Hospital Bag Checklist

Wireless nursing bra’s are a must! Especially when your milk comes in. They are easy and comfortable to sleep in while in the hospital and the ones I have linked are very inexpensive and have held up great. 

I linked my 30oz Yeti w/ Straw this is also a MUST HAVE ITEM when it comes to being in the hospital, especially if you plan on breastfeeding because the thirst is real!

Pj’s and comfy clothes that your boobs are easily accessible (if breastfeeding) are all you will want to wear while lounging in the hospital and I think two sets is plenty. 

Bringing your own pillow & throw blanket may seem annoying but trust me you will regret not having them. The hospital pillows and blankets just don’t cut it. 

Bringing your own towel is a great idea too. You will definitely want to shower at some point and the hospital towels like the blankets are not the greatest. 

I am obsessed with the nursing pads I have linked for you! They are so soft, reusable, and double sided so you can flip them if needed…and yes I have needed to flip many times if I don’t have a new pair close by. I have tried others and always came back to these. My daughter is almost 10 weeks and I am still wearing them 24/7 at this point so it is important to get long lasting good quality nursing pads. They are only $20 for a 4-pack!

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For Mom

  • Wireless Nursing Bra's
  • Large Water Bottle
  • Nightgown w/ buttons
  • PJ Set w/ buttons
  • Comfortable Going Home Outfit
  • Two pairs of socks
  • Pillow & Throw Blanket
  • Personal Items: Makeup, Deodorant, Toothpaste &Toothbrush, Floss, Face Wash & Moisturizer, Dry Shampoo, Hair Ties, Prenatal Vitamins, bobby pins, clips
  • Flip Flops to wear in the shower
  • Towel
  • Nipple Balm
  • Nursing Pads
  • Insurance Card & Driver’s License

For Dad

  • Boxers & Socks
  • A pair of comfortable shorts & Sweatpants
  • Three T-shirts
  • Sweatshirt
  • Going Home Outfit
  • Personal Items: Toothbrushes & Toothpaste, Floss, Deodorant, Face Wash,
  • Hat
  • Flip-Flops and/or Slippers
  • Water Bottle
  • Pillow & Throw Blanket
  • Towel

Let’s face it men don’t typically know how or what to pack for anything! At least my husband doesn’t so I ended up packing for him. The key is to make sure he has comfortable lounge clothes with a pair of shorts and sweatpants because you can’t predict how hot or cold it will be in the room especially at night. Our room always was a bit chilly for my husband because I was sweating a ton before and after baby!

Making sure you both bring a water bottle is important and preferably one that keeps your beverage cold. The nurses were able to take our water bottles and fill them for us instead of bringing little cups of water and ice that we blew through. 

 

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Long phone chargers are a MUST and this is one of the number one things anyone will tell you. They are great for having around the house after as well. We keep one behind the couch and in the nursery. 

This inexpensive bluetooth Phone Tripod I have linked for you is amazing I use it all the time! I know you may not want to think about it now and you definitely won’t want to think about it in the moment but being able to relive that experience is priceless. We set the tripod up out of the way and up by my head so you didn’t see anything no one would want to see! My husband hit record when things started moving along and now we have the most memorable video from the best day of our lives. It also is great for some self family photos when you are waiting around to be discharged and want to capture those first few day of baby’s life. 

SNACKS: I am not really a snack person and I really struggled with what to bring for me to snack on and didn’t really think I’d need anything I couldn’t get. But let me tell you, birthing a human is no joke! You are going to be exhausted, hungry, and so thirsty so don’t forget your big water bottle and definitely take time to think about what snacks you want to bring! Some snacks we brought were: Pistachios, Almonds, Granola Bars, Pretzels, Dark Chocolate, Cheetos, & Pringle’s.

I am a freak about dry hands and always like having lotion nearby but with a tiny new baby I wanted a clean and sensitive baby lotion to use on my hands. I linked the one I brought and still use!

Thank You Baskets for the nurses was just something extra I did for the help we received. I pretty much just filled a basket with about 10-12 of a few different snack and candy choices! Cute and easy way to say thank you that you can prep ahead of time. This was also a really fun way to get excited towards the end of my pregnancy. I added granola bars, packs of gum, chocolates, etc. 

 

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extras

  • Two Long Phone Chargers
  • Tripod
  • Snacks
  • Chap Stick
  • Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash
  • Gum/Mouthwash
  • Lotion
  • Thank You Basket For Nurses

For Baby

Honestly baby will be swaddled most of the time with just as diaper on and then out for skin-to-skin and then back in a swaddle so bringing a ton of clothes isn’t super necessary. I will say the knotted gowns were the best when baby was dressed as they made for easy access to diaper. Bringing a few swaddles is a great idea too. One velcro and a few stretchy and I have listed my favorite brands for you. The stretchy swaddle blankets I used from LouLou&Company are amazing and I wish I had more than one when I was in the hospital because those were what we liked to use the most. They are great lightweight blankets for after you are done swaddling as well. 

 

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More hospital tips:

I brought a white noise machine and did not use it. I wanted to hear if the baby woke up or if she spit up so those first nights in the hospital I didn’t want any other sounds. As far as a nightlight we just kept the bathroom light on and the door cracked which gave us plenty of light and one less thing we had to bring to the hospital.

We used a carryon suitcase for all three of our belongings! I linked the suitcase organizer bags that helped make that possible. They are inexpensive and great to have on hand for vacations and overnight organized packing. Let’s face it you’re a mom and being organized is key!

I suppose it won’t hurt but I didn’t list any because you will be using hospital underwear that is stretchy and large enough for ice packs and such. Whether you have a c-section or vaginal birth the hospital will provide you with what you need for those few days in the hospital until you get home. I have a postpartum section in The Newborn Guide where I explain and link everything I used when I got home that helped a ton.

The hospital will provide you with a lot of helpful items and you will blow through them fast so take advantage of what they can give. Ask the nurses for extras of everything before you leave the hospital. I had an entire postpartum basket prepped at home and so glad I brought hospital pads and undies home too because I used everything up! They gave us extra receiving blankets to take home which are great as burp clothes or on the changing pad. I also asked for extra Lanolin nipple ointment too!

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to throw a small empty bag in the car as well because with everything the hospital gives you, you will be leaving with more than what you came with and I’m not just taking about a human! We ended up using our pillow suitcases as bags to carry everything out which worked fine too…and no not baby! lol

People may call you crazy but start packing your bag little by little as early as you want. I started packing mine around 32 weeks. I went over the contents of the bag and my checklist many times. You never know when baby is coming and you do not want to be stressing over if you have everything last minute.

 Also for those items you can’t put in your bag until you’re about to leave keep them on top of the bag in your room so you don’t forget. I stood in my closet trying to think of what to put on when I was in labor and about to head to the hospital. Not that I wanted anything specific I just literally could not think. It’s a good idea to lay out a “Going to Hospital Outfit” on top of your bag as well to keep things simple and easy. For me is was a pair of comfy shorts and a tank top.