15 Essentials Your Pregnancy Hospital Bag Needs To Have

Plan on packing up your pregnancy hospital bag about 4-6 weeks before your due date. 

Why so early you may ask?  Your baby may want to make an early debut.  If it does, it is most common in the 4-6 weeks early time frame.

Keep your hospital bag, your significant other’s bag, and the bag for your newborn in a place that both you and your significant other know about so they are easy to grab.

Also, leave a note on top of these bags as to what you need to pack last minute, like your phone charger.  It will be much easier to find what you don't have than remember what you don't have.

1. Face Wash

Bring along your favorite face wash.  The hospital will not have this for you. 

You may have short or long labor and delivery and you may get sweaty.  Or you may just want to remove your makeup.  You will be in the hospital for at least 1 night.

I love this face wash and these face wash pads.  It removes all the dirt, extra oil, and makeup from my face.  

2. Face Lotion

Make sure to bring along your favorite face lotion so you can feel refreshed after you get cleaned up from your delivery.

I am not sure how your skin reacts after washing your face but mine gets so dry and my skin feels tight. 

Using this face lotion leaves my face feeling fresh and moisturized.  Just for reference, I have dry to comb skin.

What is your favorite face lotion?  Let me know in the comments below.

3. Shampoo and Conditioner

If you feel like you will want to wash your hair while you are at the hospital, make sure to grab some travel shampoo and conditioner that you like. 

The hospital does have some but it is kind of like hotel shampoo and conditioner and it isn't all that as amazing as your own.

4. Toothbrush and Toothpaste

You will have to stay over at least 1 night.  Pack a toothbrush and toothpaste.  Give your mouth some love and refresh it.

5. Deodorant

Leave your armpits feeling extra fresh after your baby arrives with your deodorant.

Don't forget to pack this one.  

You probably sweat sometime during this life changing event!

6. Contact Case and Solution

A contact case and solution are a must-have if you wear them.

I do not wear contacts but my husband does.  So, I packed a case and solution in my bag and my husband's just to make sure he had them.  He has forgotten them in the past.

7. Makeup

Are you a make wearing girl?  If so, pack a few essentials for a no-makeup – makeup look.  This is about all the time and energy you will have.

Makeup was something I packed this with my first baby, but not with 2, 3, and 4.  

I realized I just did not have the energy or desire to want to put makeup on in the hospital.  So, I just refreshed my face with a good washing and lotion.

8. Lip Balm

Pack your favorite lip balm along. 

No one knows how long their labor and delivery will go unless you are having a scheduled C-Section.  The air in the hospital is a bit dry and you will be doing a lot of breathing.

For the births of all 4 of my children, the labor and delivery were at least 12 hours.  My lip balm was used multiple times for each one.  My favorite is this lip balm, which is actually a lip sleep mask but you can wear it all day.

9. Hair Ties

If your hair is long enough to be tied up, bring 2 or 3 hair ties along with some bobby pins. 

I don’t know how you feel about having your hair in your face while exercising, since that is basically what you are doing.  Ugh, I can’t stand it.

10. Nursing Pads

Bring along 4 – 6 nursing pads.  Whether you plan to nurse or bottle-feed, your milk will come in. 

Usually, it takes a few days, and hopefully, you will be home by that time.  But sometimes things happen and you will still be in the hospital.

I chose to nurse with all 4 of my kids and these nursing pads worked well.  I never had any leaking past the nursing pad problems.

11. Clothes

Pack for the season and include 1 or 2 of each: shirt/sweatshirt, shorts/pants, bra, underwear, socks, and an extra pair of socks. 

Sometimes in the labor and delivery room, things get messy and you just need an extra pair of socks.

Ok, this is no joke. Pack clothes that fit you when you were 5 – 6 months pregnant. 

Just because you had a baby, it doesn’t mean everything that shifted and weight gained in other places magically disappeared.  Sorry to disappoint you, but it just doesn’t.

Make sure your shorts/pants are on the loose side around your tummy – you will not want extra pressure on it at this time.

12. Phone Charger

The hospital will not have a phone charger for you to use. 

If you don't have an extra one, make a small list of items you need to pack last minute and leave the list on the top of your bag.

You do not want to have your phone die when you want to take more pictures of your new addition or right in the middle of a phone call to all your loved ones to share your good news.

13. Camera

If your phone doesn’t take great pictures, be sure to grab your camera.  And check the batteries and memory card.  Take so many pictures!!!

Don’t be shy about having someone take a few of you, your significant other, and your new baby.  I have heard multiple times of people forgetting this very special photo opportunity.

And don't worry about how you look in the picture.  You just worked your butt off to bring a miracle into the world!

14. Snacks

There may be snacks at your hospital but they may be just for you, mama, or they may be expensive.  The hospital kitchen may also close early. 

Pack a box of granola bars or crackers for you and your significant other.  Babies are born at all times of the day and night.

2 of my 4 babies were born in the night and I was so extremely hungry after I had the baby.  I was thankful that I had packed snacks for my husband and me.  It tied us over until we could get some real food.

15. Baby Book

If you bought a baby memory book, bring it along to the hospital.  You can ask the nurses to have your baby's hand and footprints put right into the book.

This sweet baby memory book has tons of room to jot down all your baby’s milestones and your memories with them.

Don’t forget about a bag for dad, or whoever will be coming with you to the hospital.  He will be there for the long haul (or short, it all depends) with you.  That most likely means at least one overnight stay with you.

Pack for him like he will be staying in a hotel for a night.  He had his bag.  There was enough room left over that we put the baby's things in with his.

Clothes: Shirt, Pants/Shorts, Long Sleeve Shirt/Sweatshirt, Pajamas, Socks, Underwear

Toothbrush

Deodorant

Contacts and Solution

Snacks

Phone Charger

1. Clothes

Have 2 to 3 outfits in newborn and 0-3 months sizes.  Your doctor can make an educated guess about how big your baby may be when it is born but they don't actually know.  

If you only want to choose one size, go for the 0-3 month size.

Also, having more than 1 outfit in 1 size is key.  All of my babies had to be changed out of their first outfit since they pooped through it.  So glad I had the backup. 

Cute sleepers like these will keep them cozy for their first outing home.

2. Blankets

Bring 2 receiving blankets like these and a bigger one to cover the car seat if the weather is cold.

The receiving blankets can be rolled up and used as "bumpers" on either side of your baby so they will stay better centered in the car seat.

3. Hat

Your baby was just in a nice, warm, and cozy space for the last 9 months.  Bring a hat or two along that will cover their ears to help keep them warm.

These cute and light baby hats are so nice and wash nicely too.

4. Car Seat

When you are ready to leave the hospital, you will have to show the nurses that you know how to properly put your newborn into their car seat.

This Graco infant car seat will keep your baby incredibly safe and secure.  We used this brand with all 4 of our kids.

5. Burp Clothes

On your way home your newborn baby may spit up, maybe not though.  It is best to be prepared.  

Try out these burp cloths.  They stand up well to constant washing.

Are you planning on allowing guests to visit the hospital?  It is your choice, and do not feel pressured into it. 

For my first baby, I thought I had to.  It turned out that I was so uncomfortable and tired that as soon as the guests started arriving, I wanted them to leave.

By my 4^th baby, I asked to have guests come visit after we got home.  Yes, this meant everyone (except my husband of course).

If you are comfortable with visitors, by all means ask them over.  Even if they don't stay long, it is nice if you bring along a small snack or treat for them.

A few treats that are easy to pack are these individual birthday Cakes, lollipops, and snack box variety pack.