What to pack in your hospital bag for mom and baby
Becoming a mom is an exciting and scary experience. With the birth of my daughter I remember packing more than enough for my 2 night stay at the hospital.
What…I didn’t want to forget anything.
I had a running list on my phone and kept throwing more and more in as we got closer to my due date.
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The hospital gave me so many things to take home for post-partum care and for my daughter. I had so many bags to take home you would have thought I stayed for a week.
With the birth of my son I was much more experienced and knew what I actually needed without over packing.
I’ve put together a hospital packing list of items to bring with you to the hospital that aren’t commonly thought of, but that you should definitely bring with you.
THE ULTIMATE HOSPITAL PACKING LIST
1) Makeup
Yes, you read that right. If this is your first child or not, you can expect tons of people will want to come and welcome your new baby into the world, despite the fact that you look like a hot mess and just want rest.
Trust me. There will be tons of pictures taken for you to look back on, whether you want to or not.
Long lasting foundation and water-proof mascara are a must.
My husband laughed at me, but with the birth of our son I made sure to put on makeup a few hours before my son arrived. I wanted to look a little bit nice, even if for myself. I had also gotten my nails done too. Nothing like a confidence booster to help get through a natural childbirth.
2) Snacks
(mint, pack of gum, nuts, granola bars)
Take some prepackaged snacks with you. Some hospitals are great and will have a lot to offer, but some will only offer them to you after you’ve been taken out of labor and delivery. Once my son was born I was starving and almonds are what held me over.
3) Camera
(duh)
A must on your hospital packing list. The phone on your camera is fine too. Just wanted to add this in case you are suffering from pregnancy brain like I did.
I only had my husband go to the hospital with me the first time so having a tripod/selfie stick is a must.
4) Phone and charger
It’s the charger I would have forgotten if not for my husband.
You’ll want to post photos of the baby and text or call friends and family with the news.
5) Slippers/flip flops
Great for walking around the hospital. Most hospitals will provide those nonskid socks. I liked having the flip flops to take a shower in.
6) Maternity/Labor Gown
These gowns are so cute! They have all types of designs or flowers and basically look similar to a very nice night gown. Great for nursing and even taking photos in. After giving birth one doesn’t always feel the prettiest. The hospital will provide you with one, but they don’t look or feel the greatest.
There’s also this gorgeous floral robe I have on my Valentine’s Day gift guide that I wish I had found earlier to buy and take photos in.
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7) Gift for doctors/nurses
When my daughter was born I remember having this nurse that went above and beyond helping me after I gave birth. I had no clue how to change a diaper and honestly was too tired to. She never seemed annoyed when I buzzed for her help. I wished I had something to give her to thank her, but I hadn’t thought of anything and didn’t see her the next day. I ended up writing a letter of recognition once I was home. When my son was born I made these cute goodie bags to give to the delivery nurses.
This isn’t a must, but it is nice to show appreciation for those that go above and beyond in their job. You’ll see I stuck to packaged goods for them to have to snack on whenever they had time.
8) Gift from newborn to older child
I made it a point to buy a gift for my newborn son to “give” to our daughter. She loves Shopkins and all types of small toys. She was thrilled!
I think this helps the older child bond and not feel left out on the big day.
I gave this suggestion to a coworker and he said his daughter was also very happy to get a gift and it really marked the start of her relationship with her younger sister.
9) Maternity pants/clothes
For some reason I thought once I had my child I would magically be able to fit into my pre-pregnancy pants. Wrong! Yes, you do lose some weight in the belly. Thighs and legs are another story. Bring along a dress or maybe the maternity pants that you wore in your 2nd trimester.
10) Books, music, magazine
I liked being able to have something to distract me for some of the hours I was at the hospital. If you like bring a Sudoku book, crossword puzzle, or games.
11) Nursing pillow/Nursing bra
Great items to bring if you plan on nursing. I definitely could have used a nursing pillow with my first-born. After giving birth naturally my arms and legs felt like mush. A 6lb 5-ounce baby felt like a ton. It helps to have the added support so all the weight is not on your arms. This is the nursing pillow I used with both of my kids.It can also be used for tummy time as your child gets older, for propping them up, and eventually sitting.
I bought a few of these nursing bras on Amazon because they are way cheaper than most stores. You might need to buy a larger size than you normally wear because your “chest area” will definitely get bigger.
12) Outfit for baby
The hospital has clothes for your baby, but if you want to take some cute photos definitely bring some outfits. I made a cute blanket to bring since they are swaddled most of the time.
When babies are born it’s a whole new world for them. They are used to being in a dark very tight spot so when they are born they will flail their arms and possibly scratch their own face.
My daughter gave herself a very big scratch by her eye so don’t forget to bring newborn, no scratch baby mittens.
I hope this hospital packing list helps you when you go into labor and after delivery.
If you forget anything don’t panic, the hospital will have essential items to give you and I’m sure you can use a phone a friend.
Other items to add to the hospital packing list are your ID, your birthing plan, toiletries, and anything that you personally want when sleeping away from home.
Leave valuables at home for safe keeping.
Congratulations on the birth of your bundle of joy 🙂
