It’s March, so it’s officially baby month! While it’s a little unclear when we will meet our little one, we know it will be this month! I’m getting SO excited to meet our baby. I’m a little nervous for the labor part, but definitely much more excited to finally hold little Baby B!
While I’ve actually been significantly less anxious during pregnancy than I usually am, I did feel a little out of my depth when packing my hospital bag. While researching what to bring, I found that some lists are really, really long. Some people say you don’t need much. My husband would like to just roll up in there with nothing. So I have been feeling a little anxious about what to pack. I’ve done my research and feel good about what we are including.
I also plan to come back and update this post with what I actually used vs. what was a waste once the baby is here. So stay tuned for that.
*UPDATED WITH WHAT I ACTUALLY USED IN ITALICS*
My Bag
I am definitely bringing the most stuff out of the three of us, so we’ll start with my hospital bag.
Clothes
- Pajamas – I plan on spending the whole time post labor in pajamas. I bought this oversized nightshirt situation so I could still be packed in ice if I needed to be. Also, if I have to have a C, it wouldn’t sit on any openings like pants would. Plus it was pretty inexpensive and on Amazon. I also have this set that I wear all the time. *(Did not use, but I would have. I just ran out of nights)
- Robe – my friend recommended this robe after having a baby in November. I got it in black since basically all of our baby’s clothes are black and white right now and we can coordinate haha. I like that it is nursing-friendly, but also kind of feels covered up if I am allowed to walk around the hospital. *(100% Used. Love this robe.)
- Socks – I don’t really feel like being barefoot in the hospital, so I just packed some basic socks. *(Didn’t really use. The hospital had me in compression socks and an air compressor to prevent blood clots for most of my stay. I used my slippers when I got out of bed.)
- Slippers – I had an extra pair of slippers that I haven’t opened yet. I knew my favorite slippers would eventually need replacing so back while they were still in stock, I bought a second pair. I went ahead and packed those so my bags would be ready. *(Used the whole time.)
- Going home outfit – The weather in Atlanta can’t decide what it is doing. I was originally going to wear this home. It’s basically the world’s biggest sweatshirt dress. It’s not lovely, but I don’t want anything touching me haha. It is getting a little warmer though, so I may be replacing it with this dress. I bought several of these (they are on sale) in a size up to wear after I have the baby, but before I can fit back in my non-maternity clothes. *(I wore the second dress home. I left the sweatshirt dress at home.)
- Nursing bras – I am bringing a few nursing bras. I haven’t figured out which brand is my go-to…because I’m still pregnant and haven’t used them yet, but I am bringing a few different options to try out. I have this brand, and this brand. Send me your recs. *(Used. I used the first brand the most because they are very comfy. I wouldn’t say they are the most supportive, but for being in the hospital, they were perfect.)
- Belly Band – I have no idea if I am even going to be in the mood to try this, but I do know I want my organs back in place ASAP. This band came highly recommended by several friends, and the reviews and descriptions say you can start wearing after you give birth. I’m bringing it, but knowing I may so no thank you lol. *(Did not use, but the hospital put me in one while I was in recovery. I woke up already in a binder and wore theirs during my stay. So would still recommend, just didn’t use this particular one.)
- I plan on wearing the hospital gown to give birth. I can’t imagine I will want to keep that, so I will just wear that and then change into my clothes after I’m clean. (I wore the hospital gown until after I graduated to going to the bathroom on my own and taking a shower. Once I could shower I wore all my own clothes.)
Toiletries and Accessories
- Travel toiletries – I found this kit of travel-sized toiletries. Stephen and I are just going to share. I don’t need all the products I usually use, so this seems fine for a quick stay. Obviously, some things we will need two of, so he just bought an extra of those things to put in his bag. *(Used. This was great for packing purposes too.)
- Chapstick – everyone and their mother said to bring chapstick, so I am bringing a three pack. *(Did not use. I thought I would need this, but I didn’t dry out as much as I thought I would.)
- Extra long phone charger – the #1 recommended item when I asked for recommendations, so I am bringing this one. *(Used, but it broke our last day there. So I wouldn’t recommend the brand I purchased.)
- Tula travel – I am bringing a few Tula travel items for skincare. I can’t imagine that being in a hospital and having to wear a mask every time someone comes in is ideal for my skin. I’m not trying to undo all the progress I’ve made. *(Used)
- Mini hair dryer – this is two-fold lol. If I wash my hair, I want to dry it. But also, I heard trying to pee after labor is really painful. So using a peri bottle and a hair dryer might feel a little better than toilet paper. I got this hair dryer and it’s basically made for a Barbie, but it’s easy to pack. *(Did not use. I had a surprise c-section, so I didn’t need this. Also, I let my hair air dry.)
- iPad and Airpods – for movie watching. *(Did not use. WiFi was shotty.)
- Blanket and pillow – Lots of recommendations saying I’ll want my own. *(Used. Highly recommend bringing your own pillow.)
- Boppy pillow – I’m bringing my boppy pillow for nursing. I have several covers so the boppy is in a cover. *(Used. So helpful for breastfeeding, bottle feeding and holding your baby when you are weak and recovering.)
- Makeup and straightener – I am bringing the makeup basics for first family pics. To each their own though! *(Used makeup, did not use straightener.)
- Towel – also recommended to bring my own towel for a shower. *(Did not use. Towels at the hospital were better than I expected and I didn’t want to pack my wet towel to go home.)
- Hard candy *(Used)
Postpartum items
I have heard that the hospital basically takes care of you here, but I did buy these items just in case. I am going to bring a few of each, but am kind of banking on them having some things I can use. I am sharing though, because I’ll use these at home.
*I had a surprise c-section so I didn’t need the witch hazel pads. I did use a peri bottle for the first two days, but I used the hospital’s bottle. I also used the mesh underwear and pads from the hospital rather than the diapers I brought. I didn’t need ice packs because of the c-section. I did use nursing pads, but we didn’t get too far into breastfeeding that I needed nipple cream or cooling pads yet.
Treats for Nurses
While this isn’t actually in my bag, I did pack a basket of goodies for the nurses station as a thank you for taking such good care of us. I found the smallest basket that it would all fit in so it didn’t take up too much room at their station. I included pretzel crisps, granola bars, mints and candy, hair ties, socks, and lots of lip balms.
*Used! I wish I had made two baskets. One for the labor and delivery floor and one for the recovery floor. I didn’t realize at my hospital they were two completely separate sections. I ended up spending a lot of time on each floor and wish I had made baskets for both.
Baby Bag
We are not bringing much for Baby B. Our doc said they have really everything we need. We also figure they will spend most of their time in hospital blankets. So the baby’s bag is mostly filled with Stephen’s snacks, but here is what we are bringing.
- Different sized going home outfits. We have NO idea how big this baby will be. So we have several options here. We did get pick outfits where the car seat can go between his or her legs. So not a gown. *(Used.)
- Announcement outfit – We have a cute outfit for an announcement photo. It comes with a headband or a beanie. Since we don’t know the gender, I thought this was cute. Also, the seller was excellent on Etsy. *(Used)
- Blanket – we have a blanket to cover him/her in the car. *(Used)
- Pacifiers – We’re team pacifier so we want to get that started early. *(Used, but he came back from some lab work with a pacifier from the hospital. So he used that one for most of his stay and we switched before we went home.)
- Baby socks – Apparently the hospital has everything you need, except socks! So we made sure to pack a few of these. *(Used! Definitely recommend.)
- Anti-scratch mittens – My aunt made us the most beautiful pair of anti-scratch mittens so we are bringing these. *(Used. Highly recommend as well.)
- Diapers in different sizes – we know the hospital has these, but we figured a few of each size couldn’t hurt. *(We used the hospital’s diapers.)
- Car seat – obviously. *(Used)
Stephen’s Bag
Stephen apparently doesn’t believe in bringing stuff. He says he doesn’t want us rolling in there like we are going on a beach vacation. I told him you wouldn’t spend the night anywhere without bringing a bag. So here are the few things I convinced him to bring lol.
- Clothes to change into – casual and comfy since he is probably sleeping on a chair. *(Used)
- Extra long phone charger *(Used. His did not break.)
- Blanket and pillow – this took a lot of convincing, but eventually I think he gave in to shut me up. *(Used)
- Snacks – with COVID, we are unclear of what the protocol is for leaving the room. Either way, a lot of people said to bring snacks. *(Used, but he was allowed to leave so he made trips to the cafeteria and the bistro.)
- Pediatrician Information – We just wrote this on a sticky note to include in his bag. *(Used like the second we walked in the building. Keep this handy. We had to fill it out at registration before we were even admitted.)
- Extra toiletries – that weren’t included in the little bag I found. *(Used)
Ok! That was a long post, but hopefully it helps when packing your hospital bag. I am going to update this post after baby arrives with what we actually used and if there are other items I didn’t have, but wished I’d brought!
If you are a mom, what was helpful at the hospital??
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