Wondering what to bring with you to the hospital? Come prepared with these hospital bag essentials so you have everything you need to give birth.
In Los Angeles, heading to the hospital when you’re in labor is not something you want to happen at 5pm on a weekday. Just our luck, both trips to the hospital for my pregnancies happened in the middle of the night. It’s almost like even my kids knew how bad rush hour traffic can get.
Still, my husband and I came prepared. We had our hospital bag packed weeks in advance, especially with the twins’ pregnancy.
Having had done this twice now, here are the real hospital bag essentials I recommend you take with you. I also listed what your hospital will likely have on hand and won’t need to pack.
Hospital bag essentials to pack
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- Slippers. And go for slip-resistant slippers. SSBE reader Alison suggested slip-resistant footwear in case the hospital has a policy to avoid slipping during walks.
- Robe. You’ll want to take a slow walk at some point during your stay, and a robe is an easy thing to throw on. You know, so you look “presentable.”
- Nursing tops. Bring about three of these in case you’re tired of wearing the hospital gown.
- Yoga pants or leggings. This will be part of your going home ensemble.
- Outerwear or sweater. In case it’s cold, bring something to keep you warm when you leave the hospital.
- Lip balm.
- Toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Eyeglasses, contact lens case and saline solution. This is if you wear glasses.
- Facial products. Bring your face soap, lotion and whatever else you use to rinse your face.
- Q-tips.
- Shampoo and conditioner. Travel size works best so you don’t have to lug enormous bottles with you.
- Towel. Not all hospitals provide towels.
- Rubber band or hair clip.
- Socks. In case your feet get cold.
- Snacks. During labor, you’re not allowed to eat, so you might be hungry right after delivery.
- Soothing balm for down there. I didn’t know these existed, but my cousin’s girlfriend gifted me with a gift set and they make a difference.
- Two outfits for the baby when he goes home. Keep it simple, not fancy. A zipper one-piece works great for cooler weather, and a onesie for a warmer one. And bring two in case one gets dirty.
- A blanket and burp cloths for the baby. Place the blanket over the baby when you’re ready to take him home.
- Your purse. This should include your wallet with identification, spare cash and your phone.
- Shoes. In case your flip flops don’t cut it for the weather.
- NEW! Comfortable dresses. A reader suggestion (thanks, Leslie!), wear a comfortable dress to go home in, especially if you’ve had a C-section.
Reader suggestions:
- Baby lotion: Your baby may have dry skin, but not all hospitals carry baby lotion.
I didn’t realize the hospital provided many supplies as well. Here is what you likely won’t need to pack in your hospital bag (but double check with your hospital):
- Pads. They provide you with tons of pads for the post-delivery bleeding. You’ll have your period for the next few weeks, starting the day you deliver.
- Cotton “underwear.” I put that in quotes because this isn’t undies per say, nor are they disposable undies. They’re more like cotton mesh you put the pad on and you can throw away after each use. My hospital would also put ice packs on top of the pads. They’ll likely send you home with a bunch to last you for a few days. If you decide to bring your own, these maternity underwear work well.
- Belly wrap. Start wearing a belly wrap to strengthen your core.
- Perineal spray. I didn’t have to buy these because the hospital provides you with a can of spray to make you more comfortable.
- Diapers. Again, they not only provide your kids with diapers, they also send you home with a bunch.
- Wipes. The hospital won’t use wipes but rather water-soaked cotton pads for your baby.
- Onesies. While your baby is in the hospital, he’ll be wearing the onesies or wraps they provide.
- Pump rental. The hospital may be able to lend you a pump rental. You can take the pump parts home but not the actual pump.
Both my contractions started in the middle of the night and lasted for a few hours. We didn’t head to the hospital until 5am when contractions were finally close enough. We were cutting it pretty close to rush hour(s), but made it in time before traffic stood in the way.
Getting ready for the baby? Get more tips with these useful posts:
- Preparing for Baby: How to Avoid the Clutter
- Everything I Wish Someone Had Told Me when I Was Pregnant
- 8 Common Myths First Time Moms Believe about Parenthood
- The Ultimate Newborn Shopping List
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Perfect list, and you are wise to include the things hospitals provide for you. When the twins were born we were sent home with double (plus some!) diapers and wipes. New moms, take Nina’s advice and bring yoga pants. You won’t fit into your size 5 jeans as you walk out of the hospital! I made that mistake after my first baby. Everyone assured me I’d “bounce back”, which I eventually did. It just doesn’t happen in the first few days. 😉
Aw Nikki thanks! Yeah I was surprised too that we still look pregnant after we give birth. More like “six months thin” lol.
Huh, neither place I gave birth had or even mentioned a belly wrap. Interesting. It’s fascinating to me as I’ve learned how differently different hospitals do things when it comes to child birth (from giving birth in two different areas of the country and talking about it with friends/family).
Yup it’s always good to double check on the hospital stuff. I hadn’t even thought to bring a belly wrap but it was a nice surprise from the hospital.
I love the printable! It contains so many of those tiny but important comfort and necessity items.
With Des, I had to rush to the hospital with no bag. Sob. Cassidy did the best he could.
With Scarlet, I had all of this and more! Like music was so important to me. Mix cds. But we lived close to the hospital so nothing was so important that Cassidy couldn’t get it for me.
Definitely very convenient to live near the hospital! We live kind of far so I had to pack smart. And I love that you brought mix CDs! I always thought it’d be hilarious if I gave birth to Salt-N-Pepa’s hip hop song “Push It” while I delivered haha.
If only you could have had this list up two months ago! 😀 I second pretty much every item on your list. My only change would be to pack dry shampoo instead of regular shampoo and conditioner. Even after a c-section, I was able to get by with the spray stuff for the standard stay. That first full shower afterward was heaven, though. Also, comfortable dresses were my favorite in the hospital once I was in regular clothes. They didn’t rub against my incision the way even my yoga pants did.
Haha Leslie 🙂 Wait what, there is a thing called dry shampoo? That is news to me! And you’re right—I didn’t even think about dresses! Especially for c-sections that would come in handy. Okay I’m going to edit this post now haha.
It may have been because I had a c-section but the hospital here wouldn’t let me wear my flip flops to walk around. They made me wear those socks w the slip resistance padding on the bottom. They said I had to wear socks or slippers that were slip resistant. The ones the hospital carry were very itchy and didn’t fit right. My husband ended up going and buying me some slip resistant slippers, and I will definitely be taking them with this pregnancy as well. My baby also had dry skin and I had thought the hospital would have provided lotion, I had to ask three times and they had to find me some. So I will also be taking baby lotion this time………so slip resistant bedroom shoes and baby lotion is two things I will have on hand this time.
Oh how interesting, Alison! That makes sense. I can imagine it can also help feet stay warm without the risk of slipping with using regular socks. These are great suggestions, and I’ll be editing the article with your ideas 🙂