free printable straight to your email with what to pack in my hospital bag:
This post was originally written in Feb of 2014, edited in January 2017.
This post is split into a few section
- Checklist for labor and delivery
- After the baby bag
- What to pack in diaper bag for hospital
- What to pack in hospital bag for dad
Here’s what I do recommend to put in your bag (also, I recommend a second bag for baby that you only bring in when you’re going home, up to that point you won’t need any of their items, which I will list below — this keeps you from pawing through all their things to get to your stuff — I have the baby stuff listed below).
Be sure to take a childbirth class well before you pack your back. You can find a great one here.
Checklist for labor and delivery
1. Chapstick. Have it, tell your husband where it is. You breathe a lot. you need it (this one is my favorite when you’re re-applying it frequently during the day — I also love the smell of EOS – and the balm is pretty decent too).
2. A hair tie. Have it, tell your husband where it is. Unless you’re sportin’ the pixie cut, you’ll want it (these are great when you end up taking them in and out or just letting it stay on your arm or what not).
3. A robe. I wore a gown the whole time, if you want to slip into your own clothes (prepare to get some blood on your pants). There’s nothing wrong with bringing an old robe — but this robe looks so great, the price is right and the reviews are awesome. It’s a great time to stay cozy! Some women really enjoy wearing their own gown in the hospital — these are cute (but we totally provide you a gown, and we wash it too!)
4. Slippers, or something to put on your feet. Hospital floors gross me out. I don’t want to go barefoot. These slippers look like they’ll be super comfortable but you won’t cry if you end up getting blood on them and you have to throw them away (total bonus). I would NOT recommend bringing your favorite pair of slippers to the hospital! Unless they’re wipeable, if you know what I mean….
5. Toiletries: Shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, extra chapstick. just bring a tiny bag to store in the bathroom (if you have a private bathroom, which you may not). And make sure you have a good bag to hold them all in — like this one. That’s easy to just hang on your towel rod and grab what you need.
6. Makeup and hair stuff. You’re having visitors, you may want to look good. I looked like someone from the Jungle Book. I didn’t care. I should have. My favorite hair stuff comes from It’s a Ten.
7. Bra — your boobs are going to want to be supported. If you’re nursing, get a nursing bra, if you’re not — get something TIGHT to reign those babies in! I’ll be honest it’s been a bit since I used a nursing bra. Everyone seems to have their own favorite but these nursing bras from Amazon get great reviews!
8. A take home outfit that fit when you were 6 months pregnant. Don’t get your hopes up for what you’re wearing out of there. Sorry ladies.
9. A journal. I always furiously write their birth story while in the hospital. It fades ALL too fast. Also, if you’re doing a baby book the hospital might be willing to put the footprints in it for you, as it is a special skill which you most likely do not possess. That Kate Spade journal is SO cute. It SCREAMS to have a birth story written in it!
Owlet Baby Monitor is like an extra pair of eyes in the nursery. Check out this post for some owlet limited time offer codes!
10. Anything you’re planning to use to get you through the pain. We have yoga balls, but if you need a focal point or specific music — bring it. You may even get super bored if you have a long induction, no shame to load some movies into your tablet (we love loading up our Fire from videos from Amazon on demand — and it’s WAY cheaper than an ipad).
11. A camera – your good one. Don’t go with the phone here. Get something better. I LOVE my Cannon camera (this one does movies too!). The lens it comes with it fine for hospital shooting (love this lens too — it’s great for low light shooting) and be sure to check out this book if you want to learn how to use your SLR first. But, you can also grab just an awesome point and shoot like this one). I have tons of delivery shooting tips here (guess who used to have a photography business!) The pink one pictured is SO cute, but not great for indoor shots, although there’s something about a polaroid…. #socute
12. Your insurance card. I’d send my husband home with my wallet at the first chance, but you’ll need this to register. Most often, they want a copy each time you come. Check out this post for more info on health insurance!
13. WOAH, how did I write this post without CELL phone charger! WAY important. Bring it! Have it handy! Maybe even bring an external one (I have an obsession with phone charging)!
I initially saw a pin about saving money by using the hospital toiletries. I will tell you that we have to give you hospital-grade toiletries. DO not, I repeat, DO NOT come to the hospital expecting to get your toiletries from us, unless you’re talking toilet paper. Or, if you consider sandpaper lotion, because JACHO does. That’s what they want us to give you. You’re welcome (please note the sarcasm font there).
A good rule of thumb is that we will provide everything the baby needs (formula, diapers, wipes, shirts, etc).
We provide very little of what you need. I DO agree with her in that you don’t need a full luggage set to come to the hospital. Most people bring way too much.
After the Baby Bag
(I would recommend packing these separately)
Things we don’t provide, that she said we would (or we provide, but it’s horrible):
Nightgowns — we provide gowns, but I wouldn’t call them nightgowns. Also, the nursing gowns have giant slits in the front that are GREAT for nursing, not so great for greeting people. Keep the barn doors shut, ladies. Or, check out these cute gowns on Amazon if you’d prefer! (you’re less likely to get it dirty after the baby)
Shampoo — we actually don’t even have shampoo, if you ask we’ll hand you baby wash. You’d probably get the soap in your eyes and sue us. {sarcasm font}
Soap, toothpaste are all hospital grade. If you like smelling nice and soft, don’t use ours.
Nursing pads — we do supply them, but most often you don’t need them when you’re with us (for me, I love the washable kind, and I always keep some disposable ones in my diaper bag as well).
*We do provide pads (lovely, giant pads — speaking of which I have heard GREAT things about these, but if you’d prefer disposable I’d get these for the first few days home), underwear and the hospital gown as long as you are comfortable in that. I think it saves you from more laundry when you get home. We also have all the towels, pillows, etc. If you want more, just ask.
I generally recommend people NOT bring their breastfeeding pillow, because it is SO easy to get dirty/gross at the hospital. If you’d like lactation to help you with it though, by all means, bring it.
We provide drugs and ointments (and by “provide” I mean we bill you for it).
You may even want to consider having a smaller “labor” bag (as we don’t offer a whole lot of patient space in labor) and then another one with your going home clothes, etc. I think they should all fit in a carryon suitcase though.
What to pack in diaper bag for hospital
These items are not needed until you’re going home. Some people like to dress the baby in their own clothes (which I’m fine with) but I say save the baby laundry for the hospital to do.
1. A light blanket to tuck around them in the carseat (a small receiving blanket like this one is great for the carseat, but if you want to swaddle outside of the carseat I’ve heard rave reviews about these).
2. An outfit to take them home in
3. Pacifier — we always used the Avent kind with good luck, but this one with the giraffe is too dang cute (and won’t get lost in the carseat)!
4. Burp cloths — I LOVE these tri-fold diaper kind. They hold the most spit up and they are just super handy. Possibly not as cute (although you can add ribbon).
5. Diapers — I would get one SMALL pack, we preferred huggies of newborn diapers. You’re never sure if you’ll need more. I would also have some size ones on hand (that is a great price on a box from Amazon). We just liked huggies more, but you might prefer a different brand. While we’re on diapers, Amazon Mom was totally my favorite way to buy those unless I was on top of my game and had a lot of coupons and time to shop sales.
{if you’re going to buy baby stuff online — be sure to sign up for ebates!}
**This is a fairly decent time to just pack your diaper bag (I lo-o-ve this one, this one — I think that one dresses my truth— and this one). You need a lot of stuff with a baby and you’ll be heading out to appointments with it soon, so you might as well get it ready, you most often have an extra outfit in your newborn diaper bag anyway. Clark’s Condensed has a great post about diaper bag necessities.
Be SURE to check out this post for all my favorite baby stuff, that you REALLY need!!
**Leave the carseat (we always used this kind, they’re easy to use which is #1 in my book, but I also really like this one in my experience with newborns lately) in the car until they’re ready to discharge you. It takes up a lot of room. Make sure the base is hooked in though. You don’t want to have to deal with that once the baby is in the carseat. Check that post mentioned above for more info on carseats!
I HIGHLY recommend taking a tour of the hospital before you deliver. See what they offer as far as snacks, toiletries, etc. I have worked at 3 hospitals so far in 2 different states but we carry basically the same stuff at all of them.
Maybe consider trying this free beginning prenatal class as well:
Dad’s Hospital Bag:
Bring layers. You’ll think the room is too cold.
Bring snacks (this type of thing is awesome!. Especially ones you can duck in the hallway and eat quickly.
Bring something to do, but don’t plan on doing anything but helping your wife.
I’d recommend going home to shower, but that’s just me. We have plenty of dads shower and get ready while at the hospital. I don’t mind that either, I just think it might be easier to go home and check on things and then head back.
Either way, all you need to exit with is a healthy mom and a healthy baby. Good luck!
Dads are HUGE fans of this Online Prenatal Class for couples because each chapter has a quick video and key points for you guys to review together!
And now that we’re done talking bags…. get the printable list:
This post also gives you another hospital checklist:
Other great “preparing for delivery” posts:
Original article and pictures take www.pullingcurls.com site
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