What We Packed in Our Baby Hospital Bag
At Home with the Hastys - What We Packed in Our Baby Hospital Bag
I asked my friends on Instagram what I need to pack in our hospital bag as we prepared for the birth of our baby and what kind of bag I should pack. Below I compiled a complete list of everything that was recommended as well as some advice I found especially helpful. But first, let’s talk about what kind of bag to pack. In a poll I conducted on IG stories, 79% of my friends said to just pack a duffle bag, 19% said to pack a roller board suitcase, and 2% said to pack all the bags!
My husband and I chose to pack a roller board suitcase because as one of my friends pointed out, it’s just easier to roll a suitcase than to carry a duffle bag. We all know that when I’m in labor I’m not going to want to carry anything if I don’t have to, and it’ll be easier for Eric to roll a suitcase along side him than to carry a duffle bag over his shoulder. We also got great advice from several people to leave room in your bag for hospital supplies including Diapers, Pads, Ice Packs, Formula, etc. So we thought we’d likely have extra room in a roller suitcase but not a duffle bag.
Just make sure your bag has enough room to take as much formula and diapers as possible! - Leslie
Leave room to take home supplies from the hospital. Diapers, pads, & ice packs. - Amy
At Home with the Hastys - What We Packed in Our Baby Hospital Bag
Advice
Several of my friends said to pack as little as possible. At our core, Eric and I are minimalists. We only travel with carryons, we aren’t collectors of much, we like clear surfaces and open spaces. But I also like to be prepared. And I am an over-planner (which can be annoying to some people I travel with - I’m sorry!) So we did NOT pack as little as possible. We packed everything we thought we might need that would fit in our roller board carryon sized suitcase.
[Pack] as little as possible. You don’t need much! A change of clothes for you and baby. - Jen
Honestly, I didn’t use anything I brought except what I wore home and my toothbrush. - Lis
Wear the clothes in that you want to wear home, only going home outfit for baby. - Chelsea
I would be totally okay with using very little of what I brought. But I don’t want to be in a position where I wish I’d brought something that I didn’t pack. So, I packed everything that I was advised to pack. I also love this last suggestion from my childhood friend, Chelsea: to wear the clothes that you want to wear home to the hospital. If I’m in any frame of mind to remember to do this, I’ll give this a try!
Everything I was Advised to Pack
At Home with the Hastys - What We Packed in Our Baby Hospital Bag
Hospital Bag Checklist (A List of EVERYTHING I Was Advised to Pack)
For Mom:
ID/Insurance Card
Warm Socks
Nursing Pajamas
Button Front and Dark color
Nursing Pads
Lanolin (nursing balm)
Shower Sandals
Slippers
Blanket
Nursing Pillow
Robe
Birth plan
Laptop and Charger
Phones and Extra-Long Chargers
Lip Balm (breathing through contractions can dry lips out)
Essential Oil
Sleep Mask
White Noise Machine (hospitals are LOUD!)
Electrolyte Beverages (Nuun)
Water Bottle
Snacks* (see below)
Baby Clothes
Hospital photo
Coming home outfit
Baby kimonos to expose belly button/cord
Baby Swaddle
Tea Light Candles
Toiletry Bag
Face wash
Hair brush
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Lotion
Deodorant
Travel size shampoo, body wash
Headbands/Hair Ties
Rice Sock
Baby Car Seat
Portable Speaker
Baby tracker/pen
Clothes for Family Pictures
Depends
Specific pacifier if wanted
Change of Clothes
Leggings (Loose pants/shorts, dark color, maternity size)
Nursing Tanks
Nursing Sleep Bra
Underwear/ Period Underwear (large, plain, grandma-style that will be thrown out)
Loose comfy tops or loose fitting cotton sleep shirt/dress
For Partner:
Clothes for family pictures
Sleeping bag for partner
Pillow for partner
Cheat sheet document for partner
Sleep Mask
Water Bottle
Toiletry Bag
Swim trunks (in case laboring mom wants to sit in shower and needs support)
Camera
Tripod
Snacks/Cooler:
Booby Bites
Milk Stout Beer
Applesauce Pouches
Nuun or hydration tablets
PBJ sandwiches
Trail Mix
Lactation Cookies
Almonds
Bagels
Peanut butter crackers
Granola bars
Things that will give you energy and keep you going
Leave Room in Bag for:
Diapers
Pads
Ice Packs
Formula
Hospital Supplies
My Favorite Answers
What I Actually Packed
I packed both a roller suitcase and a duffle. I consider myself a pretty minimal packer - no matter how long our multi-stop, multi-week European vacation I refuse to check a bag. But whether I’m gone for two weeks or two nights, I have my routine and it involves a roller suitcase + a duffle.
The first things I packed were all the non-essentials:
An outfit for each of us to wear for hospital photos (for Miles: a onesie and a personalized swaddle; for me: pajamas.)
An outfit for each of us to wear going home (for Miles: a personalized onesie, hat, and swaddle; for me: compression leggings and nursing top.)
A toy for his hospital bassinet photo
Snacks - my favorite are the think! Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie protein bars.
A few of the pieces that came in the Freda postpartum kit including the nursing gown and socks, which I liked so much better than the hospital gown and socks.
Toiletries
And then…all of our best intentions went out the window when I went into labor 6 weeks early. So we threw in a bunch of stuff as we headed to the hospital and used very little of it. So my best advice: have a hospital bag packed months in advance if you want to be prepared. Otherwise, just go with the flow. The hospital does have everything you’ll absolutely need, even if it isn’t the best quality. I enjoyed having a change of clothes (I felt cleaner not wearing the hospital gown), face wash, and a little bit of tinted moisturizer to make me feel a bit put-together even though I was anything but.
