I share everything you need to pack in your pregnancy hospital bag for mom and baby (and even a few things you don’t need!).

Pin Pregnancy Hospital Bag Must Haves here!

When I was pregnant with Marie, I felt like most of my time was consumed with studying childbirth education, reading about baby sleep, reading about breastfeeding, and checking in with sites like Evidence Based Birth whenever I needed some good research to back a decision I was making. Because I did all of that less than a year and a half ago, so many of these things are still fresh in my mind and I have resources readily available for when I have a question about something specific. I feel like I am much more relaxed this time around (although I think I was relatively relaxed last time!) and ready to trust my intuition.

That being said, part of me relaxing is putting in the prep work for when baby arrives and when it’s time to have our second baby girl. I have lists from last time for just about everything, including what to pack in your hospital bag for mom and baby. Recently, I pulled out the list, edited it and got my pregnancy hospital bag packed. I like to have this done about a month in advance, just in case the baby decides to arrive early and so there is time to add any last minute items I may not have thought about.

Hospital Bag Essentials for Mom and Baby

I hope you find this list helpful! The bottom line is, you really don’t NEED much. The hospital really does provide most things, but having some items of your own (like soft and cozy pajamas) make the hospital stay a little more comfortable.

Pregnancy Hospital Bag Checklist

Contains affiliate links

  • Chapstickit can be pretty dry in the hospital and during birthing time, chapstick is handy in helping your lips/mouth from drying out. 
  • 2 pair of pajamas/nightgowns (no pants!) – some people like wearing leggings postpartum, but I had a hard time lifting my legs and moving my lower body because of a very bad tear last time. Nightgowns with buttons were nice to change into after a hot shower after baby was born. 
  • Snacks – these are for you and your birth partner. We ended up being at the hospital for many many hours before things got intense and Marie was born, so having something to nibble on is important. Also, Brian was not a fan of the hospital food, so this helps if the hospital food isn’t so great!
  • Travel white noise machine – we actually didn’t use this last time because the room had a lot of ambient noise that was already like a white noise machine, but I’m bringing it with us just in case because that white noise really does help baby sleep!
  • Long phone chargers x2 – one for you and one for your birth partner. It’s hard to know where the outlets will be so having an extra long cord will make sure you can reach your charging phone.
  • Blanket – This is for your birth partner. There was a couch situation where Brian slept after we had Marie and the hospital provides things for your partner to sleep too, but it’s still nice to have a little blanket with you just in case.
  • Nursing bras I found that once I started nursing, there was some leakage and tenderness. For me, wearing a bra provided a little bit of protection from rubbing on the inside of my pajamas and allowed me to use nursing pads to help with the leaking.
  • Nursing pillow – It was great having this pillow to practice with in the hospital when a lactation consultant was present, and it really does make things easier!
  • Slippers – These are definitely not necessary, but really do make things more comfortable when getting up to go to the bathroom, be with baby, etc.
  • Cute blanket for photos – We snapped a few photos in the hospital with Marie and of her by herself and I loved having a blanket for these. 
  • Going home outfit for baby – I love these adorable little outfits. We ordered Marie’s in pink and baby girl #2’s in purple. 
  • Bows or hats with bows The hospital provided little bow hats, but Marie ended up going through a couple of them because they kept getting dirty. 
  • Swaddle I am pretty sure our hospital provided these (and I know they gave us one to take home), but I am going to pack one just in case. 
  • Plastic bag – Just in case you feel like you need to get sick on the way to the hospital.
  • Magazines or something to keep us occupied if at the hospital at night before baby comes  – We brought a few things last time and didn’t use them, but I think we will still bring a little something just in case.
  • Eye mask This is something we brought last time and didn’t use, but they don’t take up much space and they are nice to have on hand just in case we need to sleep when the lights are on.
  • Toiletries
  • Hair dryer and curling iron 
  • Makeup (waterproof mascara)- This is not a necessity, but I felt so much better after showering and getting ready a little bit. We also took a few family photos in the hospital, so this helped me feel more like myself. The waterproof mascara is important because there are a lot of emotions postpartum.
  • Face wipes – these were helpful when a shower wasn’t in the near future. 
  • Hair brush
  • Shower flip flops
  • Headphones/air pods
  • Essential oils – I plan on using these to create a calming atmosphere.
  • Baby journal – I have a journal I take with me to doctor prenatal and pediatric doctor appointments, so I’ll have this with me at the hospital too.
  • Pony holders – These need to be in a readily accessible spot. I needed Brian to grab one for me so I could put my hair up in a messy bun when things got pretty intense.
  • Small makeup mirror – I used this to put my makeup on while sitting in the hospital bed. 
  • Water bottle or cup with straw
  • Contacts/glasses if necessary
  • Peri bottle –  These are so much better than the hospital-provided peri bottles. I also have one in each bathroom at home!
  • Nipple cream – This was really helpful when I started nursing.
  • Face masks

Hospital Bag Essentials for Mom and Baby

Items Not on my Hospital Bag Checklist

  • Depends – I absolutely plan on using these at home, but the hospital provides all the pads, ice packs, cooling spray, etc that you need so I am going to save space in my bag and use what the hospital provides.
  • Non slip socks –  The hospital provides these too!
  • My own pillow or pillow case – I am not very picky about this, so bringing my pillow or pillow case isn’t important to me. That being said, I know some people are very particular, so if you are then you should totally bring your pillow from home.

Hospital Bag Essentials for Mom and Baby

Other Important Things for Your Hospital Bag

  • Have your birth partner pack a bag (they don’t need much!)
  • I typed out a list for things to do on birthing day. Things that probably seem obvious, but I like to make a list and check it twice!
    • Make sure the car seat is properly installed in the car
    • Put the bags in the car
    • Grab my last minute toiletries (makeup, glasses, hair brush)
    • Pack my wallet

I hope this list for what to pack in your hospital bag is helpful!!

I’d Love to Hear From You!

What did you put in your hospital bag? What snacks are you bringing? Let me know in the comments below! <3

Related Posts

Based on this post, here are a few similar ones you should check out.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let’s keep in touch. Subscribe to my list and get all of the best content delivered directly to your inbox.

  • By subscribing, you are confirming your consent in the collection and secure storage of this data, as described in our Privacy Policy.