Packing my hospital bag in March 2023 as a first time mom was quite possibly the most stressful part of my pregnancy. As a chronic overpacker, I wanted to be prepared for anything and everything. What if I need an emergency C-section? What if the baby needs to be in the NICU and we need to stay longer? I am not lying when I tell you my husband had to make two trips to the car just to bring in everything that we brought. I had a scheduled induction and in hindsight we didn’t need half of the things I brought and DID need some of the things I left at home. Here’s what we will be bringing with us when it’s time for baby number 2!

Clothing

When it comes to clothing, I way overdid it. I brought myself an outfit for each day (including an extra one in case of a C-section) which was overly ambitious of me. I showered twice the entire time I was there and rarely got dressed. Here’s what you really need:

1. A robe (preferably one that won’t make you too hot)
2. Nursing bras or normal bras if you don’t plan to breastfeed
3. A going home outfit for you and baby
4. Some cozy socks or slippers
5. Shower shoes

That’s it! You really don’t leave the privacy of your recovery room and even if you plan on allowing visitors, a robe is all you need. You’ll want the least amount of clothes in your way when it comes to changing your pads, etc. after delivery so make it easy on yourself and save yourself some space in your bag.

Toiletries

I brought makeup with me. Yes, makeup. Why I thought I would have the energy to apply any amount of makeup and, even better, have the energy to take it off each night is beyond me. If you’re concerned about how you’ll appear in pictures, by all means bring it. However, as someone who thought she would care about this, in the moment it really didn’t bother me. I thought I would hate how I looked in pictures postpartum, but I loved my new mom look. It was real and I loved all of the natural, unposed, real-life moments that we captured.

That being said, you do want to make sure you have your essentials. You will want to shower as soon as possible and that warm water will be the best feeling in the world. Bring yourself a bit of shampoo and conditioner, some body wash and deodorant. Lotion is also great for those postpartum foot rubs from your partner, especially if you dealt with any swelling during your pregnancy. Also, make sure you don’t forget your chapstick! While there are definitely some toiletries you’ll want to bring, recovery items can stay home. The hospital will have everything that you need in terms of disposable underwear, pads, Tucks, perinatal bottles, and more, so rest assured all of that can stay at home. 

Breast Pump & Nursing Pillow

I scoured the internet to see if I should bring these items and so many people said it was unnecessary. What I didn’t realize was that they were SO wrong. Chances are, your hospital will provide you with a pump if needed, so if you’re comfortable with that option then the breast pump isn’t necessary. However, I’m a person who never trusts that they’ll have what I need as the incorrect anything can really affect your supply. It was never my plan to pump, only to breastfeed, so I just didn’t bring it and it completely messed up my supply.

My baby had a severe lip and tongue tie and struggled with latching. I missed several key supply days and my milk supply just never came in the way she needed, ultimately leading to an early end to our breastfeeding journey. I kick myself still to this day for not knowing this was a possibility and not being prepared. Due to her problems latching and my larger breasts, getting her in a comfortable feeding position was also next to impossible. News flash: hospital pillows are THE WORST. I wish I would have brought my Boppy with me as it was a lifesaver once we were home. 

Comfort Items

I HIGHLY recommend bringing things from home to make your stay as comfortable as possible. If you’ve never really stayed in a hospital before, everything is uncomfortable. The beds are pretty stiff, the pillows are flat and the blankets are one step up from an oversized napkin. While I won’t be bringing too much with me the second time around, my pillow and a cozy blanket were lifesavers, especially for those postpartum shakes! Bring a pillow that gives you some stability. For me, that was a bed rest pillow (sometimes called reading pillow or husband pillow). It was really helpful when I was in the hospital bed and especially for the pushing process. A cozy blanket is also a must as you’ll want to be doing a lot of skin to skin, which can get cold very quickly if you’re just using a hospital-provided blanket. 

Electronics

As someone who was induced, some electronics were necessary. My induction started at 8pm on a Sunday night. If you don’t know how an induction works, you’re essentially given a pill orally or vaginally to help soften your cervix and induce labor, but it can take hours before anything even happens. While each hospital room has a TV, I really don’t recommend relying on it for your source of entertainment. You’ll want to make sure you have the following:

1. Chargers for any electronics you bring (phone, iPad, etc.)
2. Phone
3. iPad/ tablet/ kindle
4. Game/ gaming device

I recommend purchasing some extra chargers, at least for your phones, ahead of time as they’ll be useful not only at the hospital, but around the house once you’re home with the baby. In terms of a gaming device, we brought our Nintendo Switch and it was so much fun having that time with my husband playing MarioKart while we waited for labor to start. If you don’t have a gaming device, a deck of cards or something small and simple will do. 

Food & Beverages

Make sure you bring yourself a nice big water bottle. The last thing you want during labor is to be waiting for someone to bring you a cup of water as you’re dealing with the pain and fighting any nausea that comes with it. While most women aren’t able to eat during labor (at least with induction, etc.) it’s important to have some GOOD QUALITY snacks for postpartum and, even more importantly, for your partner. My husband did not want to leave my side while I was in labor (or eat next to me knowing I couldn’t eat) so he simply snacked on Reese’s and potato chips all day until my dad brought him real food at 9pm that night.

Needless to say, this resulted in an upset stomach and was so easily avoidable. If I wasn’t too busy being in pain, I would’ve shooed him away to go get some real food, but I never even noticed he wasn’t eating properly. Definitely make sure you have some good-for-you snacks on hand. Also, if you have any comfort drinks, etc. don’t feel embarrassed to bring a little cooler with Gatorades, iced coffees (for postpartum), or anything else that will make you feel better while recovering. If the hospital puts you on a specific diet for any reason, follow their guidance, but the chances of that are slim and you should have what you want.

Organization Tips

1. Use packing cubes. I’ve linked my favorite ones below, but really any will do. Chances are, you’ll be the one packing the bags and the last thing you want is for your clueless partner or support person digging through your whole bag losing everything. Packing cubes will allow you to separate everything into the categories above so they can help you best. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BJVJ2DF1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s02?ie=UTF8&th=1
2. Get yourself a good, sturdy, travel-size bag. A bunch of tote bags lying around your hospital room will make you super overwhelmed as will a large suitcase that is constantly in the way. Whether it’s on wheels or one you carry, a good travel-sized bag will go a long way (and will be super helpful if you need to go anywhere postpartum, too!). I’ve linked my favorite below. While we’re at it, a good toiletry bag that you can hang in the hospital bathroom is also a must. Depending on your hospital’s recovery rooms, there may not be a ton of counter space and you don’t want to be laying everything on the ground. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09W2G325H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&th=1
3. Finally, make sure you know how long your potential stay could be. For my hospital, a routine vaginal birth was a 3-day stay, but a C-section could result in an up to 5-day stay. You’ll want to make sure you have enough of what you need in case there is an unplanned C-section needed. If it is not your first baby, you’ll also want to make sure you and your partner have a plan for child-care, so you can focus on your recovery and your new baby as that is what your hospital stay is for.