When do you need to pack your hospital bag? Great question! Personally, I like to over prepare – so when you’re about 4-6 weeks from your due date – it is a good idea to have your bag ready to go.

For my first pregnancy, we had a bit of a surprise when my son was born 5.5 weeks early. My doctor told me not to worry, that everything looked great, and that everything looked to be on time. I had a feeling that our son was going to come early and I was right. Talk about trusting my gut 😉 My water broke after a full day of work – and off we rushed to the hospital. That being said – my daughter stayed in until after my due date. That was a BIG surprise after having a preemie! lol!

Each pregnancy and each baby is very different. Being prepared is key so you don’t add extra stress to an already BIG life moment. One way to relieve some stress is definitely having your bag packed and ready to go.

No – you don’t want to overpack, but you also want the right things for this big event! I did a lot of research before having both of my kiddos – and have put together a list of items that I personally found most helpful. Use it to pack your own hospital bag – or as a guide while you add your own special items 🙂

FOR MOMMY:

Dry Shampoo – A great way to refresh your hair after being in labor! It’s amazing for everyone – especially moms! Spray your roots with some dry shampoo to absorb the oil and give it new life. It’s usually located by the hairspray and shampoo at your local drugstore. AMAZING way to give your hair a little love after giving birth! Especially when you’re going to want a photo with your new little bundle 🙂

Lip Balm – Pick one that is hydrating, healing, and NOT a strong flavor. Your lips get dry while you are in labor, and you are only allowed ice chips for a good amount of that time. Having something without a strong flavor to keep your lips from cracking is key.

Non Skid Socks – Comfy way to keep your feet warm, all while not having to worry about slipping on the slippery hospital floor. Yoga/pilates socks work really well for this as well.

PJs & Robe– I packed 2 sets of PJs. The first was an affordable soft cotton button down PJ set from Target. It came with a matching robe which was perfect for my needs. They were not maternity but I did size up for comfort. Having a button down top meant easy access for nursing and the elastic waist meant comfort by my tummy. The second was a maternity night gown that I used throughout my 2nd and 3rd trimester. I used both and it was nice to have 2 clean options in my bag.

Toiletries – My rule of thumb for toiletries is purchase smaller sizes or brands you like. Keep them gentle in terms of formula and don’t pick a strong flavor/scent. It’s nice to keep things organic and extremely gentle for you and baby. You will be healing from childbirth, and getting lots of skin to skin time with your new bundle, so using gentle products in best. The quick list of toiletries includes:

• Travel case for your toiletries so they pack nice and easy
• Toothbrush and toothbrush cover for you and your significant other
• Toothpaste (I personally LOVE Toms of Maine)
• Floss (I’m obsessive about it – lol)
• Travel size shampoo/conditioner
• Body wash
• Dry shampoo (also listed above)
• Lip balm (also listed above)
• Brush
• Face lotion
• Body/hand lotion (Gold Bond with Aloe is wonderful and a fave)
• Hair binders and clips to keep hair out of your face

Breast Pads – Your milk will most likely start coming in. These will help keep you/clothes clean as you may leak. I brought disposable ones to the hospital and used washable pads once I got home.

Earplugs and Eye Mask – Pack these for you and your partner if you have trouble sleeping in noisy places. The eye mask helps a lot as you’ll want to get lots of rest between feedings – which will include sleeping while it is light out.

Entertainment – Labor can be long, so packing some things to keep you busy and distracted is a good idea. Some ideas include:

• Magazines – A variety to page through
• An ipad (with charger) and laptop with shows, movies and music you enjoy
• A good book, Kindle or other reading device
• Snacks – pack some snacks for you and those who will be with you at the hospital. I packed red vines for my husband, almond m&ms for my mom, Pringles for my dad, and Goldfish crackers for me. I also packed some granola bars to share. Not the most healthy snacks in the world, but I wanted something fun and yummy for the hours we were all spending at the hospital. Coconut water or sports drinks with electrolytes are also a good thing to pack if you want something other than water.
• A puzzle book or other activity to help pass the time
• Cards (you might not play but others might enjoy it in the waiting area)

Labor Gown – You don’t need to bring one as the hospital will provide one. That being said – I brought a black cute one because I liked it better! 😉

Pillow – Yes the hospital has them but I wanted my own! lol!

Birth Plan – If you have one, pack it! I’ll be posting something separate on creating your birth plan so keep an eye out.

Nursing Tank Top – Some may tell you to pack a nursing bra…I disagree. I preferred nursing tank tops at first because my milk was still coming in and I had no idea what size nursing bra to get. A nursing tank top is flexible, comfortable, and you can get maternity ones so they fit over your post baby belly.

Going Home Outfit –  Pack something comfortable to get home in. Maternity jeans, sweats, yoga pants or whatever you are most comfy and happy in. Your maternity clothes will fit nicely right after giving birth as you still have a belly after having baby (totally normal).

Underwear – Pick something loose, comfy and inexpensive. I purchased a pack of 100% cotton underwear in a loose size that were wonderful since I had to use pads with ice after birth. I didn’t want to ruin any of my nice underwear -and the extra space was needed. It sounds strange but trust me – it you plan to push baby out – the ice pads are lovely and help a lot! If you are planning to have a c-section, you may still want to have some loose underwear for comfort around/below your midsection.

FOR BIRTHING PARTNER:

Toiletries – The list above should include most items for both of you. They may also want their own preferred hair products or special items. Make sure they pack their own in advance if that is the case.

Spare Clothes – PJs and an extra set of clothes for the hospital room. They will want something clean to change into at some point.

Camera and Charger – To help capture the big moments. Talk about what that includes (or what to avoid) before you’re in labor so nothing gets missed or overlooked. Best not to assume they know.

Phone and Charger – You may have apps, Smartphone with camera, etc. that you need in the hospital. It’s also nice to send updates to out of town family/friends on how mommy and baby are doing.

FOR BABY:

Infant Car Seat – You can’t take baby home without it! Make sure to have this installed in your car within a couple weeks of your due date. If you don’t have a car, you still need a car seat so make sure to have one with you 🙂

Going Home Outfit – Something snuggly and loose for baby to wear on the way home. I would recommend something that has legs (not a gown) to ensure the car seat buckle fits, has long sleeves that fold over their hands so they don’t scratch their face or get cold, and comes with a little hat to stay warm. It’s also good to stay away from outfits that have an elastic waistband as they will have a sensitive midsection where their bellybutton will be healing. A one piece is best – trust me.

Blanket –  Bring something to cover their bottom half while in the car seat to stay cozy. Newborns don’t have a lot of body fat yet so pack according to the weather to keep baby safe, warm, comfortable and happy. For example, light blanket if it’s hot out and warm blanket (and snowsuit) if it’s crazy cold out.

Diapers – I wanted to leave this off of my list but think it’s worth noting. The hospital had diapers ready for both my kiddos after they were born. For my son, they had preemie diapers on hand. For my daughter, they had size 1 (she was big). I don’t like to recommend bringing diapers since you don’t know what size to get before they are born – and diapers are expensive! If you want to pack a couple sizes, go ahead. Personally, I would use what the hospital has in the correct size once baby is born. From there, your birthing partner, a friend or family member can pop by the drugstore or grocery store to grab the right size before you head home with baby.

NOTE: If you have other kids and/or pet(s) at home, be sure to write out a schedule with what they eat, nap times, walk times, emergency phone numbers, any medications they need to take (with amounts and directions) and any other critical information that your sitter may need. Talk to your babysitter, grandparents, friends or whoever if going to help you well in advance so they know the plan and have time to ask questions. You do not want to wait until you’re having contractions or when your water breaks to figure this out. I personally typed up a thorough document with my sons full schedule (naps, feeding times, bedtime routine, favorite toys, etc.) as well as details on when to walk and feed our dogs. The document was then given to our best friends and my parents so they were prepared to jump in and help when we needed to go to the hospital to deliver our daughter. I also had a spare printed copy waiting at our house in case they forgot their copy. Trust me – it didn’t take that long to put together and was well worth it to have that extra peace of mind! 🙂

I know it’s a long list…but I hope you find it helpful! Use what you like, make your own list, add your special items to this one, and feel prepared!

xoxo