Getting ready for a hospital stay when you are ready to deliver your baby is a little more complicated than just taking a couple of things or showing up to have a baby. I mean you could do that, but a little planning will help you be more comfortable and make your stay full of the amenities that make you feel at home.

What did we pack for the hospital?

Mom bag:

• Mom’s wallet with ID card and Insurance information
• Pre-registration papers or anything you need to check-in at the hospital
• Robe (that will cover the opening in a hospital gown)
• Socks with no skid dots or traction on the bottom – I would bring a couple of pair and go with dark colors. I got blood on mine when they broke my water and had to switch to a new pair.
• Toiletries – deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, chapstick, face wash, lotion
• Body wash – something fragrant and refreshing – you will enjoy having something good to smell after all you have been through
• Change of clothes – make sure its things you can easily nurse in if you don’t plan to just wear the hospital gown
• Clothes to go home in – maternity size, you will still be the size you were at about 6mo pregnant
• Shoes to wear home
• Postpartum panties – dark, cotton/soft, granny panties
• Nipple cream and disposable nursing pads
• Nursing bra
• Hair ties – hair bands, bobby pins, etc
• Eyemask and earplugs if you need them to sleep
• Glasses, contacts, contact solution – you will be asked to take your contacts out
• Items for baby – coming home outfit, socks, hat/bow
• Baby bag – go ahead and have a diaper and wipes ready and with you for the trip home
• Baby blanket
• ***leave your wedding ring or other jewelry at home…they will ask you to take it off***

In my posts, I refer to “dad” as the birth partner. If you are not there with a spouse, substitute the items for whoever is staying at the hospital with you.

Dad bag:

• Change of clothes for each day you are planning to be in the hospital
• Something comfy to sleep in that’s decent because nurses and hospital personnel are in and out all night
• Clothes to come home in
• Clean underwear – multiple pair
• change of shoes in case you have an accident
• Jacket or pullover if you are cold-natured – I kept it pretty cool in the room
• Toiletries – deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner, body wash or bar soap, anything needed for hair, shaving supplies
• Cash or change for the vending machine
• Cup to keep a drink in – Tervis, Camelback, Yeti, etc.
• List of people to call/contact through the process (this was kept on the phone for us, but still)
• **leave your work computer at home!**

It might feel like you are planning to move in when you get to loading all this in your car, but you are going to be there multiple days and your life is literally changing while you are there. So, it just takes a lot of extra things for a hospital stay of this type.

Extras:

• Camera, video camera, chargers, SD cards
• Pillows for both with bright colored pillowcase (so it doesn’t get mixed up with hospital linens)
• Phone chargers
• Blanket for mom’s bed – the hospital will provide one, this is just if mom is cold-natured or has something specific she wants
• Linens for dad “bed/chair” – sheets and blanket
• Towel and washcloth – in case they don’t have something for dad or if you want something specific to dry off with
• Essential Oil diffuser and extra oils – we used Yoga blends, lots of Thrive, Lavender, Peace and Calming
• Germ X – travel size
• Portable Bluetooth speaker with charger or plug
• Snacks or treats you will want in the middle of the night (recommend sweet and salty) – you may not get to eat until a certain time and everything outside will be closed or once you are nursing you will have the munchies and need to grab something you can just reach for
• The beverage you want after you give birth if it is not water (I wanted a Dr. Pepper on good ice and my mom had a bottled drink ready, the hospital had good ice)
• Car seat with a blanket

Other things you could do:

• Gift/snacks/goodies for nurses and visitors
• Makeup/dry shampoo/hairdryer/straightener or curling iron
• Exercise ball – for laboring
• Boppy, Brest Friend pillow, or another nursing pillow – I did not bring this because I just used the pillows they had on my bed
• Fan – if you need one for sleeping or just to keep cool, you may ask about it, but we had access to our room thermometer and was able to keep it as cool as needed
• Big brother or big sister clothing items or gifts if this is not a first child

Things our hospital offered to take care of us:

• Linens and blanket for mom’s bed – this included multiple pillows, but if you have a special pillow, then bring it with you
• Water cup for mom
• Towels and washcloth
• “hospital panties”, pads, hygiene cleaning supplies for mom
• diapers, wipes, blanket, paci, hat, shirt for baby – they really take care of baby needs while you are there
• all meds needed while in the hospital
• They did have multiple things that could have been used to help during labor – exercise ball, peanut ball, a bar for over the bed, etc.

Like anything, these lists are based on personal preferences and whatever you normally need to get ready. We packed our bags a couple of weeks ahead and then put them in the car 3 weeks out. Our hospital was 1 hour away so we wanted to have everything with us any time we went for a doctor’s appointment, just in case it was go time! I packed as much as I could do without for a month and then had an index card for us to check off last-minute items. I always find it is better to write out and make a list when you are not under stress and in the moment of last-minute decision making.

What did I leave off? What have you considered taking or seen listed somewhere else? What did I include that you were not expecting?