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Let’s jump right into the 5 tips you need to successfully pack for a hospital delivery.
#1 Separation for Organized Packing
I am a huge believer in dividing things up. When it comes to packing for a hospital birth you could break it up into 3 groupings. Mom, partner, and baby. From there you can divide it up even further or take it in a different direction completely.
You could divide your items up into labor, delivery, and postpartum.
Consider these different groupings and what makes the most sense in your mind.
I plan to divide the packing up into 4 categories.
1. Mom – Labor and Delivery
2. Mom – Postpartum
3. Partner aka Dad
4. Baby
This system worked great with my first birth, so I plan to recreate it for this second delivery.
The key to the system is packing cubes!
Depending on how much you plan to take separate cubes or bags will be key. Your partner may want their own bag entirely. If you are, however, able to be super minimal you will use cubes and fit all of them into one single large bag.
It is completely up to you though!
Packing cubes are great for organizing little items into specific groups. I used this type of packing cube. The set came in two sizes and 4 different colors. Two were large and two were small. Mom got both of the small cubes. Dad had his large cube, as did the baby.
This made sense for us!
I specifically sought out cubes with 4 unique colors. I wanted to be able to quickly identify which cube houses what. I could tell my husband to grab the hairbrush in the yellow cube for example.
This gave me a sense of control, especially if I got stuck in the bed for a while.
If you decide to purchase cubes of matching colors I would recommend labeling them with tape or something that way your partner knows what is in each cube.
Tips #1 Use packing cubes to divide up packing items and keep you organized!
#2 Take Variety Over Bulk
You may have heard hospitals can be very cold at times. Therefore you decide you should pack 3 long sleeve shirts.
Plot twist you are burning up from labor, you are sweating from skin to skin with your baby, and all the contact from breastfeeding has you running warm.
You are going to kick yourself for packing those 3, now unused long sleeve shirts.
My point is that you don’t exactly know how you are going to be feeling during your hospital stay and therefore should pack a variety rather than multiples of the same thing.
If I were going to pack 3 shirts they would all be very different.
#3 Pack Less
You do not need all that much during your hospital stay. We will get to my actual list soon enough, but pretty much whatever you are thinking of packing you can probably reduce by 50% or so.
Once you have your baby you likely aren’t going to get dressed until you get time to take a shower. After I got my shower I finally got dressed. There were hours I stayed in the hospital gown until I felt up to showering.
As far as postpartum accessories and supplies, the hospital will have what you need. You do not need to come prepared with much at all. One thing I also learned was you can ask for more supplies if needed and don’t be afraid to ask for different sizes.
The postpartum pads I was given at first were of course huge. As they need to be. But they were so large I felt they were causing me more pain and discomfort.
You can kindly ask for different options.
When it comes to the baby again you don’t need all that much. Most of the baby’s needs are met by the hospital. You don’t even need to take diapers!
You of course need to bring clothing and items related to pictures. Your baby isn’t going to wear 6 different outfits in the hospital though. They will spend a lot of time naked and swaddled.
If you have any questions or concerns over what items your hospital will provide you can check online resources, ask during a hospital tour, or call in and get answers that way.
#4 Pack with a Purpose
You should think about your delivery and hospital stay chronologically. Go through what you expect the process to look like. Of course, it will not work out according to plan perfectly, but for packing purposes it will do.
What do you plan to labor and deliver in?
How quickly will you get dressed postpartum?
Do you think you will take a shower?
Do you want a specific outfit for family pictures?
What do you plan to come home in?
When you pack items, especially clothing, think about when you will wear that clothing and why you are packing it. Do not just keep throwing more clothing into your bag “just in case”.
Put outfits together that make sense and have a purpose.
I am most importantly focusing on mom, but this goes for baby and partner as well.
#5 The Back-Up Bag
I do not feel the need to have this bag. I am minimal and not overly concerned. If you are an over preparer though and cannot help but over pack consider packing this extra bag that stays in the car.
This bag could be supplied for if you have an unexpected cesarean delivery. It could be extra outfits in case you need more than expected.
With birth, there can always be complications. You could experience a longer stay for either mom or baby than what was expected.
If you are a worrywart pack a backup bag and leave it in the car-think longer hospital stay, C-section supplies, and complication preparedness.
If this extra bag gives you peace of mind and helps you feel prepared for anything and everything pack it and plan to leave it in the car. If the need arises your partner can go grab it later.
Ok, folks, those are my 5 tips for better hospital birth packing. Try to apply them when you are ready to get your bag/s packed. Now let’s dive into the actual packing list that I am using for my second hospital birth.
Mom Labor and Delivery
- ID
- Insurance Card
- Birth Plan
- Medical History
- Positive Affirmations/Support Person Ideas
- Phone and Charger
- Flip Flops
- Hair Ties
- Lip Balm
- Eye Drops
- Lotion
- Baby Journal and Pen
- Wide Tooth Comb
When I go to the hospital I plan to wear flip-flops. They are simply on the list as a reminder when the time comes.
You of course want to have all your necessary paperwork and identification.
I have a quick list of my medical history. The cliff notes from my first birth as well as anything of interest I have experienced during my pregnancy. This all easily fits on a single page and is likely not needed, but you never know how you will be feeling upon arrival at the hospital. You may not be great at conversation and find this helpful to have.
The other sheet I have is a list of positive affirmations as well as ideas for what my partner can do during labor. My husband was amazing during my first delivery. Your partner though may blank and not exactly know what to do. Make a quick list of these positive things to focus on as well as what they can be doing to help you labor. If you are interested in more ideas for what you should discuss and work on before labor check out Be Prepared for Labor: My Top 10 Must-Have Lists.
Your phone and charger are a must of course.
Specifically to stay comfortable during labor I want these couple of toiletries handy. Eye drops, lotion, lip balm, and a hair tie. My hair will likely already be up, but once again I want the reminder on my list. The other three items are all about hydration.
I tend to have very dry skin and hospital air can at times feel dry. With labor, you don’t necessarily get to eat so lip balm is important. You may also find yourself awake during the middle of the night or for hours on end. This is why the eye drops are on my packing list. These are all small items that take up very little space and could bring quite a bit of comfort during labor and delivery.
During my entire pregnancy, I have kept a journal to document everything. I intend to take it to delivery to track different things. My husband will help me with this at times.
Birth can also be quite a blur. You think you pushed for two hours when it was only 20 minutes or it could be the opposite!
The journal is a nice place to keep track of what is happening in real-time and then later you can go back and read what was going on. This will be an awesome memory later and a future gift to my child.
My final item is a large wide-tooth comb. I have heard that if you squeeze a comb in your hand during contractions it can help redirect where you are feeling pain. I did not know this during my first birth, so I am going to give it a try this time. Once again it is a very small item so I am happy to pack it.
Mom Postpartum
- Basic Toiletries
- Simple Makeup
- Dry Shampoo
- Basic Earrings
- Nipple Balm
- Disposable Nursing Pads
- 2 Nursing Bras
- Comfortable Outfit x2
- Coming Home Outfit
- Disposable Underwear x2
- Summer Robe
- Extra Socks
- Going Home Shoes
- Journal and Pen
- Phone and Charger
Packing for postpartum is going to be where you need more of your clothing and toiletries. It is completely up to you how light or heavy you go on packing. I only want and will use the basics during my hospital stay. I do include simple earrings and light makeup. Some people would judge this, but these hospital pictures are special. I already know I will likely be looking rough. I want to feel comfortable showing them off.
I do want to have nipple balm, disposable nursing pads, and two nursing bras. You don’t know when your milk is going to come in. For first-time moms, it can take as long as 5 days. You would likely be home by then. With this being my second delivery I just have a feeling it will come in faster and want to be prepared. I am choosing to take disposable options because it is less to take home and potentially lose. I have reusable nursing pads for once home.
If you plan to breastfeed I strongly recommend you have a nipple balm you are comfortable with and use it after every feeding. Breastfeeding is hard on your body. You want to keep yourself in as good of shape as possible. Don’t wait to use the balm until you are in pain or experiencing cracked nipples. Use it as a preventative. Make breastfeeding as pleasant as possible and do yourself this favor.
When it comes to clothing I recommend one or two outfits that are comfortable during your hospital stay. I don’t necessarily differentiate between clothing and pajamas. Likely they can be worn as both.
Then I recommend you have a specific outfit you plan to wear for going home. This is something you are comfortable wearing outside of your room and into your car. Weather is the factor here. My first birth was in middle of winter and my second will be in early summer. Dress and plan accordingly!
For leaving the hospital, make sure you have shoes that are loose-fitting. You could be very swollen from fluids given to you during delivery. For this birth, I plan to leave in flip-flops. For my first during the winter, I believe I had tennis shoes that I wore very loosely tied.
My two items that are probably the least necessary are extra socks and a summer robe. The socks are because I intend to come and go in flip flops. However, I typically sleep in socks and would prefer to have something on my feet when getting up with the baby. The hospital will have you labor and push in socks probably, but by the time you get to postpartum those could be pretty gross. I like having a lightweight robe. This is just for a little extra coverage when visitors may come.
The baby journal as well as the phone and charger will make the move from the labor and delivery cube into the postpartum cube. This can go for any items that you want in both. Basically, just do a quick swap. Your labor and delivery cube can then become your dirty clothing bag.
Baby’s Bag
- Sleeper
- Short or Long Sleeve Onesies
- Swaddle
- Going Home Outfit
- Nail Clippers/Socks/Mittens
- Pacifier
- Picture Items
- Gift from Baby to Kid #1
Your hospital will likely provide just about everything your baby needs. Clothing is quite optional and not a necessity at all. Often clothing gets in the way of exams.
I recommend bringing a simple sleeper, a couple of onesies for under the swaddle, a swaddle, and of course, a going home outfit. For us, this is our main picture outfit for the baby. Make sure this is something that works in the car seat. For example, a knotted gown won’t work when you need two separated legs for the car seat buckles.
Our first baby did scratch her face. Her skin was so new and sensitive that you could see it almost like a faint scar for months. I wonder if I could still find it two years later. This time around I would like to have clippers with us and a pair of socks. Ideally, the sleeper we pack will have built-in mittens. I do not plan to purchase mittens specifically but put them on the list in case you would like to do so.
People have different views when it comes to pacifiers and breastfeeding. The hospital will probably offer you a pacifier, but I do plan to take one as a backup option. Sometimes they are weird about it if you plan to breastfeed.
If you are super into pictures you may have some props to take. This could be a letter board, blocks, or a name tag. Whatever items matter to you for pictures needs to be packed.
In our situation, we plan to have a gift for our firstborn. She will be over the age of two when baby #2 is born, and with restrictions being lifted we believe she will be allowed to come to the hospital.
Partner’s Bag
I think this post is getting pretty long so you can check out my next post which will be all about what your partner should pack!
Miscellaneous Items to Pack
- Camera
- Video Camera
- Go Pro
- Snacks
- Car Seat
- Baby Name List
This is my quick list of miscellaneous items to pack for your baby’s birth. Have all the camera gear and chargers ready to go. Make sure you have plenty of memory space as well.
Consider packing snacks for both mom and dad. I delivered my first baby around 11 pm. I wasn’t able to get food until breakfast hours. (I was not sending my husband out to get food in the middle of the night)
You of course need to have a car seat. I wouldn’t necessarily take it in with you. Leave it in the car and your partner can make a trip out to get it before you get discharged.
If you have not landed on a name for your baby make sure to take your list of names. You will be tired and may need it for reference.
Conclusion
I hope my 5 tips gave you a bit of guidance that you can apply to your hospital packing strategy. Remember you don’t need as much as you think you do. Focus on what will keep you comfortable during this hopefully short stay.
Remember this time is all about bonding with your baby. Pictures are the best thing you can take. Write down notes and soak in these private times as a new family.
Check Out My Articles
Be Prepared for Labor: My Top 10 Must-Have Lists
Packing for the Big Day: A Minimal List for a Hospital Birth
Be Prepared for Labor: My Top 10 Must-Have Lists
What Does Your Support Person Really Need to Pack for a Hospital Birth