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What To Pack In Your Pregnancy Hospital Bag

Ready to pack your hospital bag? As parents who have been there, done that (and wish we’d remembered to bring shampoo), we’ve compiled a list of essentials you’re going to love having during your hospital stay.

When it comes to preparing for your hospital stay, it’s easy to focus solely on what you’re going to need for your baby. People tend to overload on onesies, newborn diapers and forget that they’re going to need comfortable clothing (and absorbent padding) for themselves too.

In this article, we’ll go over:

When to pack your hospital bag
Our hospital bag checklist
Tips and advice for your hospital stay
Hospital bag product picks for both mom and baby

Scroll down to learn more!

Wondering when to pack your hospital bag?

We recommend packing your bag around 35 weeks, and leaving it by the front door. This will ensure you’re prepared if your baby decides to make an early appearance. If you’re in doubt about anything on this list, ring your hospital or birth center and ask if they provide it. If they do, check it off to lighten your load.

Hospital bag checklist

From clothing to cushioning, these are the items we loved having on hand:

Insurance info
Birth plan
Face masks
Natural hand sanitizer
Cell phone charger
Music
Stress ball
Personal hospital gown
Slippers
Non-slip socks
Flip flops/sandals (for the shower)
Robe(s)
Oversized tees
Comfortable nightwear
Comfortable, loose pants
A going home outfit
Nursing bras
Large coverage underwear
Pregnancy pillow/Feeding pillow
Non-toxic toiletries
Toothpaste & toothbrush
Maternity pads
Breast pads
Nipple cream
Non-toxic diapers
Non-toxic baby wipes
Non-toxic diaper cream
Swaddles & wearable blankets
Newborn outfits
Infant car seat
Healthy snacks

Tips and advice for your hospital stay

Insurance information

Even if you are already registered at the hospital or birthing center, at a minimum, you’ll need to bring some ID and your health insurance card.

Your birth plan

A birth plan summarizes your ideal birthing experience. It outlines your preferences for care, and provides your medical team with a clear understanding of your wishes. This can be invaluable when important decisions need to be made quickly and under pressure. So, if you have made one, bring it! And don’t forget to Xerox extra copies. If you haven’t written one yet, here are some simple birth plan tips to get you started.

Music

After waiting months and months you might get super excited at the first signs of labor but labor can start slowly and be a lengthy process. Pack some items to keep you calm and focused. A Taiwanese study has shown that the use of music can significantly reduce pain and anxiety in labor so bring an iPod and speaker deck and different mixes of feel-good songs and relaxing music. If you are planning to use specific labor tapes or relaxation methods make sure they are pre-loaded onto your device before you go to the hospital.

Stress ball

Some women recommend taking a stress ball into labor as a distraction aid during contractions – or you can pass it to your partner if they need a distraction!

Hospital gown

While your hospital may have you wear their provided gown, we are obsessed with Petite Plume’s hospital gowns. Designed with both front and back access, laboring, breastfeeding and recovering in comfort is an absolute breeze.

Petite Plume Women’s Light Blue Gingham Hospital Gown

Slippers or non-slip socks

During labor, some mamas feel like moving around by swaying back and forth, side to side or going for gentle walks. So don’t forget your slippers!

Home comforts

Like a heating pad, hot water bottle and some organic massage lotion will go a long way to ensure you’re feeling comfortable during this time. And if your pregnancy pillow has been a godsend, bring it – you might be sleeping before labor really kicks in.

Non-toxic toiletries

Your hospital or birthing center may or may not provide the basics, but we recommend using natural and organic personal care products where possible. The last thing you or your baby need is to be exposed to the harsh chemicals often found in commercial toiletries.

We recommend bringing your own:

Organic body wash
Organic shampoo & conditioner
Organic lip balm
Organic body moisturizer
Organic deodorant
Natural toothpaste & toothbrush
Hair ties if you have longer hair or headbands
Organic, fragrance-free massage oil for labor
A brush/comb

A lavender spray for your face can also cool and calm you during labor. Also, remember labor is an important and sometimes stressful time for your partner too. Partners can sometimes feel a bit redundant because, as much as they would like to, they can’t actually do the work of labor for you. Having your partner give you a massage, rub your feet or offer any kind of distraction can be a way of reducing the stress for both of you.

mini bloom Mom & Baby Welcome Set

Earth Harbor Mermaid Milk Face Moisturizer

Maternity pads

Regardless if you give birth vaginally or have a C-section, there’s a high chance you will have quite a heavy period after. Regular size pads will not cut it. Be sure you pack at least 12 pads.

Breast pads

Before you go to the hospital find out whether breast and sanitary pads are provided by the hospital or whether you will need to bring your own. We recommend Kushies Organic Jersey Nursing Pads (these are washable rather than disposable, and there are six in a pack, but in the early days of breastfeeding with leaking and sometimes excessive supply, you might want to purchase a couple of packs so you can have them on high rotation.)

The Tot Feeding Sets – Nursing

Nursing pillow

You might wish to pack a nursing pillow to take the pressure off your back as you come to grips with breastfeeding. We love Nook’s Niche Nursing Pillow’s body-hugging arms ensure the pillow doesn’t shift.

Nook Niche Organic Feeding Pillow

A journal

Take a journal and pen. You won’t have this time again and even if some details will remain in your mind forever, many will quickly fade.

If you have time, write down how you are feeling, what you are thinking, your experience. Sometime in the future when your tot is running around the house or off to school, you will treasure what you wrote about how you felt in those first strange and exciting days as a parent.

Pajama set

Having soft, comfortable and stylish pajamas may be just the thing to help sleep come more easily. We opt for button-down PJs like the below from Petite Plume and HART + LAND because they make breastfeeding or tending to a C-section wound hassle-free.

Petite Plume Women’s Classic Twill Pajama Set – Navy Gingham

HART + LAND Women’s Bamboo PJ Set – Simple Stripe

A robe

An easy-to-slip-on robe is ideal for your body’s quick temperature changes, because one second you’re hot, one second you’re cold and other times – you just want to be able to cover up.

Petite Plume Women’s White Flannel Robe with Navy Piping

HART + LAND Women’s Bamboo Robe – Simple Stripe

Postpartum nursing support clothing

The Blanqi Lift Up Access Underbust Postpartum and Nursing Support Tank is strategically designed to make breastfeeding easy, while giving your body much-needed support.

Blanqi Lift Up Access Underbust Postpartum and Nursing Support Tank

Undergarments

Your underwear also matters. Depending on how long your hospital stay is, you’re going to want plenty of wide coverage underwear to hold your maternity pads in place. You’ll also want comfortable wire-free bras with adjustable straps that can provide the perfect amount of room and support for when your milk starts to come in.

Healthy snacks

You may not feel like eating much, but labor can be a long game and it’s good to keep refueling with light, healthy and nourishing snacks rather than vending machine food. Granola bars, protein balls and fruit are all good options. Coconut water is refreshing and hydrating. Ask the hospital administrator in advance what you are allowed to bring – broth or coconut water for example – so you can prepare.

What your baby needs in your hospital bag

Non-toxic diapers, wipes & diaper cream

Hospitals usually supply newborn diapers, wipes and creams for those first few days, but these tend to be really harsh on baby’s sensitive skin. We recommend using more natural products that are free of harmful ingredients and chemicals.

Nest diapers – 4 pack

Kiss Kiss Goodnight Peace of Mind Protective Balm

$28

BUY NOW

Non-toxic personal care

Many mothers avoid using any body washes and lotions until week 2 when bathing their newborn. If you would like to use products in the hospital, make sure they don’t contain any potentially harmful ingredients like fragrance, phthalates, dyes or formaldehyde.

Gryph & Ivyrose Newborn Essentials

Baby clothes

You will want to pack an outfit for the proud moment you take your bundle of joy home – though don’t be surprised to find yourself inundated with gorgeous newborn gifts! When you choose your baby’s going home outfit, be mindful of the weather and the fact that newborns aren’t very good at regulating their temperature – babies usually need one more layer than adults. We love HART + LAND Baby basics for their buttery soft, hypoallergenic fabrics.