Hospital Bag Checklist for Expecting Mommas

WHAT TO PACK IN YOUR HOSPITAL BAG

Hey there Momma! If you are reading this then I imagine you are getting closer and closer to your little one arriving! Which means it is time to start thinking about your hospital bag checklist. I too researched suggested hospital bag checklists and found them very helpful. However, after my experience, I realized these list(s) lack in sharing GAME CHANGER items that can make all the difference for you and your baby!

IT IS ALL ABOUT COMFORT

I can’t stress this enough! You want to make sure you are as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Everything is about to be new and there will be a lot of things to figure out. The more you can remain relaxed the better it will be for you and your little one. If you have particular items from home that help you feel this way bring them!

REAL TALK

Obviously every pregnancy and baby is different. As is each Mother’s birth goals and plans. Below is a suggested guide for you to consider when reviewing your hosital bag checklist. Then below I have shared the exact items I packed and highlighted the things we actually used/needed during our hospital stay. I hope you find this hospital bag checklist helpful because I wish I would have had a list like this before I packed!

~ MATERNITY ROBE ~

I brought several pairs of pj’s for my hospital stay but I ended up living in my robe for a few days. It was just easier for me… between getting up to use the restroom and nursing frequently. I chose a pretty robe from Pink Blush Maternity … it was very soft, comfortable and looked nice for our first 48 photos. {Maewood Photography}

~ WATER BOTTLE ~

Throughout my pregnancy, I was extremely thirsty and anticipated being thirsty in the hospital too. To avoid my husband or the nurses continually bringing me water I packed our 30 oz. Yeti tumblers that not only hold a good amount of water but they kept the water/ice cold for several hours. Even if you don’t have a yeti a large water bottle would be useful to avoid several trips to the water station.

~ NON-SLIP SOCKS~

I brought a few pairs of non-slip socks for walking back and forth from the hospital bed to the restroom. I suggest socks over slippers to keep your feet warm all day/night including when you are in the hospital bed. Our hospital actually had socks for the Mom’s but I was not aware of that prior so I just used mine since I had packed them.

~ LANSINOH NIPPLE CREAM ~

If you are planning on breastfeeding you will absolutely want a cream to help your nipples recover from the rawness between feedings.

~ LILLY PADZ ~

Unfortunately, I did not have these in the hospital but I highly recommend ordering these!!! They literally are my favorite items to help my body recover. I anticipated breastfeeding to be difficult but I did not plan for how sore and raw my nipples would be. This only got worse over time… I got to the point where I did not want anything touching them. Even nursing bras, nursing pads, and loose t-shirts all irritated my nipples and it wasn’t until I tried the lilly padz did I finally feel some relief.

~ NURSING BRAS/ NURSING TANKS ~

Nursing bras or tanks are certainly a must if planning to breastfeed. I preferred the soft/sports bra kind and I still do when running errands or for being around the house. I only wear the traditional nursing bra kind when going out.

~ NURSING PADS ~

If you are breastfeeding your milk will come in a few days after you deliver. Milk flow is different for every Mom but most likely you will find that your milk leaks from time to time and nursing pads in your nursing bra will help absorb the leaky milk and hopefully avoid leaking through to your clothes. FYI – breast milk stains!!!! I learned that the hard way.

~ GOING HOME OUTFITS ~

You will need to pack a going home outfit for your baby and yourself, You will most likely plan to pack something comfortable and appropriate for the season. I did this too but learned the hard way that I should have had a few options. Our son was born mid-February so I packed cute sweatpants and flannel shirt outfit for me and an adorable fleece onesie for our son. What I didn’t anticipate is that the weather would be 70 degrees on the day we went home! {Pack layers that could work for any kind of weather}

~ HOSPITAL PHOTO ITEMS ~

Undoubtedly you will be taking plenty of pictures of your sweet baby and family during your hospital stay. You may want to consider bringing a few items from home that you would want in your photos. A special baby bow, flower crown or beanie, swaddles, booties, diapers and/or any meaningful newborn items you may want to have included in the first few days of new baby’s life.

~ MISC ~

A few other items that are very helpful: hand cream. Now that you have a new baby you will be washing your hands all the time and the hospitals tend to be pretty dry… hand cream will come in handy! Also, bring snacks!! Bring some of your favorite snacks to enjoy between meals and bring some to share… you may find your family is there for a few hours and having some munchies will make sure no one gets hangry!

~ MATERNITY UNDERWEAR ~

Our hospital supplied disposable maternity underwear… I preferred these over other options out there. Luckily I found them on amazon and used them for about a month after delivery.

~ TUCKS ~

I ordered tucks based on a recommendation from a friend and packed them for the hospital, but fortunately, our hospital supplied these as well. But I was certainly glad to have them when I got home. I used these for about two weeks after delivery.

~ FEMININE PADS ~

Most hospitals provide pads and you will certainly need a variety of these when you return home. They can be helpful all the way threw week 6 postpartum.