If you are pregnant and getting close to your 32-36 week mark, chances are you have started thinking about getting your hospital bag ready.  With my first pregnancy, I scoured Pinterest for the best advice on what I would need at the hospital (so many opinions out there!).  I was super stressed about it, and I had no idea what I was doing.  Obviously, I had never been through this before!

With each kid you have, you will figure out exactly what you require for your personal hospital experience.  But, if this is your first child, let me offer you some sound advice.  There is no right or wrong, and you are very likely to go overboard on what you pack.  Picture your husband making four or five trips to the car to get stuff……that’s about four trips too many. My husband was absent for a chunk of my labor because he was busy bringing stuff in from the car (I’m not sure he minded that much, but I sure did!).

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Know your hospital

Since I have now had two kids, my approach to packing is very minimal and just the stuff that I know I will use.  I have also had the same hospital for both so I know exactly what the set-up will be and what products they will have for me.

Pro tip:  Take a hospital tour of their “Birthing Suites” so you know what the facilities are.  Do not be shy on your tour.  Ask if they will provide you with mesh panties, pads, nipple cream, water bottle, soap, shampoo, hair dryers (kind of like a hotel), food, diapers, pacifier, hospital jammies for your baby, etc.

If I had asked about these things during my first tour, my bag would have been about half as heavy as it ended up being.

New isn’t always better

The other thing that I have realized about myself is after I have a baby, I just want to be comfortable in my own, familiar clothes (not so much like Kate Middleton lol).  So many things I read prior to my first child told me to get new hospital gowns, pajamas, slippers, etc., so it would be like a “treat” for me after pushing out a baby.  I actually hated having new clothes that weren’t familiar or worn in yet because they weren’t comfortable.

With my second child, I just used my oldest, comfiest clothes and I was much happier.  What I looked like to visitors didn’t matter. Everyone was looking at the baby, not me, so my clothes were not important.

I had also read to buy new body products (body wash, lotion) for the hospital too, again, to be a treat after having a baby.  I did this after my second child and found the smell was just unfamiliar to me and the extra money I spent on it didn’t really give me any enjoyment.

My point with all of this is, when you are having a baby, there are a million things that social media, family, and friends will make us think we need to purchase to survive pregnancy and childbirth.  You don’t need to buy brand new stuff for your hospital stay to be enjoyable.

The time in the hospital (usually only lasting 1-3 days) is going to be spent birthing your baby, resting and learning to nurse/feed.  Buying new clothes, a personal hospital gown, new toiletries, new slippers isn’t necessary to accomplish these things.  Don’t overspend on items you will use for a 24 hour period when you know you will have more important expenses down the road (ex. Splurging on awesome newborn/family photos).

Pending on what your hospital can provide you with, the food you already have at home and if you already got the baby’s going home outfit as a gift, you should be able to pack everyone’s hospital bags for $25 or less.

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Mom’s Hospital Bag:

• Nursing tank  ($10 – I purchased mine from Target) – I don’t pack any bras because this will be it
• 2 Comfy PJ pants/stretchy yoga pants
• 2 Comfy tops to wear over top of the nursing tank (easy to get on and off and sleep in)
• 2 pair of socks
• Slippers to wear in the hospital
• Flip flops to wear in the shower
• Toiletries (all using stuff you already have)
• Your own pillow
• Chargers for electronics
• Sound machine (we are freaks and like this for sleeping, and we start our kids off with one immediately)

What I knew my hospital would provide (you should ask yours specifically):

• Mesh panties (I don’t pack underwear because I just use these….they are hideous and glorious all at the same time)
• Pads (for all the bleeding that comes after that beautiful baby arrives)
• Breast pads (my milk came in 3-4 days postpartum so I didn’t need these for leakage until that time and I was already home)
• Nipple cream (they had a Medela lanolin sample for new mamas)
• Numbing spray for your poor lady bits after all that disruption
• Peri bottle to keep everything clean after trips to the bathroom

Now onto the men who got you into this mess 🙂

When you think about what Dad will actually be doing while at the hospital, really his only job is supporting you.  Keeping this in mind, he really only needs basic essentials for himself.  I wouldn’t worry too much about what he will need for entertainment.  He should just be taking care of you, chatting with you and coaching you.

Dad’s Hospital Bag:

• 2 comfortable outfits
• 2 sets of pajamas
• His own pillow (the second time around we also brought a blanket from home to help him sleep better on the pull-out couch)
• Flip-flops for the shower
• Slippers for the hospital
• Toiletries
• Chargers for electronics
• Snacks – trail mix, granola bars, fruit snacks, Gatorade ($5).  

Pro tip:  Think about having snacks that he can sneak to you, and you can eat quickly.  I was ravenous during labor both times and they won’t let you eat (in case you have to have a c-section).  I didn’t care about the rules so I slammed a couple granola bars when nurses stepped out.  Trail mix is great for this too.  Mamas get hungry!!

Now onto the cute baby!

I had an entire bag dedicated to baby both times and didn’t need anything I had packed.  Ha!  Next time I will get this right!

Baby’s Hospital Bag:

• Coming home outfit ($10)
• Mittens to cover hands

What I knew my hospital would provide (you should ask yours specifically):

• Diapers
• Wipes
• Pacifier
• Shampoo
• Swaddles – this can double as a blanket/cover for the car seat when you go home (pending the season you may need a couple of the swaddles as a warm cover).
• Kimono tops to wear while in the hospital (open easily for exams and skin-to-skin nursing)

Pro tip:  I did bring my diaper bag (empty) to fill up with all the “free” stuff at the hospital (ie. the stuff that is included in your hospital stay charges).

Don’t forget to use our FREE Hospital Bag Checklist to have stress-free packing!  Get it below!

If you want to go crazy and buy all new stuff for your hospital stay, I won’t stop you.  Afterall, it is a very exciting time!  I just know when I am not in the comforts of my own home and my body is feeling foreign to me, all I want are my own worn-in clothes.  The hospital stay will only be for 24-48 hours so don’t feel pressure to be looking perfect or having special stuff just for that time.

If you use things you already have, you should be able to pack all of your hospital bags for $25 or less.  If you save money here, you will have that much more to spoil your new bundle with!

Do you have any additional must-haves for your hospital bag?

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