What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag (The Edit You Actually Need)
Every list on the internet tells you to pack 47 things. Most of them are not useful. Here is the real version.
There are two categories of hospital bag content: things that genuinely improve your experience, and things that get repacked and brought home unused. This guide focuses on the first category.
Pack your bag from 36 weeks. If you go early, you will not regret it.
For Labour
– Your birth preferences document, printed, with a few copies
– A water bottle with a straw (you will not want to lift your head)
– Snacks for your birth partner, and light snacks for you if you can eat in labour
– A phone charger and a portable battery pack
– Headphones and a playlist or podcast if that helps you focus
– A heat pack or TENS machine if you plan to use one
– Lip balm. Seriously. It sounds small and it is not.
– Comfort items: your own pillow, a blanket, whatever helps your nervous system settle
For You Postpartum
– Two to three nightgowns or pyjama sets that open at the front for feeding
– A warm dressing gown and non-slip socks or slippers
– Maternity pads, a lot of them, regardless of what the hospital says they provide
– Disposable underwear or your oldest pairs
– Nursing bras (two is enough for the first few days)
– Lanolin cream or nipple balm if you plan to breastfeed
– Toiletries in travel size: your own shampoo, dry shampoo, body wash, face wash
– Something comfortable and loose for the trip home
SNACKS!! All the snacks. I pre-prepped a ton of postpartum meals and baking and the first thing I ate was some of the baking I’d done! (Banana choc chip slide, you can find it in the recipes section)
For Your Baby
– Two to three newborn onesies and one slightly larger size in case
– A going-home outfit (one, not five)
– A wrap or swaddle blanket
– A correctly installed car seat, checked before your due date
– Formula and bottles if you are not planning to breastfeed, or as backup
Plus a beanie or something warm to have on their head.
For Your Birth Partner
They need their own bag. A change of clothes, their own food, a phone charger, and the ability to advocate for your birth preferences clearly.
Brief them in advance on what you want and do not want so they are not making decisions under pressure.
What to Leave at Home
Anything you would be devastated to lose or damage. Expensive jewellery. Sentimental items. The nice towels. Hospital environments are unpredictable and things go missing.
Also: the pressure to have the perfect, Pinterest-ready setup. A bag that serves you practically is the best bag you can bring.
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Here is the full check list I used when packing my own hospital bag. We ended up going into hospital for a checkup for my baby after I’d given birth so I did use a couple of items, but honestly I had so majorly overpacked. And remember, your partner or birth support person can always go grab you anything you’ve forgotten!
