When I shared Zoey’s birth story, I mentioned that one of the things that made her delivery so much different than my experience the first time was just how much more prepared I was this second time around. One major difference was the fact that I had a hospital bag packed this time and I didn’t have to rely on my dad digging through my house, looking for the thrown together list I had made while I was in labor the first time! There were a lot of things I wish I would have known to bring my first time and I was really happy with everything I packed in my hospital bag the second time, so I wanted to share! Here is what to pack in a hospital bag…
I have created a checklist that you are welcome to print off for yourself! Grab yours by clicking on the link below.
Printable Hospital Bag Packing List
I just wanted to highlight a few of the items I have on my list and explain why I think they are necessities that every mom should take to the hospital when they are having a baby.
The first is maternity/nursing pajamas. Pajamas might seem like a silly thing to spend money on while you are pregnant, but my maternity pajamas have been something that I have treasured with each pregnancy. This time, I took it a step further and purchased nursing pajamas for the hospital. I loved the idea of putting on new pj’s after giving birth. I am SO glad I did this! Not only did it feel amazing to put on a new pair of clean pajamas, but I felt really cute in them and they were really functional for all of the nursing that I had to do while I was in the hospital. Make the investment and get yourself some pajamas!
Flip flops are essential to wear in the shower! I promise you will wish that you brought flip flips to wear in the shower the second you step into the hospital shower and think about all of the women who have stepped in that shower after giving birth. I just like knowing there is a little added layer of protection from all of those germs!
I ordered a phone charger cord that was much longer than the ones I had at home. I loved having a long enough cord that could reach all the way from the wall into my hospital bed. It was a really smart purchase to make!
Some people might think it is crazy to pack makeup to wear to the hospital, but it felt really good just to put a little makeup on again. It made me feel a little more comfortable and willing to take pictures! You don’t need to do a full face of makeup. I just put a little concealer under my eyes, did my eyebrows, and mascara. You can wear however much (or little) makeup as you want!
We loved having my laptop at the hospital while we were waiting as I was in labor. We hooked it up to the TV and watched Netflix while we waited for my labor to progress!
It may sound crazy to bring your pillow from home to a place that is so full of germs, but having my own pillow was so nice! I was able to sleep much better with a familiar pillow. I just made sure to change the pillowcase as soon as I got home.
As embarrassing as it may be to purchase, adult diapers were my saving grace after having a baby! I loved not having to worry about dealing with pads slipping or anything. This was something I wore home from the hospital and then for about two weeks later. I loved these ones that I bought because they are “active” fit and are made to not feel like you are wearing a diaper.
I also loved having essential oils in my bag. I promise I am not a crazy oil lady. I am all about modern medicine, but I loved having lavender that could help me sleep a little better. I also brought frankincense and geranium oil that are both good for post delivery to promote healing. I just put a drop of each of them on the bottoms of my feet each day.
I hope that this checklist helps you prepare for your big day! Obviously every woman is different and has different needs, but I loved reading about what other people packed in their hospital bags to help give me direction of what I wanted in my bag. There is no need to pack things that you really don’t need and that is why I went with this more simple checklist. Happy birth day!