What I Packed In My Hospital Bag For Delivery

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Three months with Baby Caroline, and life has been a dream! Adjusting to life with a newborn has been an exciting journey, and we couldn’t be happier with our little bundle of joy :) 

One thing we’ve learned as new parents is that it’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared, so today I’m excited to share what we packed in our hospital bag for delivery. Additionally, since we were giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to make sure we had everything we needed, since visitors were not allowed.   Also since Blair delivered a month before her due date, we started prepping our hospital bag months before her arrival just in case we were early too! And I’m glad we did because Caroline came 3 weeks early!

I spoke to so many new moms about what to pack, so today I wanted to share everything we brought in our hospital bag to help other moms-to-be prep for the hospital! 

For more of our pregnancy journey, check out our gender reveal and what it’s like being pregnant during Covid-19

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SHOP MY LOOK:

Maternity Top // Maternity Jeans // Necklace // Earrings // Carry On Suitcase

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FOR THE MOM

Clothes

• Going home outfit – I recommend bringing a loose fitting dress in a dark color. Getting dressed for the first time after days in pajamas felt so amazing, but I made sure to pack something loose and comfy in case I was still recovering when I left the hospital. 

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• Pajamas – Update: I didn’t wear any of the PJ’s I packed in my hospital bag.  Without COVID restrictions, you will likely have guests visiting you in the hospital, so you want to be comfortable but look ok. However, since I wasn’t allowed visitors, I wore the hospital gowns because I could change into a new gown as often as I wanted (you’ll sweat a lot postpartum) and didn’t have to worry about laundering them when I got home. Bring new PJs for everyday and maybe even an extra.  After wearing a set all day you will likely want something clean to change into.  All my friends know I prefer pajama sets with pants, however, from all new moms, I hear a gown or sleepshirt is the best option postpartum. I brought 3 sleepshirts and one PJ set (just in case). See here and here for some recommended options. Focus on packing dark colors or patterns with a button up front – especially if you plan on breastfeeding 

• Robe – I packed a short one like this I received as a gift from Blair’s wedding. 

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Post Partum Items

• Nursing bra – I purchased this from Hofish, which feels like a sports bra but with the conveniences of a nursing bra. 

• Depends/Always Discrete – I can’t believe I’m putting this in a blog post, but hey, it’s real life that every mom has experienced, and we’re here to help each other out, right?  Everyone I talked to said having your own postpartum diapers in your hospital bag is a necessity and what the hospital provides is a terrible mesh option, so, they were on my list and I was happy to have them!

Shoes

• Ugg slippers – Perfect for wearing around your hospital room or walks around the floor

• Sandals – Something easy to slide on when you leave to go home

• Socks – Another thing my friends know about me is that I LOVE socks.  I packed some tall socks in my hospital bag that I could wear with my pajamas if I was cold but also recommend bringing a few pairs of socks with sticky bottoms so you will have some traction when walking around. I have a handful of pilates/barre socks that I threw in for this purpose. 

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Toiletries

• Makeup – I packed a mini makeup bag with only my essentials like powder, mascara, and lip gloss. I rarely wore makeup, but I wanted to have it just in case!

• Makeup remover wipes – you may be tired and not want to deal with washing your face in the bathroom. 

• Oil blotting pads – pregnancy has made my skin way oilier than ever before, so these have been in my bag for months. 

• Lip balm – An item I see on most packing lists, which I probably would have overlooked. Hospitals are cold and dry so this seems like a must.  At about hour 20 of 25 in my labor process I did use this lip balm and was very happy to have it.

• Dry shampoo – I was so tired to shower and washing my hair often was a chore, so this will give you a refreshed look with minimal effort. 

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• Shampoo & Conditioner – I recommend packing sample sizes/ travel sizes to save space in your bag.  The hospital will provide Shampoo but my hair has never been harder to brush when I used theirs.

• Face Wash – unless you have your favorite you can’t part with for 2-3 days, I recommend bringing sample sizes to reduce space in your bag. 

• Hand & Body Lotion – you guessed it.  Bring travel sized bottles you can throw away once they’re empty. The hospital is very dry so my husband and I were happy we brought our own lotion.

• Ponytail holders

• Deodorant 

• Eye & Face cream 

• Hair brush 

• Blow Dryer

• Vitamins – You will want to keep taking your prenatal vitamins even after your baby is born, so make sure not to leave these behind. 

• Toothbrush & Toothpaste 

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FOR THE DAD

Clothes

• 2-3 pairs of comfortable clothes that he will wear around the hospital and potentially sleep in

• 1 nice outfit to wear home

• Sweater/Jacket for layering – This Dad Hoodie is our personal favorite AND a super fun gift for new dads!

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Shoes

• Tennis shoes – comfortable shoe for the day (don’t forget socks)

• Ugg slippers – something easy to slide on at night 

• Loafers – If your significant other wants to wear something nicer when leaving the hospital. 

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Toiletries

• I recommend sharing whatever you can to reduce the space needed in your hospital bag & at the hospital.  See the packing list above. 

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Sleeping Comforts – Keep in mind your significant other will be sleeping on a couch!

• Pillow & Blanket – I recommend bringing something soft and comfy that you can throw in the washing machine when you get home.  This is not the time to pull out the dry clean only cashmere blanket.  I recommend NOT bringing a white pillow case. Our pillow almost got left behind because it blended in with the hospital pillows.

• Headphones – He likes sleeping with noise in the background so he brought these headphones in our hospital bag to help him fall asleep – but I told him he couldn’t use the noise cancelling feature in case I need him to hear me in the night!

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FOR THE BABY

• Hospital Clothes In Various Sizes – Since we weren’t sure what size she would be once she was born, we packed a handful of outfits in our hospital bag ranging in size from preemie to 0-3 months.  We tried to mainly pack clothes that have snaps all the way to her feet (aka “convertible gown”) since we heard this was easiest for changing her diaper and clothes.  Kissy Kissy has some of the best options and is extremely soft. Don’t forget hats, socks, & mittens when packing clothes. Hospitals tend to be cold, and baby clothes take up such little space, so I wanted to be extra prepared! You also may want to think of what going home outfit your baby will wear. 

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SHOP BABY FAVORITES:

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• Swaddles – The hospital will have some to provide, but I wanted to bring some from home that I know are soft and cute for photos. I packed this one and this one.

• Boppy – This nursing pillow is a must for new moms. It also will be useful when your baby gets a little older and is practicing sitting or tummy time.

• Car seat – This isn’t typically listed on a packing list, but make sure you have your car seat ready and installed in your car to take your baby home. The hospital will not discharge you until they confirm the baby has a safe way to get home.  We have the Doona, which is a car seat & stroller all in one.  

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Miscellaneous Items

• Folder for paperwork – We received a lot of important paperwork for both myself and our baby, so we wanted to make sure we kept this organized and didn’t leave anything behind or crumpled in the bottom of a bag. 

• Snacks and Drinks – Every packing list includes this item, and I agree it was so important! We brought something sweet, salty, & healthy to satisfy all of my cravings!  I recommend eating before you get to the hospital, because once they admit you, you aren’t allowed to eat until your baby has been delivered.  I was starving after my 25 hour labor!

• A big Yeti for Kevin – the hospital provided me with a big thermos, but Kevin didn’t get anything (it’s not the Four Seasons!), so rather than constantly refilling a small Styrofoam cup from the break room on the hall, he brought his own large tumbler with a lid and it was a great item to have. 

• Extra-long phone chargers – hospitals are notorious for having plugs far from the bed, so make sure to bring an extra-long phone charger for you and your hubby so you can comfortably be on your phone and not worry about it dying and missing out on those special photos from the first days. 

• Eye mask (x2)– Expect doctors and nurses coming and going from the room often, so an eye mask will help you relax or not wake up as abruptly if they come in for a midnight checkup. We bought these silk masks with an adjustable head strap. 

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Recommended Items That I Opted Not To Bring In My Hospital Bag

You can decide for yourself if you would like to have these items for your labor & delivery experience:

• Towels – I chose to not bring my own towels because I didn’t want to be loaded down with too much stuff and I liked the idea of having the hospital remove the dirty towels from my room and resupply with clean new ones.  They weren’t as large or plush as what I have at home, but for two days I didn’t find this as a necessity. 

• Toilet paper – It’s 2020, how can we not talk about toilet paper?  But for real, I was recommended to bring my own because it will be more plush than what the hospital provides.  Once again, I didn’t find this as a necessity and didn’t want to be loaded down with too much stuff to bring back and forth to the hospital room. I was totally fine without it. 

• Pillow for me – I’m not too much of a pillow snob and can sleep anywhere, and the pillows the hospital provided worked fine! After all, I was exhausted – so sleeping was not an issue! 

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We are so grateful to have had such a smooth delivery, and I am so glad we prepped everything ahead of time! Going to the hospital for delivery is a nerve-wracking and exhilarating experience, so knowing we were organized and ready when the day came made everything so much easier! 

I hope these tips help you prepare for your hospital visit! Do you have any favorite items that we didn’t mention? If so, let us know in the comments below!