Although there is little that you actually NEED to bring to the hospital, it is nice to feel as comfortable as possible when you are somewhere other than home and going through something as wild as having a baby! It is recommended that you pack your bag for the hospital by week 36 (baby could come early!) Funny story... I actually waited until week 37, but it was on my mind that I needed to get it done ASAP! I woke up one morning and knew I HAD to get it completely done that day. That very night we ended up checking in to the hospital! It's crazy how our bodies just know things and we can have instincts like that... WILD. Definitely be more responsible than me and pack your bag sooner lol.
I organized everything into groups and packed them into labeled Ziploc bags. (Packing cubes would be great too.) Travis said the labeled bags were SO helpful. After surgery I literally couldn’t get out of bed. Travis did so much for Silas & I and was such a champ! He was the one finding stuff for us in our bag and said my organization made it really easy for him to locate things. You will be sleep-deprived and exhausted from labor, make things as easy on yourself as possible!
Below you will find a very chaotic and extensive list of everything I brought, including notes about why I chose that particular item. If there is a check mark next to the item, that means it was actually used!
Keep in mind I had an emergency c-section, so some items I might have used if I had a vaginal birth instead. I think it is best to plan for multiple outcomes since you don’t really know what will happen. Also, pack as if you will be there for a few days. We were unexpectedly in the hospital for 4 nights, so I was thankful for the overpacking I did.
✔️ = used it
MOM
Clothes
Cardigan
2 button-down PJs w/ pants
✔️Button-down nightgown (it was nice to change out of the hospital nightgown into this! The nurses will have to come “check things” after birth so you don’t really want to wear pants you have to keep taking off.)
Slippers
✔️Socks with grips (the hospital will have these but it was nice to have my own. I used these at home too to prevent slipping after surgery.)
Nursing tank
✔️Nursing bras
Pumping bra
✔️Going home outfit: joggers, henley, vans (bring big clothes to wear home, don’t expect to fit into pre-pregnancy clothes right after birth. Your tummy will still be swollen & look pregnant. I was thankful for loose-fitting clothing around my incision. There’s no way I could have worn something tight. You will be wearing a diaper, so probably don’t pack leggings or something you wouldn’t want a panty line with. A loose-fitting dress is also a great idea!)
AirPods
Birth affirmations
Breastfeeding
Nursing pillow & cover (This hurt around my incision, so I may have used it if I didn’t have a c-section! Hospital pillows do the trick too if you want to pack one less thing.)
✔️Nipple cream
Nursing pads (you don’t really leak until your milk comes in a few days later, colostrum hardly leaks.)
I did not bring my pump, but I know some people may want to so the nurses can show you how to use it. I didn’t want one extra thing to worry about. The hospital has pumps if you need to use one.
Toiletries
✔️Toothbrush
✔️Toothpaste
✔️Deodorant
✔️Face wash
✔️Moisturizer
✔️Shower stuff
✔️Chapstick
✔️Hair ties
✔️Brush
✔️Mouthwash
Lotion
✔️Face wipes
Frida mom undies (some people like these but I hated them so they aren’t on my postpartum list. They are disposable underwear, but you still have to have a pad in them. I preferred a straight up diaper and then regular undies.)
✔️Adult diapers (I used 1 for going home and just used the hospital ones until then.)
Peri bottle (I used the hospital one there but I loved having the Frida mom one at home! The hospital will also give you an extra of theirs if you want.)
✔️Shower shoes
Sleep
✔️Blanket
✔️pillow
Eye mask
Misc
✔️Portable phone charger
✔️Portable fan (Postpartum night sweats are intense.)
✔️Water bottle (I felt like I was constantly asking for water! It was nice having my own insulated cup to keep it cold.)
Meds - (I’m pretty sure this is frowned upon, but I was trying to save money. Obviously I had surgery and needed something more than Tylonel (lol) so I ended up just taking what they gave me! They will bring you all these things.)
Colace
Prenatals
Tylonel
✔️Masks (Wild times, man!!)
✔️Peppermint oil roller (This was wonderful during labor & for nausea/anxiety after.)
DAD
✔️Blanket/pillow
✔️2 sets casual clothes/going home outfit
✔️PJs
✔️Slippers
✔️Shower shoes
✔️Water bottles
✔️Gatorade
✔️Snacks (This was great especially since we were there longer than we thought.)
✔️Gum
✔️Portable phone charger
✔️Toiletries
Bluetooth speaker (I have also heard of people bringing a firestick but we just watched tv on our phones!)
✔️Nurses baskets (Ok so I had heard of people doing this but I didn’t understand that it’s really for all the postpartum nurses that take care of you! I gave both of mine to the L&D nurses (1 for AM shift & 1 for PM) but I wish I brought 4 for both of the postpartum nurse shifts as well! I’m glad I did it that way though because maybe L&D doesn’t usually get any sort of thanks and they were wonderful.
BABY
✔️Car seat
Swaddle blankets
Baby blanket
✔️Velcro swaddle
2-3 zipper onesies (newborn & 0-3)
✔️Outfit for pictures
✔️Outfit for going home
✔️Socks
Mittens
✔️Hats
✔️Pacifier & clip (didn’t use the clip)
✔️Night light
✔️Noise machine (highly recommend!)
✔️Letterboard for pictures
Baby footprint kit
Baby book (also for footprint, ended up doing it at home.)
Ink pad
✔️Folder with hospital paperwork
The hospital will have everything you need for baby, so don’t worry too much! They have swaddle blankets, hats, diapers, wipes, diaper cream, pacifiers… and you can ask for any of this when you’re going home. They will send you home with stuff!
If you have any questions about the items I brought or my experience in the hospital, please don’t hesitate to ask! You can comment below or DM me on Instagram.
Happy packing!
ANDY♡
You can find links for my favorite things I brought here!
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