One of the last things we do before our baby arrives is pack a hospital bag. You definitely don’t want to get stuck packing one when you are in labor (like I did..oops). I am going to go over what to take to the hospital when in labor for baby, mom, and dad. This hospital bag checklist is great for a minimalist mommy who only wants to take what they absolutely need.
I suggest bringing the smallest amount of things possible to the hospital for childbirth because you will likely not need most of the extras. If you want to bring a bunch of extras, maybe pack those in a separate bag and leave it in the car. You can always send your significant other or a family member out to get it if need be.
I’m going to go over some of the burning questions new moms have when they’re about to pack a hospital bag. If you come up with any other questions, please leave them in the comments and I will do my best to help you!
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When should you pack a hospital bag for labor?
I recommend packing a hospital bag at least one month ahead of your due date. This keeps you from having to quickly pack while in labor if your baby decides to come a week or so early.
Two weeks from my due date, I went into labor unexpectedly. I had to quickly pack my hospital bag before rushing off to the doctor’s office. Luckily, I was already at home when I went into labor! Of course, my husband was at work at the time, so I packed everything I thought the three of us may need – all in one bag, and rushed out the door.
For my next child, I will definitely be packing our hospital bag at least one month before the due date to save me from this frantic packing experience!
How many days worth of clothing should you pack?
Call the hospital and ask them how many days most women stay in the hospital after giving birth to be sure. But women typically stay in the recovery room about 48 hours after giving birth. This is not everyone’s situation though. It depends on how baby and mom are doing. These factors can change the amount of time you stay.
I came to the hospital wearing my everyday maternity clothes on a Tuesday afternoon. Upon arriving at the women’s pavilion, they had me change into a hospital gown. I didn’t give birth until Wednesday morning, and we left the hospital Friday afternoon. So, from Tuesday until Friday, I wore a hospital gown (changing into a fresh clean one a few times).
Before going home, I changed into comfortable, loose-fitting maternity clothes. Therefore, mama only needs one change of clothes. I’ll get to what baby and dad need later.
What kind of bag to use when packing for the hospital?
When you pack a hospital bag, a suitcase will be the easiest option to fit all of your must-have items for your newborn baby, yourself, and dad.
I used one large suitcase with four wheels to pack everything in, to make it easier on myself and my husband to transport in and out of the hospital. At the hospital I delivered at, there was a delivery room and a recovery room. So, shortly after delivering our baby, we were transported to a recovery room. Keep this in mind when getting all your essentials ready for labor and delivery. You don’t want to get stuck hauling multiple bags around the hospital.
Some birthing centers and hospitals allow you to stay in the delivery room for recovery, therefore not having to get all your things together and move rooms. Call ahead where you plan to deliver and see what they offer.
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Hospital Bag Items for mom
Loose-fitting clothes
The best loose-fitting clothes to bring to the hospital would be something like a nursing nightgown. You’re going to be sitting in a hospital bed for a few days most likely. You will want to be wearing the most comfortable clothing possible because the 24 hours after childbirth is not comfortable in any way. It’s worth it! But not comfortable.
Nursing bra
A nursing bra makes it easier for nursing, especially if you are allowing visitors to come when baby arrives. You can just unclip one side of your bra and be ready to nurse.
Going home clothes
You will still look pregnant for a few weeks to months after giving birth. It takes time for your body to shrink back. That being said, the maternity clothing you wore during pregnancy should be what you bring for going home clothes. When my little family left the hospital, I wore a comfortable summer dress (I gave birth in June) that I frequently wore during pregnancy.
Shoes/Slippers
Shoes that are easy to slip on and off easily or slippers will work perfectly. The only shoes I brought for myself were Birkenstock sandals to slip on when I needed to use the bathroom and slip back off to get in the bed.
Phone & charger
Taking a million pictures of your new baby and communicating with family and friends will suck your phone battery dry! Don’t forget your phone charger! I suggest getting a charger with an extra-long cord and go ahead and stick it in your hospital bag a month ahead when you pack, so you don’t have to remember it when frantically gathering things and rushing out the door on delivery day.
Toiletries
-Hairbrush
-hair clip or hair tie
-toothbrush
-toothpaste
-floss
-deodorant
-lip balm
-shampoo
-conditioner
-body wash
-A roll or two of 2-ply toilet paper – Hospitals have the roughest toilet paper. This will just be something to keep you more comfortable during your stay. Trust me.
Personal Information
-health insurance card
-Photo I.D
-Contact information for the pediatrician or doctor you have chosen to care for your baby once you leave the hospital.
-If you have a specific birth plan you want to follow, bring that as well.
Hospital Bag Items for baby
A big question I had when packing a hospital bag for the first time was: What size baby clothes do you pack for a newborn?
You have no idea how big (or little) your baby is going to be when they arrive. It is best to pack a few items of clothing in each size- (3) newborn size, and (3) 0-3 months size. A brand I suggest using would be Gerber onesies. They are made smaller, but have good stretch to them, making it the perfect onesie when you don’t know what size your baby will be. My baby came out right at 7lbs and wore Gerber newborn size onesies for a little over a month.
Baby clothing essentials to bring to the hospital
Plan for the time of year. If it is cold outside, pack long sleeves and a fleece footed onesie. On the opposite end, if it’s hot, pack short sleeve onesies, long cotton pants, and maybe some cotton footed onesies just in case. Keep in mind, your baby will be wrapped up in a swaddle blanket most of the time.
(3) Onesies
(3) Long pants
(2) Swaddles – I suggest bringing a zip-up swaddle or Velcro swaddle. (Zip-up worked better for us) The hospital will originally wrap your baby in a hospital blanket, which can be rough and not as comfortable as a cotton swaddle you bring from home. I like to get my baby used to what we use at home, even before leaving the hospital.
(2) Footed onesies – (Winter weather, use fleece. Summer weather, use cotton)
(2) Socks
(2) Hand mitts – It is suggested not to trim babies nails until about two weeks of age, due to the softness of their nails when they are born, trimming them may cause them to bleed a little bit. To keep them from scratching their face, you can put these little cotton hand mitts on them.
(1) Going home outfit
(1) Car seat – have this already installed in the car.
Hospital Bag Items for dad
Dads get the short end of the stick during the hospital stay. They will most likely be sleeping on an uncomfortable fold-out couch or chair. So anything that will make his stay a little more comfortable when sleeping would be great to bring. Also, when it comes to eating, the hospital takes great care of mom…not so much dad (in most cases). So that’s something else to think about.
Pillow & Blanket
If he has a favorite blanket to use at home, bring it. It will make papa a little happier with his sleeping situation.
Comfy Clothing
Two casual outfits and two sets of pajamas or loungewear would be perfect for dad while hanging out in the hospital room, along with underwear and socks.
Toiletries
-hairbrush
-toothbrush
-toothpaste
-floss
-deodorant
-shampoo
-conditioner
-body wash
Camera/batteries/charger
Even if you have hired a professional videographer or photographer, you are still going to want to document little moments with your little one. Bring your good camera so the day won’t be forgotten.
Phone & charger
As with mom’s phone charger I talked about earlier, pack dad one in the same bag, OR share the charging cord if you both have the same kind of phone.
Food & drinks!
As mentioned before, dads won’t be offered food with room service in most cases. The hospital probably has a cafeteria they can grab some food at though. My husband went to nearby fast-food restaurants when he got hungry. But dad could pack some canned foods and snacks as well. Granola bars, trail mix, and Beanee Weanees are good options.
Additional Items (optional)
Boppy nursing pillow
Bring a Boppy nursing pillow with you to the hospital to make feeding your baby easier and more comfortable for yourself and baby.
Makeup
I never used makeup while I was in the hospital. After giving birth, I didn’t care what I looked like for probably a week or more! My situation was different than most deliveries though. So, you do you!
pillows & blanket
These are optional. You don’t need them, but the blankets and pillows provided by the hospital may not be as comfortable as what you’re used to.
Items Provided By The Hospital
Call in advance to check with your birthing center or hospital to ask what items will be provided during your stay there. Most hospitals and birthing centers provide:
Hospital gown
It is not necessary to buy the pretty hospital gowns. You will only need it for a few days out of your life.
Non-slip socks
Typical hospital socks have a non-slip grip on the bottom. I wore these most days at the hospital.
Mesh underwear
You can leave your granny panties at home. You most likely won’t use them. The hospital provides mesh disposable underwear. (I love these!) If you have any left in the recovery room when its time to go home, take them with you. The whole box is yours, and they are the most comfortable underwear during postpartum recovery.
Pads
The hospital provides plenty of pads. I brought some from home but didn’t use any of them. The hospital provided a ton. When going back home, if there are any pads left in the recovery room bathroom, take them with you! They’re yours as well.
Pain relief spray
The hospital will most likely provide Dermoplast Pain & Itch Spray for your recovering lady parts.
Peri bottle
It won’t be the fancy peri bottle you buy at the store, but they do provide one like this, that gets the job done.
Diapers & wipes
Don’t worry yourself on how many diapers to bring in your hospital bag. Most hospitals provide Pampers diapers and plenty of wipes for the duration of your hospital stay.
Warm blankets
The hospital I was at provided knitted blankets fresh out of the dryer!
Food & drink
Mostly for mom, so remember to pack some snacks and nonperishable food for dad as an option as mentioned earlier.
What not to bring in your hospital bag:
Pretty Clothing
Nice clothes are completely unnecessary. You will be wearing the biggest pad you’ve ever seen when you are recovering. I wouldn’t chance to get nice clothing dirty with blood. Not a good thought, I know. But it’s the truth. Bring old, dark clothes that you won’t care if they get messed up.
Books, magazines, entertainment
You won’t even think to pull it out of your bag.
Good Luck!
This should have you covered on what to pack in your hospital bag for labor and delivery for mom, dad, and baby! If I’ve missed anything, or you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll get back to you. You can also ask your OBGYN or birthing center to see what they recommend and what they provide. Good luck on a delivery day mama! If you’d like to know what labor contractions feel like or want help with non medicated pain management to get you through labor, just click the links! God bless you and your family!
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