I remember December 28, 2015, like it was yesterday. It was a chilly Tuesday morning and I was constantly awakened by painful and very close contractions. “Darling, I think the baby is coming,” I whispered to my husband, and just like that he jumped up and grabbed my Valentino Hospital bag while I changed out of my nightgown and we sped off to the hospital with pure excitement despite it being just 5 am in the morning. I was threatened with pre-term labor a few weeks prior but I was happy that I made it to 38 weeks and that my baby was full term and I was confident that I was well prepared. I have read all the what to expect when you are expecting articles, bought all the baby items that were suggested to me by friends and family, and the blogs and magazines that I have read so I knew I had this new mommy thing down pat! But boy was I wrong.
After I gave birth to my baby girl in what I honestly can say, was fairly quick labor, I realized I had so much stuff in my bag and some essentials were missing which was really annoying and frustrating, to say the least. I was wiser the second time around and so I am sharing my list with you with the hope that it will be of some help when you are deciding what to pack and what not to pack in your hospital bag.
What is in your hospital bag will vary slightly if you are having a vaginal birth or a c-section. If you have a c-section your hospital stay is likely to be a bit longer so naturally, your bag will be a bit bigger. You can also categorize the items that you need in terms of importance. There are some things you will only need for comfort and other things you will definitely need and some things that are simply nice to have.
ID and Health Card
Of course, these should already be in your wallet, so this may not be something that you pack in your hospital bag in advance. In fact, since you may travel with a health card and Id every day this may be the last item you drop in your hospital bag before you leave to give birth. Nevertheless, it is important to stress its significance.
Three Night Gown or PJ
During my first pregnancy, I packed 2 nightgowns in my hospital bag and boy did I regret not packing an additional one. My baby had jaundice and the hospital decided to keep me in for an extra day. I had to ask my husband to take an additional nightgown in for me. Of course, this was not a big inconvenience but it would have been nice if I had already had an extra nightgown.
The right nightgown or Pj is just as important. Stay away from colors close too close to white. I made the mistake of buying a light pink and a sky blue nightgown during my first pregnancy and boy did I regret it. First of all, you bleed like crazy after birth and having a little accident is quite common. Stick to navy blues, black and dark color nightgowns just so you don’t have t deal with badly stained clothes afterward.
The second time around, I learned my lesson. I purchased three nightgowns, that were breastfeeding-friendly, meaning that during the pregnancy I was so much smarter, I purchased these nightgowns from amazon to pack in my hospital bag and I never regrated it. They were soft and comfortable and made breastfeeding so easy.
Nursing Bra
Nursing bras are very convenient to have after giving birth, obviously, if you plan to breastfeed which is highly recommended if you are able to. These bras come in all different shapes and sizes and they are so many to choose from. I would recommend packing three in your hospital bag, but I would buy more to use when I come home. After all, breastfeeding doesn’t stop after leaving the hospital.
Robe
I love a good robe, and if you lucky enough to have a natural vaginal birth, you will be on your feet a few hours after birth. Having a little robe to throw around yourself is always a handy piece of garment to have at the hospital.
Maternity Pads
Some hospitals may provide these but why chance it? still pack a few just in case! In fact, you may not even like the ones at the hospital and since you will need maternity pads after leaving the hospital, it can’t hurt to pack a few in your hospital bag
Slippers
You should pack at least 2 slippers. One to wear while you are in the hospital. If you’re anything like me, the one you wear in the hospital will be cozy with faux fur, but the style is completely up to you. The second slipper will be rubber slippers for you to shower in. Nobody wants to go barefoot in a public shower.
Cardigan
Some hospitals allow you to control the temperature in the room and some don’t. To be on the safe side always back a nice cozy cardigan just in case it gets a bit nippy in your hospital room.
Cotton underwear’s
I cannot stress the importance of these. You will need at least 7 of these. Again stick to dark colors, nobody and I mean nobody wants to have to deal with a whole bunch of stained underwear after giving birth, so do yourself a favor and buy dark-colored cotton panties. You want full-coverage panties that can neatly fit huge maternity pads.
Electronics (Phone, phone charger and maybe a camera)
If you are reading this, chances are your phone is with you everywhere you go, but just ensure that you have your phone and a long phone and enough phone charger. The charging sockets in the hospitals tend to be a little distant from the bed, for safety reasons, so ensure your charging cable is long enough. Don’t forget some earbuds, so you can engage in your guilty pleasures without being judged by nosey nurses and doctors who will occasionally walk into your room to check on you and your bundle of joy.
Toiletries
Or my toiletries, I packed them in a nice solid ziplocked bag before throwing them in my hospital bag. The essential toiletires are as follows:
- Shower gel
- Dry shampoo or shampoo and conditioner
- Lotion
- Deodorant
- Shower cap
- Basic makeup (if you care)
- Lipbalm
- Hairbrush
- Nipple cream
Stationaries
I know you’re going to deliver a baby, but you will need some stationaries as the hospital also involves a lot of paperwork. Include the following n your hospital bag checklist:
- Two pens
- A waterproof folder to store any receipt, copy of contracts or any important paperwork you may get form the nurses, doctors, and administrative staff
Snacks
Closer to your due date, you may want to drop a few of your favorite snacks in your hospital bag. You don’t want to pack snacks too early for obvious reasons, I mean no one wants to be eating stale Doritos!
One Outfit to leave
This one is pretty obvious. You will need an outfit to leave the hospital so ensure to pack one comfortable suit of clothing to leave the hospital in. Go for dark-colored bottom again and lose fitting clothes.
For baby
Thank heavens babies are less demanding than we are and so their list is less complicated. You will need the following for your baby:
- At least four to five sleepers of newborn PJS
- Baby hats
- Baby mittens
- Baby socks
- One outfit for baby to come home in
- Baby car seat and car seat cover
- Pacifier for newborn baby
- At least 2 receiving blankets
- Baby wipes
To simplify this list I have created a free printable list that you can use. You can download the pdf version here for free.
‘I hope you find this list useful, I wish you a safe delivery.
XOXO
Monica .
