This blog was medically reviewed by Nicole Stecker MN, RN, IBCLC, LCCE, clinical nurse educator, perinatal loss specialist, lactation consultant and doula.
How exciting! Your due date is approaching and it’s almost time to meet your little one. If you’re not sure when to pack your hospital bag or what to bring, you’re in the right place.
Babies come when they want and are ready. Having your hospital bag packed ahead of time can allow you to just grab and go when your little one unexpectedly decides they are ready for delivery. Keep reading for hospital bag essentials and when to start packing your hospital bag.
Now that you’re in the final stages of pregnancy, review our third-trimester checklist to feel ready for the baby’s arrival.
When to pack your hospital bag
The perfect time to pack your bags can vary and depend on each person. You should pack your hospital bag when you’re 37 or 38 weeks pregnant, even if you plan to be induced or have a scheduled cesarean.
If you expect to have early labor, you can pack your bag even earlier at around 35 weeks. During these last couple of weeks, while you’re waiting, you could also put the hospital bag in the car to ensure that you’re ready to go when labor starts.
What not to pack (because we have it)
Being able to support families during this special moment in their lives is something we love doing at The Mother Baby Center. Below are the items we have prepared for your delivery day at any of our locations that you can skip on when deciding your what to pack hospital bag list to avoid overpacking and unnecessary stress.
For pregnant patients, we have:
- Underwear
- Heavy-duty maternity pads
- Linen
- Hair dryers
- Towels
- Soap
- Lotion
- Nipple cream
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Hemorrhoid pads
- Breast pump
- Peri bottles or water sprays
- Water bottles
- Abdominal support items (Patients are welcome to bring their own if they have a specific brand or type of belly wrap they like).
For babies, we have:
- Diapers
- Hats
- Clothes
- Wipes
- Blankets
- Swaddlers
Labor Tools
- Birthing balls
- Peanut balls
- Birthing bar
As you care for your newborn and get to know them, be sure to include plenty of kangaroo care in your daily routine.
Hospital bag checklist for pregnant women
The Mother Baby Center provides families with almost everything they will need during their stay at the hospital, but there may still be things you want and need to bring with you to make your stay more comfortable. These can be things like comfy clothes, toothbrushes, your phone and charger, and your birth plan. See our recommended hospital bag checklist for pregnant people below for items to pack.
For labor and delivery
The listed items below are a must to include in a hospital bag for patients giving birth. They can help you feel more comfortable during labor and delivery and ensure that your delivery goes smoothly.
- Hospital paperwork, ID and insurance card: Having these ready to go in your hospital bag or wallet will ensure that you have all the paperwork necessary to give birth.
- Birth plan: If you created a birth plan with your provider, it is important to have this on hand so that everyone is on the same page about your preferred birthing experience.
- Phone and extra-long charger: Sometimes hospital beds do not sit close to an outlet, or if they do, medical equipment uses all the outlets. So, make sure to add an extra-long charger for your phone to your hospital bag checklist for labor.
- Bathrobe: If you’d like a little bit more coziness before or after showering, don’t forget to bring your bathrobe!
- Socks: The Mother Baby Center will provide non-slip socks for patients, but patients are welcome to bring their own preferred type of socks for their comfort and extra warmth.
- Slippers or flip-flops: Slippers and flip-flops are good items for walking around your room and to and from the bathroom.
- Lip balm: A change in climate or environment can make our skin and lips feel extra dry. Don’t forget to throw a lip balm into your labor and delivery bag.
- Comfortable pillows: Comfortability is a must during labor. Bring any comfortable pillow that you like for labor and delivery or bring a nursing pillow for breastfeeding after birth.
- Entertainment: Labor can be long at times, and you may end up with a lot of downtime. Having entertainment ready can help make the time fly by faster and distract you from contraction pain.
Changes in your body and mood won’t stop now that your baby has arrived. Learn what to expect during the fourth trimester.
For postpartum or after delivery
The average hospital stay for postpartum recovery is two days or longer if you had a c-section. During that time a lot can happen. Below is a list of items to bring in your maternity bag for after delivery to make sure you’re prepared for anything.
- Nightgown or pajamas: Everyone can have different preferences and bringing your own nightgowns or pajamas can be a good idea if you’d prefer to be in something else than hospital gowns after giving birth.
- Sweatshirt: Don’t forget to pack a sweatshirt or two if you run colder or want extra warmth and coziness.
- Toiletries: The Mother Baby Center will have shampoo and toothpaste for families, but some other toiletries to consider bringing are toothbrushes, body wash or anything else that you’d prefer to have during your stay.
- Skincare essentials: When creating a maternity hospital bag checklist, don’t forget to add your skincare essentials to the list.
- Glasses and contact lenses/cases: If you have extra contact lenses or glasses, don’t forget to add those to your hospital bag ahead of time so you don’t forget when it’s go time.
- Clothes: The Mother Baby Center will still be providing hospital gowns for patients, but patients are welcome to bring their own comfy and loose fitting clothing for labor and delivery to wear home when they leave the hospital.
Optional items to pack
Now that we’ve gone through the hospital bag essentials, here are some great optional items to add to your hospital bag checklist for delivery or after-birth care and recovery.
- Eye mask and earplugs: If you’re a light sleeper, some earplugs can help drown out some of the noise at hospitals. Eye masks can also help make the room feel darker for sleeping.
- Small tote for gifts or supplies from the hospital: A great optional item to bring is a small tote for gifts from family and friends or any supplies you get from the hospital. But do not worry if you forget! Just ask your nurse for a bag.
- Baby keepsake book: A baby keepsake book is great for memories! Some parents like to have their baby’s footprint stamped right on a page in the book.
- Cosmetics: Bringing some of your makeup essentials in a cosmetics bag can be good for before delivery or for getting ready to go home.
- Snacks and drinks: Families will be able to get snacks and drinks at The Mother Baby Center, but if you’d like a specific snack or drink for labor and delivery, don’t forget to pack it in your hospital bag. Quick, nutritious and high-protein snacks such as nuts, bars, applesauce pouches, honey sticks and electrolyte drinks are excellent for labor.
Labor and delivery is one of the most rewarding and beautiful moments for your family, find support for a healthy postpartum recovery through The Mother Baby Center.
Hospital bag checklist for a cesarean
If you’re wondering, what should I pack in my pregnancy hospital bag if I’m having a c-section? You’re in the right place! The good news is that there are only a couple of extra items that you may want to consider bringing for your comfort and to make things easier.
- Comfortable clothing that won’t irritate the incision area: After a c-section, your incision area can be quite tender and sore. It’s essential to bring loose, comfortable clothing that won’t irritate your incision. Some things to consider are high-waisted underwear and pants as they can provide comfort without putting pressure on the incision area.
- Nursing pillow or breastfeeding support pillow: Breastfeeding after a c-section can be challenging because of the incision. A nursing pillow or breastfeeding support pillow can help position your baby comfortably and reduce stress on your abdomen during feeding sessions.
- Emotional support items: Undergoing a c-section can be a stressful and scary experience, especially if this is your first time. It could be a good idea to pack an emotional support item in your c-section hospital bag to help you feel more at ease. This can be having a prepared playlist of calming music, or your favorite pillow or blanket.
Hospital bag checklist for baby
Finally getting to meet your little one and bringing them home are both special moments all families look forward to. To make sure you’re as prepared as can be to welcome your baby, below are a couple of items to add to your baby’s hospital bag checklist.
- Weather-appropriate clothes: Make sure you’re packing clothes that are appropriate for the season. If your baby is born in the wintertime, you should bring thicker and warmer clothing. For summer babies, families can pack lightweight onesies.
- Receiving blanket: An essential to pack in a newborn hospital bag is a receiving blanket. You can use this for swaddling, burping, cleaning messes, and more.
- Going-home outfit: The moment when you get to bring your bundle of joy home is finally here! Remember to pack in your hospital bag for baby a going-home outfit to make this moment memorable and special.
- Car seat: Don’t forget to have your car seat for your baby properly installed and ready for a safe journey home, especially during winter when your baby may be more bundled up. If you have any questions about whether your baby’s car seat is working or if it’s installed correctly, check out the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for car seat safety tips or take it to your local fire station for them to help take a look.
Hospital bag checklist for partner or support
Now that we’ve gone through the hospital bag checklist for mom and baby, let’s go through what partners or support persons should pack for the birth to be comfortable and be able to help their partner and baby during the hospital stay.
- Small bills or change for vending machines: This can be a lifesaver for when you’re craving a quick snack or drink.
- Phone, camera or video camera: You don’t want to miss the opportunity to capture those memories!
- Clothes: Make sure to bring clothes that are comfortable for overnight stays and clothes to leave the hospital in.
- Toiletries: Include items like deodorant, toothbrush, spare glasses or contact lenses or saline solution should all be included in a hospital go bag.
- Small pillow and lightweight blanket: For a comfortable overnight stay, a small pillow and lightweight blanket are crucial to add to the hospital bag.
- Entertainment: Whether it’s a book, movie or game, remember some form of entertainment to pass the time.
- Portable speaker: A portable speaker can be good for playing music in the background or if your partner needs calming music while they’re in labor.
Understand the week-to-week changes during the postpartum recovery period and discover strategies to manage your mental, emotional, and physical symptoms.
Six packing tips to consider
There’s no denying that packing for a hospital stay can get overwhelming. If you’re not sure where to start, check out the tips from our team to help families prepare and avoid overpacking. When deciding what to pack in hospital bag for labor, these tips can make it easier to get ready.
- Start with a checklist: The most important tip of all is to have a checklist of things to pack in a hospital bag for pregnancy. Keep your checklist with you as ideas come to you by using a notes app on your phone.
- Special circumstances: If you’re having a planned c-section or a high-risk pregnancy, you may require additional items in your hospital bag for delivery.
- Consult with your health care provider: It’s never a bad idea to ask your provider for their recommendations of things to pack, especially if you are having a c-section or have a high-risk pregnancy.
- Pack items in separate compartments: Consider packing items in separate compartments to make it easy to find them later.
- Consider the duration of the hospital stay: Most people stay at the hospital for two days after giving birth and people having c-sections may end up staying longer. When packing essentials, make sure you’re packing enough to last you during your stay.
- Leave room for items received from the hospital: Lastly, it’s also important to leave some room in your bag for items that you may get from the hospital or gifts that friends and family drop off.
Pack your hospital bag confidently with support from The Mother Baby Center
Having your hospital bag prepared and ready to go at a moment’s notice is important because you don’t know when your little one is ready to arrive. Although it may seem like a daunting task, we hope the tips and insights from our team can help families pack your hospital bag for childbirth with confidence and peace of mind.
As you continue to prepare to welcome your little one at The Mother Baby Center, check out the third-trimester checklist and other helpful articles on our blog to learn more about preparing for labor and delivery to what to expect during the first few months of your changing family.