Hospital Bag Must Haves

One of the things that helped me a ton as I was prepping for delivery, was knowing what I needed to pack for the hospital. I ordered almost everything off of Amazon and got it as early as possible, so it was packed and ready to go- just in case! Here’s what I found helpful for my hospital stay:

*Check out my Amazon list for most of these items!

*Custom name sign: I bought Hayes’ off of Etsy. There’s a bunch of great options. A lot of them needed a few weeks to customize and ship, so I would recommend getting this ordered quickly!

*Snacks: I can’t stress this enough- BRING THE SNACKS. I was in labor for 21 hours, and was starving. Once I got my epidural I couldn’t have any more solid food, so I was super thankful for the snacks that I had packed. Plus- hospital food isn’t always delicious or available for you and your partner, so I would recommend having some of your favorites packed away. I brought granola/protein bars, gatorade, m&m’s, crackers, etc. A mix of sweet and savory and I’m so glad I had them!

*1 outfit for you: I wore my hospital gown for the first day or so, and then eventually was able to clean up and move enough to get changed into pajamas. I wore my pajamas and robe for the bulk of my stay and didn’t put on a going home outfit until the morning I was leaving. Unfortunately, I was only home with Hayes for a day before we had to go back to the hospital for almost a week (thanks, jaundice), so I did bring a couple more outfits for that stretch, but hopefully you won’t need to be in the hospital long and will only need one outfit for yourself! I linked the clothes I got to go home in- comfy joggers, a cute “mama” shirt that I still wear today, and flip flops, on my Amazon list. The flip flops were perfect for wearing around the hospital (especially if you shower) and also were the only thing that really fit- my feet were SUPER swollen.

*Underwear: The hospital will give you mesh underwear, but I much preferred the Always disposable ones that I linked. I got 2 packages and am glad I did- I definitely needed them at home for a couple of weeks, so better to be prepared than not! I got XL, not knowing what my stomach would be like. They’re not too tight and not too loose, so I think you’d be ok ordering your normal size or a size up.

*Swaddles: The hospital will give you a sleep sack and a blanket, but I was so excited to wrap Hayes up in a swaddle I had chosen. I wanted a special one for his first picture and ended up bringing a couple! The one I linked on Amazon is organic cotton, non-toxic and also has a matching hat and name sign with a spot for birth stats.

*Headphones: I didn’t end up using my headphones- but I know a lot of people use music to help them during labor. If you think it would help- make a great playlist and don’t forget those headphones!

*Phone charger: Obviously. And probably go ahead and buy that extra storage plan for your phone- you’re about to have five zillion pictures on your phone and will probably never be able to delete any of them….speaking from personal experience here.

*Nursing bras: Go ahead and find several good ones- you’ll be using these until you stop nursing, so it’s important to have some good quality ones that fit well and are easy to use!

*Socks/Slippers: I bought a new set of slippers for the hospital and highly recommend it. The pair I found (linked on my Amazon list) was super cheap but have actually held up better than any pair I’ve ever owned. If slippers aren’t your thing, pack a few pairs of comfy socks to wear.

*Car Seat: I love my car seat and definitely recommend it, if you’re in the market! I went to the local fire department (call ahead- not every station is trained in car seat instillation, I found out) and had them install it and give me tips. I learned a lot from them and left feeling really good about the car seat being installed correctly. I did this about 6-8 weeks before Hayes was due and highly recommend it! The hospital said they couldn’t help install car seats, for liability purposes, so I’m really glad I had this done in advance

*2 outfits for baby: It’s super hard to not pack 734 outfits for baby, but your bag will be too full and you honestly won’t need the outfits. Hayes lived in a hospital swaddle (and hospital diapers- they’ll give you those, so you don’t need to pack a box for yourself) until the day we went home. I took him out for pictures in my own swaddle, but he didn’t need outfits until we were {finally} able to bust out of the hospital. You’ll want a Newborn sized outfit and a size 1. You just won’t know for sure until they’re here what size they’ll fit into, and it’s great to have a couple of options!

*Travel toiletries: The kit I linked on Amazon is one I would highly recommend. I loved being able to just throw it in my bag weeks early and not worry about toiletries anymore. You definitely don’t want to be running around wild trying to grab shampoo and body wash if your water breaks! Just toss it in and forget it!

*Makeup: I bought seconds of a few staples like eyeliner, chapstick, mascara, and just threw them in with my toiletries. I grabbed a few other things as I was walking out the door. but again, it was nice to have some basics pre-packed in case the unexpected happened.

*Hair straightener/curling iron: My hair is wild if it’s not straightened after being washed. I was hoping I would be able to shower and wash my hair, and knew I would want to be able to fix my hair. I wasn’t able to wash my hair, after all, but it was nice to take a few minutes before we left the hospital to put a little makeup on and fix my hair.

*Purse: I had a “last minute items” list on my phone. It included my purse, phone charger, and any toiletries that weren’t packed like my hair straightener. Highly recommend having a “last minute” list- it helped me when things got chaotic quickly!

*Blanket: I didn’t end up bringing a blanket, but a few people suggested bringing one from home that you like. The hospital bed will have sheets and a thin blanket, but if you want a cozier option, you might want to grab one. Some people bring their own pillow too which is an option. The pillows were just fine at my hospital, but if you’re particular (and somehow able to sleep when you’re there) you might want to grab your own!

I hope this list helps! If there’s anything I left off that you think would be helpful, let me know ! Thank you!