Packing up your hospital bag to take with you to give birth is probably the most exciting packing one can do! I pulled together some of my favorite items, which I took along with me to the hospital when I had each of my babies. I also wrote up some suggested tips on packing up the bag!

CHECKLIST:

Sidenote: If I really loved a product, I linked to the one that I personally used. Also, if you are searching for a gift for a pregnant friendly, any of these would be a practical purchase.

For Mom:

• 2 labor/delivery gowns (The hospital provides gowns, so confirm with them if you can bring your own. I loved having my own, because I’m a bit of a germaphobe. I really loved this particular gown that was accessible for check-ups, the epidural, and nursing.).
• 2 pairs of socks
• 1 flip flop/slippers (I loved mine from ASOS.)
• Pony ties, toiletries, make-up, hair products (check with the hospital on what they provide). Of course, these are not essential. But I loved being able freshen up a bit after giving birth for some pictures. My personal favorite item that I used after my sons birth was a Revlon Volumizer brush to quickly make me feel a little more human post-labor.
• Leaving hospital outfit (Make sure it is nursing friendly, and not super difficult to access if your baby gets fussy — my mistake with my first)
• Wallet/Phone/Tablet/Charger: Binge watching chick flic shows really does make contractions more bearable.
• Snacks
• Water bottle: My husband and I are obsessed with these water bottles, they help us stay hydrated and on track. Useful to have during labor time
• Pillow/Blanket (I also like having my own)
• Post-delivery nursing-friendly gown (This was gifted to me by my dear friend during my first delivery, and so glad I still had it for this birth)
• Robe (I LOVE this pink robe)

For Baby:

• Boppy pillow (This helps to nurse/bottle feed more comfortably.)
• Newborn sized outfit/accessories (It might be good to have a back-up in case of a poop or puke explosion. My suggestion is to keep it simple with a cute onesie with built in mittens/footies.)
• Swaddle/Name Sign/Gear for Photos (I LOVED the name sign I got from Esty to help with our announcement.)
• Carseat (Most hospitals have a rule that you need to carry baby out in a carseat.)

For Dad/Birth Partner:

• Change of clothes (if they are able to stay overnight)
• Toiletries

TIPS:

Tip #1: Call the hospital where you are giving birth to find out what items they will provide, so that you can plan accordingly. For example, if they provide basic toiletries (i.e., toothbrush, shampoo, body wash, etc.), you won’t have to worry about that. Also most hospitals will provide baby onesies, hats, mittens, and swaddles for the baby to wear during the hospital visit, so you will most likely only need to take the baby clothing/accessories for when you leave the hospital or for any special photos.

Tip #2: Pack all your items (for yourself, baby, and birth partner) in one rolling suitcase. My husband teased me for being overkill, and that it looked like I was going on a vacation. However, I proved him wrong, when it ended up being super convenient to keep everything consolidated in our room and was easy to transport back and forth. Within the suitcase, have different sections of the items you will need for yourself in the delivery room, what you will need post-delivery, for your birth partner, and for your baby. I suggest using organizers and making the sections easy to understand so that if you need your partner or a nurse to take out items, they can do so easily.

Tip #3: Try to have your bag ready by week 34 of pregnancy, just in case you go into labor early. Put everthing you can in the bag, and for the remaining ‘last-minute’ items, write a short list and put it inside the bag. As soon as you go into labor, you (or your birth partner) can quickly scan the list to grab those remaining items. Once it’s time for the baby to arrive, you really want to have to do mimimum extra thinking.

What are some items that you loved having on your list? Any tips for our pregnant friends? Please share in the comments section!

**As an Amazon Affiliate Partner, I might receive a small commission if you click on the product links, with no extra cost to you.