Hospital Bag Packing List

Somewhere in the chaos of life with William and trying to keep the blog up-to-date, I completely forgot that I started this post a few months ago. But hey--better late than never!

As a first time mother, packing my hospital bag was a little bit of a daunting task (and one that I put off for many weeks--although thankfully Darrell got on my case to finally get it put together the week before my due date, which was fortunate since William decided to come a few days early). I didn't have a clue what I would need, and while my philosophy is normally to pack everything "just in case", I didn't exactly want to look like I was moving into the hospital. So I consulted my friends. I consulted website after website, list after list. And while I found a few consistent staples, I found a lot of items that some lists swore by and other lists dismissed as completely unnecessary. Helpful, right? After lots of Google searches, I finally found one list that was super helpful. Not because of the items it had on it, but because the writer took the time to explain why those items were (or were not) important to pack.

However, even with all the lists and advice and explanations for why certain items would/would not be needed, I still ended up packing Way.Too.Much. And while I know my experience (and hospital accommodations) is different from what other people will go through, I figured I'd share my two cents on the matter. At the very least, I'll now have my own personal list to reference for the next time I have a baby--and hopefully that time Darrell and I won't need to tote four bags into the hospital for all our stuff (in our defense--one bag was all of Darrell's items because he stayed with me in the hospital the whole time, plus we each had our computer bag. So our load wasn't that ridiculous). So here's a comprehensive list of the items I packed for the hospital--and an explanation as to why I did or didn't need them.


Heavy Flow Sanitary Pads: Sanitary pads are a must if you have a vaginal delivery. However, chances are you won't need to bring your own. Not only did my hospital provide sanitary pads (and brought me more when my initial supply ran out), but the hospital pads they had were much larger than the ones available in stores--and you'll definitely want that extra coverage those first twenty-four hours.
Depends: Because my water broke at home, having Depends on hand was a lifesaver. However, they definitely don't need to be in your hospital bag. Stash a pair in your car, at your office, at home--but no need to take these to the hospital with you.
Nursing Pads: If you had leaking issues prior to delivery, I imagine these are a must. And even if you didn't, I'd still recommend them. Even though your milk probably won't come in before you leave the hospital and you may not have to worry about leaking, those first few days of nursing will leave your nipples pretty tender and it will be nice to have something between them and your bra/shirt.
Coming Home Outfit for Baby: Kind of a necessity. Doesn't have to be anything special, although that decision is up to you.
Outfit for Hospital Website Announcement: I'm not sure if all hospitals do this, but the hospital we used posts pictures of the newborns to their website for people to view (with the parents' permission, of course). While the hospital provided us with a basic, generic outfit for this photo, we opted to bring our own (much cuter) outfit.
3 White Onesies: We only used one of the onesies, and that was to go under William's coming home outfit (thankfully we had packed a long-sleeved onesie; his coming home outfit was shorts and a t-shirt, and that just wasn't going to cut it with temperatures in the thirties). The rest we didn't need; the hospital had clothing to make sure William didn't go naked while he was there.
One sleep gown: Although we did put William into this, it definitely wasn't necessary. The hospital has clothing, and guests probably won't really see what your baby is wearing anyway because he/she will likely be swaddled most of the time.
Lotion: I was an avid lotion-user every day of my pregnancy. But in the hospital? Not so much. Didn't even touch it. Perhaps worth bringing a small amount if you are concerned about dry hands or something, but you probably won't feel up for doing any full-body applications.
Chapstick: Yes. It's been over a week post-partum and my lips still feel chapped. I don't have a clue why, but I was definitely applying chapstick regularly in the hospital.
Pony Tail Holders/Headbands: Again, yes. Our hospital was kind enough to have blow dryers in all the bathrooms in the post-partum wing, but I definitely never used mine (who has the time for that?). I lived in braids and pony tails at the hospital--quick, easy, and still presentable for family and friends. Bobby pins and barrettes are also useful if you have stray pieces that have a mind of their own.
Toiletries (Deodorant, Shampoo, Conditioner, Face Moisturizer): Used them all. Travel sizes are great; you won't need more than that.
Makeup: Stick to your necessities. I realize that is different for everyone, so use your own judgement. I personally never leave the house without mascara on, but could do without most of the other makeup products (although I do wear them regularly). Subsequently, mascara was the only beauty product I used in the hospital. However, if you swear by a fully made-up face, chances are you'll take the time to use all those products in the hospital as well. It's just a matter of preference.
Makeup Remover Towelettes: I was definitely grateful to have these. After laboring all night (with my makeup still on from the previous day), it was nice to be able to do a quick cleanse.
Two Pairs of Sweatpants: I only ended up wearing one of the two pairs, although I suppose if I had gotten that pair dirty I would have been glad to have a second pair. I'd also advise pants looser than traditional yoga pants--you'll probably have a few things stuffed in your underwear and the bulkiness might not be comfortable under slightly tight pants (or shorts).
One T-Shirt: Never pulled this out of my bag because I wanted to wear nursing-friendly shirts. In retrospect, the t-shirt probably would have been more comfortable (see notes for next item for more explanation).
Nursing Bras/Camis/Tops: I way over-packed in this category. I had a regular nursing bra, two "night" nursing bras, a nursing cami, and two nursing-friendly shirts. And what did I do every time I nursed? Stripped down so that I could go skin-to-skin with William. This made the process of learning how to breastfeed easier for both of us, and while it meant we had to ask visitors to step out of the room, we had no qualms about doing that (and our visitors had no issue obliging us). I'd worry more about packing comfortable tops than making sure they are nursing friendly (and definitely pack stuff that has plenty of room for your boobs--they're going to get pretty large!).
Three Nightshirts/Nightgowns: Ha. For starters, why on earth did I think I would need a different nightgown for each night I was in the hospital? I don't even change my pajamas that often at home. And secondly, did I think the hospital was going to let me go naked? Of course not. They have gowns for you there. And while I totally get that you probably want to have something else to wear during the day when you might have visitors, this is night we are talking about. The nurses won't care what you go to bed in. Plus--easy access for nursing!
Four Pairs of Socks: While I didn't do a whole lot of walking around the first day or so, I'm never a fan of going barefoot on public floors (even a hospital floor), so socks were a necessity. An extra pair or two is nice because with some of the leaking that might be going on it won't take much to dirty a pair.
Two Pairs Underwear: There's a few options here. If you are willing to wear the mesh panties that the hospital provides, you really don't need but one pair of your own. If the idea of the mesh panties makes you uncomfortable, you'll probably want a handful of your own pairs, but most likely in a size or two larger than you normally wear. Between a (very) large pad, some ice, and the swelling you'll be experiencing, you'll need plenty of room in your underwear.
Snacks: We did eat through most of the snacks we brought with us, which wasn't a whole lot (a bag of almonds and some craisins). I expected that we'd (well, Darrell) be doing most of the snacking while I was in labor, but with the timing of my labor/delivery (middle of the night), we actually didn't eat anything that night. And we probably didn't need to have it in our hospital room because the hospital did a pretty good job making sure we were well fed, but it was still nice to have a little bit.
Laptop (and charger): This got put to lots of use. Between Skyping with Darrell's family (and my friend in London) and uploading and editing photos, we definitely needed the computer and its charger.
Cell phone (and charger): Definitely a must. Doesn't really need an explanation.
Camera (and charger): Although we used this less than we thought we would, still something I would deem a necesity.
Slippers: I brought my own slippers, plus the hospital provided a pair, and I didn't wear either. I suppose that if I hadn't had the epidural and had been able to walk around during labor, I may have wanted something with more traction than just socks. But as it were, by the time we were in our postpartum room, having a pair of socks on was sufficient (you should know that I don't like wearing my slippers without socks, so by the time I had a pair of socks on it seemed unnecessary to put slippers on as well. If you wear your slippers with bare feet, then I could see how it would be easier just to slip those on instead of fussing with a pair of socks).

In addition to the things we brought into the hospital with us, we also had some stuff stashed in the trunk of our car just in case. And I'm glad we left it in the car because I didn't really miss any of it.

Boppy Pillow: This would probably be the only thing on the list that I would consider bringing into the hospital with me next time. While we didn't have any issue getting comfortable nursing with the pillows in the hospital, it might have been nice to use the pillow I would be using when we got home.
Additional Sanitary Pads: Definitely didn't need.
Towel: While the hospital towels certainly won't win any awards for plush-ness, it was worth it not to have to worry about bleeding on my own towels. Plus I think I used two or three every time I showered, and I definitely wouldn't have wanted to worry about ruining that many of my own personal towels.
Pillows: Again, the hospital pillows certainly won't win any awards for comfort, but they get the job done. And quite frankly, we were so exhausted by the time we'd lie down that we would have slept on a piece of wood. However, if you (and/or your neck/back) are really sensitive about your sleeping arrangements, you may want to consider bringing in your own.
Cough Drops: Didn't need these, but I wasn't much of a screamer during labor. I could definitely see your throat getting sore if you were screaming or talking a lot, though.
Robe: The only robe I own is a large fleece robe, which is certainly nice to have during the South Dakota winters, but it definitely would have been unnecessary in the hospital. It would have been large, bulky, and uncomfortable against my tender boobs, plus I would have been worried about it getting stained. Maybe I'm just too simplistic, but the robes at the hospital were plenty sufficient for me.

I know everyone has a different tolerance for things that make them comfortable, and everyone's hospital probably provides slightly different amenities, but these are the things that did (and didn't) work for me and why. Hopefully there is something on here that helps you decide what to pack in your hospital bag!