Alright friends, I have been talking about packing my hospital bag for WEEKS. When Baby #4 was measuring a month ahead, it was suggested that I get a bag of items ready in case we need to rush to the hospital. I have FINALLY DONE IT!
The good news is…and I want all the first time mommies and daddies to hear this…the hospital will have everything you NEED. Highlight – CAPS – underline – BOLD. Packing a bag is more for you…what things bring you comfort? What would be a nice to have? It is another great way to mentally prepare for the reality that you are giving birth soon.
If you have time to pack a bag, GREAT! If you don’t, I promise you and your baby will be great in the care of a solid labor & delivery team.
My hospital bag is not stuffed with all the things I could need…but given that this is my second baby (and I severely over-packed for the first)…oh and I stayed in the hospital with Hudson for 10 days back in March….these are my basic ‘nice-to-haves.’ Ready…go!
THE LIST
- Boppy Pillow
- Travel Toiletry Holder
- Towel
- 3 nightgowns
- 2 bathrobes
- Sweatshirt
- Going home outfit for Mommy
- Going home outfit for Baby
- Slippers/Socks
- Shower shoes
- Nursing bra
- Extra long charging cords
- Portable speaker
- Pillow
THE DEETS
Boppy Pillow
Whether or not you plan on nursing, I highly recommend multiple Boppy pillows on your registry. Cradling baby’s sweet little neck can tire out your arms, so having a cushion underneath that wraps around your waist adds comfort. We also loved having the Boppy pillow for the big kids to feel comfortable holding baby (with a layer of added cushion/protection). I recommend having one on every floor of your house!
Travel Toiletry Holder
In all honesty, a plastic ziplock bag with the essentials would be just fine. But I have been wanting a travel bag and there were some cute ones on Amazon. Here’s the hanging one I bought and it’s only $13!
Inside (all travel sized): toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, hair detangler, hairbrush, contacts, glasses, light makeup if you want for pictures, hair ties, razor, lip mask/chapstick (hospitals are notoriously dry).
PS – love these mini wet brushes for travel. I love Wet Brushes!
Towel
After staying at our children’s hospital for 10 days, I did get used to asking for extra towels since the ones as most hospitals tend to be thin and small. David and I love extra large and fluffy bath sheets…so if you want to up your hospital shower game, bring an extra towel from home.
Clothing
The hospital will of course provide you with multiple gowns during your stay. Sometimes it’s nice to feel a bit more ‘fancy’ or ‘extra’ with your own clothes. I even purchased some new items just to have them with me at the hospital.
Nightgowns: I generally sleep in an oversized t-shirt at home, but those aren’t necessarily nursing friendly. I found some great options on Amazon that will keep me feeling pretty but also allow easy feeding access for babe. I couldn’t find the link for the third one but here are ONE and TWO. Both from Amazon and both super soft!
Robes: same goes with robes as with nightgowns/sleep apparel. You will likely be in a gown or robe of some kind all day…I didn’t put on pants the entire time I was in the hospital with Hudson. You are sleeping, watching baby, and feeding pretty much the whole time. Robes also allow easy access for nursing and another outfit change!
Sweatshirt: I can’t for the life of me remember if I had a sweatshirt or even if I was cold last time I was in the hospital. But again, when Hudson and I were at the hospital back in March when he had Human Metapneumovirus, all I wore were oversized sweatshirts, sweatpants, and sandals. Bringing a sweatshirt just in case I want it over my nightgown.
Mommy Going Home Outfit: I’m having a baby in July in Chicago…it’s going to be hot. Make sure that your going home outfit is seasonally appropriate. Also – your body does not just bounce back to it’s pre-pregnancy size because baby is earthside. You may still look 6 months pregnant as your body begins to recover after childbirth. Bring maternity options. For me, I’m bringing my Blanqi maternity leggings and a nursing tank. I can always throw the sweatshirt over if I’m chilly.
Baby Going Home Outfit: I have two of the same outfit (the same ones Hudson wore) for this baby. One set is in Newborn size and the other is 3 months. Hudson went home in Newborn size and he was 7 pounds 12 ounces at birth. I have no idea about this baby but it’s good to have a back up. There are plenty of options for the going home outfit – I picked one out 3+ years ago that had a onesie, little cardigan and footed pants for Huddy.
Nursing Bra: like I said, you are going to be in your robe and nightgown most of the time. But in case you want to feel more human, bring a nursing bra with you as well. You may want to bring more than one if you are worried about leaking, spills, etc but I am only taking one since I have no shame about my bra game anyway 🙂
Slippers/Socks: I never wore the fuzzy socks in the hospital as I don’t like to sleep with socks on my feet. But my mom bought me some really cute ones…so I’m bringing them with me just in case! I do plan on wearing my slippers around the room most of the time.
Shower Shoes: I went to summer camp for 8 years of my life and still love wearing shower shoes because of it haha. But I also have a thing about feet…and although your hospital probably does a GREAT job of sanitizing the shower, why risk it? Just bring some waterproof shoes for the shower!
Extra Long Phone Chargers
I generally don’t like using these at home because the cords look ugly sitting on the counter…but the outlets at hospitals are notoriously far away from wherever you want your phone to be. It’s Murphy’s law I suppose. I’m bringing one for me and one for David so we can keep our phones close but always charging.
Portable Speaker
I’m a music LOVER. I’m not sure how the delivery is going to be and if I’ll want music during the pushing, but I know I’ll want my portable speaker when baby is here and we are hanging out in the hospital room. I even have my playlist from when Hudson was a baby to listen to with little brother. This is the one I use and keep in my car for whenever we want tunes outside of the house. You may want to bring headphones too – I love my AirPods!
Pillow
There is something about having your own pillow that just says ‘ahhhhh creature comfort.’ Make sure you put a different pillow case on it so you don’t forget it when you leave the hospital. Hint: most hospitals use white pillow cases 🙂
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’m packing all of this in a regular suitcase. It’s zipped and sitting in our bedroom for when we are ready to go have a baby! I decided not to pack anything extra for David as our hospital will allow him to come and go as he needs. He doesn’t have to stay there the whole time like I do. Baby will need next to nothing. The hospital will provide everything during your stay – and they’ll even give you freebies to take home. And by free, I mean you are paying for them during your hospital stay, so stock up on whatever they get you! You will need when you get home.
Happy packing!! Did I miss anything??
