What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag
And what not to waste your money on
Take it from somebody who just recently gave birth. This is what you should pack in your hospital bag, what you should leave at home, and not spend money on.
If you’re looking for Fynn’s Birth Story, Click Here.
This blog is based on my recent experience, the birth of my first child, Fynn. There were things that I was so glad to have in packed in my hospital bag, things that I wished I had left at home, things that I missed and things that I’m glad I didn’t buy.
Like many first time moms, before our delivery, I had consulted the oracles…I mean Pinterest Pins, YouTube Videos, and Mommy Blogs. All had a laundry list of items that one should pack. At first, I found myself scrounging around looking for these items. But then I thought to myself, “Do I really need this stuff?”
I swear most of it is because they have the affiliate links set up. These blogs and stuff are chalked full of them. Yes, I use affiliate links on this site for yarn and some other little things, but I’m always upfront and keep it to a minimum.
For Moms and Dads:
What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag
Before packing your bag…no, before picking what bag to pack, think about your daily routine. Think about what makes you feel clean, comfortable, and like yourself. Thing about what you use on a daily basis and what you’d cringe to be without. This is what you should pack (within reason).
I’m a bit of a minimalist. I throw my hair in a ponytail, and put some moisturizer on my face. I like my shower routine. And I live in comfortable clothing. So what did I pack in my hospital bag:
Toothbrush and toothpaste: they have these but I hate making more waste than necessary so I brought our stuff from home.
Hotel sized shampoo, conditioner, and body wash: They have these items too but a nice shower was one way I could spoil myself and feel as much like myself as possible in a hospital gown.
Dad might want his shaving kit if he likes to keep his look clean cut.
Slippers and Gurus: The hospital will give you socks with grippers on the bottom but they don’t fit well and aren’t super comfortable/sturdy. I grabbed a pair of slippers for $5 at TJ Maxx and grabbed an old pair of Gurus (like flipflops but WAY better for you and the environment) for the shower. The slippers we brought home, and I now use them as shoes for the garage.
Pajamas and a comfortable outfit to go home in: at some point your nurse will give you the OK to put your own clothing on (I had to ask but they’ll say yes or no without hesitation). Bring a pair of PJs that is comfortable, but that you can still take on an off easily so that your nurse can continue to check on you. You will continue to bleed after birth and they monitor this. I did a t-shirt and loose pants but a night shirt/dress style PJs would have been even better.
If dad can’t make it home once or twice during these few days, he’ll likely want a change of clothing too.
Nursing Bra: When you do get dressed, especially if you have guests coming to the hospital, a good bra can make you feel a million bucks better. But, so that you’re ready to nurse whenever baby needs, it’s best to bring a nursing bra for easy/quick access.
Phone charger: Whether or not you have a phone/text tree set up to notify your family and friends that you’re in labor, there’s a good bit of time to kill when you’re in the hospital. The chances that you’ll spend it on your phone are high. So bring a charger. Some recommend a longer one that reaches your bed but we were okay with our typical “it came with the phone” one.
SNACKS: No your hospital will not starve you. And yes, the food we had was good. But when it’s three in the morning, your up because the baby cried, it’s nice to have your favorite snack on hand.
Hydration: I wished that I had a hydration supplement to mix with a glass of water when I was in the hospital. It’s very drying and yes you get all the water, ginger ale and whatever else you really want to drink, sometimes you just want electrolytes. We love LiquidIV or Ultima (These are not affiliate links).
What Not To Pack In Your Hospital Bag
Now, this section is typically dependent upon your hospital. But most bloggers or influencers will tell you that you need to stock up on the mesh underwear, diaper-like pads, etc. I’m calling BS on this one. Save your money – at least until you find out what the hospital will send you home with.
Most labor and delivery suites will let you (hell ours encouraged us to) take a tour. This is a great chance to ask what you’ll need to bring and what you can opt out of. You could spend $50-80 on postpartum kits and supplies that the hospital will likely give you.
If you don’t get to take a tour – like us, because Fynn came two and a half weeks early, you can ask your nurse once you get to the postpartum floor. At this point, you have enough time to order or have a friend run out and grab whatever the hospital won’t supply.
In fact, what they stock in your room, can’t be used to stock another room. If you don’t take it with you and use it, it will all get thrown away. I saw a pile of boxes of petroleum and other baby supplies that a nurse was lamenting throwing away because they couldn’t use it. TAKE IT. Please.
What not to pack in your hospital bag
The Mesh Underwear (that I only used for a day or two after coming home from the hospital), they gave us what was left in the room plus another pack.
The Ultra Large Pads: I had at least half of a pack left over in the room and then they gave me another pack of these. I still have some left over that I ended up not needing at all.
The Pad/Ice Pack Combo: These are great and worth using, but I had them stocked in my hospital room. You can make these yourself but I found I didn’t have the freezer space and that the time to make them rendered them not worth it.
The Peri Bottle: You use this in the hospital so take it home with you. You may end up wanting one that squirts at a different angle, but make that call later. You have enough to worry about.
The Pain Relieving Spray: Even though this was the one thing I purchased, they also had it for me in the hospital room. Grab this and bring it home with you. This is actually the one thing that I’d say it would be handy to have a re-supply of. The burn when you pee is unlike anything I’ve ever gone through – and I have a high pain tolerance.
The Cute Custom Delivery Gown: Now, if you like these, please don’t be offended. I simply didn’t see the need to spend $50 on something that I might use for three days out of my entire life (We haven’t decided if Fynn will have a future brother or sister yet).
You have so much other stuff going on that you won’t even think about what you look like until maybe your second day in the hospital.
Leave these Items at Home
Breast Pump: Most insurance providers will only send your pump after you give birth but if you’ve purchased one, leave it at home. You’ll meet with a lactation consultant and they’ll go over what you need to do, try, and/or use while you’re there.
Boppy or Breastfeeding Pillow: Leave yours at home so it stays nice and clean. Your room will have more than enough pillows that the lactation consultant will help you use to get the support you need.
For Baby:
What to Pack in Baby’s Hospital Bag:
A hat: The hospital supplied us with a hat, more than one actually. We used theirs at first to get his smell and then brought it home for the dog (I’ll get to whether this worked or not in another post). But, being the knitter, I had my own. Not only did this make for more adorable photos, but the hat I made stayed on better.
You can learn more about the hat pattern here, or get a free pattern here.
An outfit: this is singular for a reason. The hospital supplied a long sleeved onesie and even put a another onesie on upside down for pants at one point. Your baby will have a freshly cut umbilical chord, you’ll likely be learning to diaper, and they’ll be checking him or her frequently. Save the outfits you’ve bought for his homecoming.
A blanket: Your hospital will stock your baby’s bassinet with receiving blankets that you can use during your stay, but when you take your baby home, it’s nice to have a blanket to drape over the carseat.
Carseat: Don’t forget this one or you won’t be going home with your baby. Also, when putting your baby into the car seat and having the nurse check your work, don’t like my father-in-law, make a joke about turning the carseat over like a DQ blizzard. You’ll freak the poor nurse out.
What Not to Pack in Baby’s Hospital Bag
Diapers: Your room will be stocked with more than you need. Also, ours sent us home with a whole pack of Pampers in newborn and size one.
Wipes: Again, we were sent home with packs of wipes. We’re still working through what they gave us.
While Petroleum Jelly: This is more for the boys, the circumcised boys to be exact. This jelly keeps their diaper from sticking to their penis while it heals. You’ll use a lot of this, but the hospital gave us so much we didn’t even get through all of it before Fynn healed up.
