What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag

You’re in the home stretch! Nesting mode is engaged, you have the baby products that you’ll need, + everything is almost ready for baby at home. Time to prepare for the moment you’ve been waiting 9 months for! Now what should you pack in your hospital bag?

As a labor & delivery nurse, I see what parents bring to the hospital every day. Some keep it very minimal, and others look like they are moving on in!

What you pack for your hospital stay will vary from mama to mama depending on your situation. You may be preparing for a longer stay if you are coming in for an induction or have a cesarean section scheduled.

In the end, pack whatever is comfortable for you and will help you feel at ease when you are away from home. Set the vibe, bring items that make you feel good, + make the room how you want it for your birthing experience and postpartum stay!

As a first time mama, I repacked my bag about 5 times and had a few last minute Amazon shipments and Target pick up orders before I felt like I had exactly what I wanted to bring.

I was happy to have the items I brought with me during my time in labor and postpartum and wanted to share what was in my hospital bag with you.

Here’s my list of what to pack in a hospital bag for mama, baby, + your partner that will make your hospital stay the best experience for you!

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Hospital Packing List For Mama:

Keep in mind, the hospital will have a lot of supplies for you that you need including the hospital gown, linens, water cups/jugs, mesh underwear, pads, peri bottle, breast pump, nipple cream, and more.

I always tell patients to use what we give you in the hospital and even to take any extra items home (pads, mesh undies, tucks pads, peri bottle, etc) so that you don’t have to dig into your own supply until you are back home.

If you feel more comfortable to bring your own items from home (for example your own gown to labor in, peri bottle, or your own disposable postpartum underwear) that’s totally fine!

Bring things that make you feel good! If you want to play music, bring a bluetooth speaker, your favorite headphones, or airpods. If you want to, set the vibe with small string lights, battery operated flameless candles, essential oils, etc. (When in doubt, check with your nurse to make sure your items are safe to use in the hospital room.)

I didn’t pack one in my hospital bag, but a lot of my patients who get hot easily bring a fan with them. This stroller fan is perfect! It has a bendy arm to attach to the side rail of the hospital bed. Perfect for when you are pushing.

My hospital has birthing balls, peanut balls, labor support bars, and essential oil clips for patients to use. You can always call ahead to ask what the hospital you’re delivering at has available for you. If you do a hospital tour, that is also a great time to ask those questions!

In terms of clothes to pack in your hospital bag: you will be in a hospital gown during your time in labor and delivery. After baby is delivered and you are in postpartum, it’s nice to get cleaned up and put on something more comfortable than the hospital gown. Pack a robe, or a nursing friendly pajama set!

The best clothing item I think you can bring with you is a comfortable robe. A robe provides easy access to your bottom when you are frequently changing your disposable underwear and pad… and access to your tatas for breastfeeding & skin to skin. Pair it with a nightgown, or just rock your cozy robe with a nursing bra + your mesh undies like me.

In terms of a going home outfit, bring something that is loose and flowy. You will have on those oh so sexy mesh underwear and pads, you may be swollen, and you may have a dressing on your belly. I think a loose dress or high waisted joggers/pants and a sweater would be easy & perfect. Again, whatever is going to make you feel good.



Hospital Packing List For Spouse:

  • Toiletries
    • Toothbrush
    • Toothpaste/Mouthwash
    • Deodorant
    • Shower Essentials
  • A few comfy, casual outfits
  • Going Home Outfit
  • Pajamas
  • Underwear
  • Socks
  • Slippers
  • 10 ft phone charger for him too!
  • Large, Insulated Water Bottle
  • Money for Food

    My husband’s bag was much smaller than my weekender bag, and he threw it together in 10 minutes LOL. But that’s nothing outside our norm!

    Pack a few comfortable outfits… think along the lines of “athleisure”. You will be spending a lot of time supporting mama, massaging or rubbing her back, squeezing her hips during contractions, supporting her legs while pushing – whatever she needs from you!

    Once baby is born, they will be placed skin to skin with mama for the first hour of life- as long as mom and baby are stable to do so. Skin to skin is so great for bonding with baby, initiating the first latch for breastfeeding, and helping them transition to the world + regulate their heart beat, breathing, temperature, etc.

    I encourage dads to do skin to skin while you are in the hospital, too! If you feel comfortable taking your shirt off you can do so, if not be sure to pack a shirt that is easy to open to do skin to skin (like a button down shirt).

    In terms of food: my hospital provides meals for mom, but we do not provide food for dad/partner/visitors. Make sure you bring money for food, bring plenty of snacks, and bring a large insulated water bottle to stay hydrated and keep your water cold.

    Check with your nurse to see what your options are for cafeteria, vending machines, close coffee shops, etc. Doordash, Uber Eats, or other food delivery gift cards also come in handy during this time if you want something delivered to the hospital.


Hospital Packing List For the Room:

  • Pillow/Blanket
  • Snacks/Drinks
  • 10 ft iPhone charging cords
  • Bluetooth Speaker, Airpods, etc
  • Camera
  • Chargers for electronics
  • Nightlight
  • Contacts/Glasses
  • Entertainment

    The hospital will provide pillows + blankets for you, but feel free to bring your own from home. I had my husband keep ours in the car during labor + delivery. He grabbed them once we moved to our postpartum room. We appreciated having our own pillows and blankets for our first night in postpartum.

    Stay hydrated! Bring your favorite large water bottle to keep your ice water cold- I brought my Yeti tumbler and was so thankful I did. If they allow you to drink electrolyte drinks, feel free to bring those too.

    Pack some of your favorite snacks. Bars, trail mix, crackers, mints, gum, whatever ya want. You will want snacks for postpartum, and dads/partners will want snacks throughout the stay. Depending on your hospital’s policy, you *may* be able to munch while in early labor. Don’t quote me, check with your nurse! Each hospital does things slightly different. A lot of the time, once you are in active labor or have an epidural, clear liquids only.

    I’ve mentioned it a few times now, but buy a pack of 10 ft phone chargers! You will want your charger to reach to the hospital bed or bedside table for mom- or reach to the recliner or sofa for dad. So nice to have. Don’t forget the chargers to other electronics you plan to bring with you.

    Bring a bluetooth speaker if you guys want to listen to music. If you are in the hospital for a while, say a long induction, it is nice to bring some entertainment from home. Books, magazine, cards, laptop or iPad to watch a movie or catch up on a show.

    *A gentle reminder for partners to be attentive to your laboring spouse – don’t get too distracted by any entertainment you bring. Be there for her and offer support or assistance in whatever ways you can.*

    Nightlight– we brought this cute little travel nightlight with us. It was great to have postpartum for those middle of the night feeds when I didn’t want to turn a bright light on.


Hospital Packing List For Baby:

Pack a couple outfits in different sizes for baby’s going home outfit since you don’t know exactly how big your little nugget is going to be.

Another tip for going home outfit- best options are comfy sleeper onesies or a two piece set so that baby can be put in the car seat for the ride home. Those cute knotted gowns are great for photos and for when you are home, but not great for the first car ride.

Our baby was in a diaper, hat, and swaddle blankets the whole time we were in the hospital because we were doing a lot of skin to skin and breastfeeding. We put her in her going home outfit right before we were getting discharged.

You will not need the car seat until you are getting discharged. So feel free to leave that in your car when you first come into Labor & Delivery. Your nurse will help guide your partner on when it is time to get the car seat.

Pro tip: Before you go to the hospital, review your user manual or watch a Youtube tutorial for your specific car seat to make sure you know how to properly put your baby in. Or you will be like us… fumbling with your car seat for 10 minutes while you are trying to get out of the hospital and go home.

Install your car seat base ahead of time! Our base was in my car from 36 weeks on. The car seat was ready to roll when we were- we put it into the base in our car when we packed our hospital bags up when I started having regular contractions. It’s nice to learn how to work your baby equipment ahead of time. This helps reduce stress, so you’re not trying to figure it out in between timing contractions.

I hope you’ve found my post helpful for What to Pack in your Hospital Bag! If you need any last minute recommendations on baby products, check out my post on Baby Registry Must Haves.

Good luck to you as you prepare to meet your littlest love. You’re gonna do amazing, mama!

xo,
Jasmine

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2 responses to “What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag”

  1. Emily Avatar
    Emily

    This is a perfect list, Jasmine! It’s condensed but every single item is useful. I will for sure be adding a cozy robe to my bag next time around ♥️♥️♥️

    1. jazpeterson Avatar
      jazpeterson

      Thanks for your feedback, Emily! I’m glad you found it useful!