Bradley and I have a handful of friends that are pregnant, and we have been getting a lot of questions regarding our hospital bags. If you are anything like me, the first time around I of course went to google to search for “hospital bag must haves” and found many articles all with different suggestions. I was so overwhelmed and had no idea what I would actually use.
Now that I am pregnant with our 2nd and have experienced labor and the postpartum journey, I knew I needed to write a blog post about MY hospital bag must haves. Every hospital is different, so I would make sure to ask what your hospital will provide, but I always tell people that you could go into the hospital with just a car seat and they will have everything you really need. These extra items are just things that are nice to have, but your hospital will provide the necessities.
FOR MAMA
* = hospital most likely provides
postpartum recovery : tucks pads*, dermoplast*, ice packs*, disposable underwear*, pads*, frida peri bottle (hospital provides peri bottle but this one is WAY BETTER!)
nipple butter : if you plan to breastfeed or pump, this is a MUST. Lather it on after breastfeeding and before/after pumping and your boobs will thank you! My lactation consultant said this nipple butter was better than the Lansinoh and it is safe for baby to consume, so you don’t have to worry about wiping it off when feeding!
reusable breast pads or disposable breast pads : I preferred the reusable pads. I bought a couple packs and would wash them throughout the week.
nursing bras : I love these for nursing and everyday use. They are super comfy and easy to pull to the side to feed/pump. I would size up!
breast pump : I never used mine in the hospital but the hospital lactation consultant showed me how to use it and what settings I should be on.
nursing pillow : whether you are nursing or not, this pillow is super nice to have even just holding your baby.
compression socks* : my poor legs…. I didn’t have ankles for a couple of days. I had no idea I would get so swollen, but I did, and compression socks were a must while in the hospital and at home! The hospital had some but I wished I would have brought my own.
toiletries + bath towel* : you will be able to take a shower while you are there and let me tell you… the first shower after delivery is amazing. It made me feel like a new woman, so it was nice to have all of my usual things. The hospital provided bath towels but they were comparable to hotel towels… you may want to have your own too.
pillow* + blanket* : the hospital has both of these but it was nice to have our own. Every list I saw talked about the hospital being hot and having a fan… our hospital was the opposite. It was so cold so it was nice to have my own blanket.
cup/water bottle* : I used the cup our hospital provided but just in case yours doesn’t… you definitely want a cup/water bottle of some kind. I drank more water after delivery than I ever have before.
lounge outfit/pjs : I stayed in the hospital gown until I took a shower, but needed a comfy outfit to wear once I felt more like myself. I highly recommend black or a dark color.
going home outfit : I highly recommend anything comfy and weather appropriate. I will be wearing a lounge set this go around.
postpartum underwear : If you don’t have a ton of bleeding you may want to immediately go to a pad and regular underwear. I liked mine to be high waisted and stretchy.
extra long charger : sometimes the outlets were far from the hospital bed, so having an extra long charger was nice to have.
slip on shoes : I wore my slippers the whole time, but it was just nice to have a shoe that was easy to take on and off without bending over.
chapstick : always a must!
FOR BABY
diaper bag : we brought everything for Rowen in our diaper bag so we knew where her stuff was and didn’t have to search for it.
diapers* + wipes* + butt cream* : the hospital will have all of these! We never got out any of our own stuff, but you may want to have a few just in case.
velcro swaddles : we used the hospital blanket for a swaddle the whole time, but this time around we will bring one of our favorite velcro swaddles so its easier.
baby blanket* : we used the hospital blanket the whole time until we were discharged. We used our own when leaving the hospital and in the car.
sound machine : not a must, but it is nice to have a portable sound machine just in case.
going home outfit : I would recommend anything with mittens and footies. We took Rowen home in a 2 piece set and plan to do the same with baby sis.
formula* : our hospital had ready to feed formula, but you may want to bring your own if you plan on feeding formula and have a specific one in mind.
onesies : we just used the baby blanket the hospital provided and didn’t touch our own baby clothes until we left, but I would take at least one onesie just to have.
car seat : you have to have your car seat in order to take your baby home… so this a must!
FOR DAD
snacks : mama may not be able to eat during labor, but dad will most likely be hungry the whole time! After delivery, mama will want some snacks too, so make sure you bring a variety.
pillow + blanket : he will be sleeping on a small, not super comfy, couch so having a pillow and blanket from home is a must.
toiletries : Bradley took a shower while we were in the hospital so he needed toiletries as well.
lounge outfits : I would have a pair of pants and shorts just in case!
MISC
fire tv stick : definitely not a must, but we found that it was very nice to have our fire tv stick so we could watch our favorite tv shows.
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As always, all opinions and text are my own.
