Have you wondered what to pack in your hospital bag — WHEN to pack it and maybe even what NOT to pack for labor and delivery? This hospital bag checklist will give you a free, printable PDF that you can customize for just what YOU need so you just bring the essentials.
What to pack in your hospital bag has a lot of options. you’ll want a printable list for your newborn, for dad and for labor and delivery. This hospital bag list will be very helpful for both vaginal deliveries or a c section.
What to pack in your hospital bag
This post is the cornerstone for my entire what to pack in your hospital bag series. It includes 4 posts:
- Checklist for labor and delivery (that’s this post)
- After the baby bag (this post includes what to bring to the hospital if you have a planned cesarean section)
- What to pack in the diaper bag for the hospital
- What to pack in hospital bag for dad
Your Delivery Bag
The bag, the bag! I’m sure you envision yourself, water broken needing to rush to the hospital with your BAG. Hence, it needs all the essentials. What to pack in my hospital bag is a question everyone has. Since I’m a labor nurse I’m going to share what I’ve seen my patients reach for time and time again as well as stuff for after the baby, a father bag and even a baby bag. I’ll tell you when to bring them and I even include the three most IMPORTANT items that you need close at hand.
Don’t feel like you need to take notes, you can get my free PDF printable straight to your email with what to pack in my hospital bag:
Know just what to bring
Totally free & Printable: Hospital Packing List
Straight to your inbox from a labor & delivery nurse ~ included as part of my pregnancy newsletter.
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Hospital Bag for Delivery:
Here’s what I do recommend to put in your bag for LABOR.
I do recommend separate bags for LABOR and postpartum, as they require different things, and it will keep you from having to paw through your WHOLE bag to find these things. The things in the labor bag will also travel to postpartum as they are super helpful there as well.
Be sure to take a childbirth class well before you pack your back. You can find the one I recommend here.
Hospital bag checklist
1. Chapstick. Have it, tell your husband where it is. You breathe a lot. you need it (this one is my favorite when you’re re-applying it frequently during the day — I also love the smell of EOS – and the balm is pretty decent too).
2. A hair tie. Have it, tell your husband where it is. Unless you’re sportin’ the pixie cut, you’ll want it (these are great when you end up taking them in and out or just letting it stay on your arm or what not).
3. Phone Charger. Whether it’s a great external battery or just a wall plug, you will WANT you phone charged. Most hospitals have loosened up about plugging stuff into the walls (when I started, you coudln’t) but you may want to ask your nurse what plugs you can use. Personally, I’d for SURE keep an external battery charged and on hand as I love mine.
**Those first three things, are SUPER important, be sure that your partner knows where they are so he can grab them when you have a need for one of them. I’d put them in an outside pocket.
5. Slippers, or something to put on your feet. Hospital floors gross me out. I don’t want to go barefoot. These slippers look like they’ll be super comfortable but you won’t cry if you end up getting blood on them and you have to throw them away (total bonus). I would NOT recommend bringing your favorite pair of slippers to the hospital! Unless they’re wipeable, if you know what I mean….
8. A journal. I always furiously write their birth story while in the hospital. It fades ALL too fast. Also, if you’re doing a baby book the hospital might be willing to put the footprints in it for you, as it is a special skill which you most likely do not possess. That Kate Spade journal is SO cute. It SCREAMS to have a birth story written in it! 🙂
Related Post When will I go into labor Quiz
Owlet Baby Monitor is like an extra pair of eyes in the nursery. Check out this post for some owlet limited time offer codes!
9. Anything you’re planning to use to get you through the pain. We have yoga balls, but if you need a focal point or specific music — bring it. You may even get super bored if you have a long induction, no shame to load some movies into your tablet (we love loading up our Fire from videos from Amazon on demand — and it’s WAY cheaper than an ipad).
10. A camera – your good one. Don’t go with the phone here. Get something better. I LOVE my Cannon camera (this one does movies too!). The lens it comes with it fine for hospital shooting (love this lens too — it’s great for low light shooting) and be sure to check out this book if you want to learn how to use your SLR first. But, you can also grab just an awesome point and shoot like this one). I have tons of delivery shooting tips here (guess who used to have a photography business!) 🙂 The pink one pictured is SO cute, but not great for indoor shots, although there’s something about a polaroid…. #socute
11. Your insurance card. I’d send my husband home with my wallet at the first chance, but you’ll need this to register. Most often, they want a copy each time you come. Check out this post for more info on health insurance!
12. Your ID. The need to know that you’re who your insurance card says you are.
When to start packing a hospital bag for labor
I always feel like if I pack my bag, I’ll stop any labor…
Although, I’m guessing that’s not particularly rational….
I recommend you pack your bag around 36 weeks. At least throw in those top things I mention above — you can round out the bag as you get closer to delivery day.
I initially saw a pin about saving money by using the hospital toiletries. I will tell you that we have to give you hospital-grade toiletries. DO not, I repeat, DO NOT come to the hospital expecting to get your toiletries from us, unless you’re talking toilet paper. Or, if you consider sandpaper lotion, because JACHO does. That’s what they want us to give you. You’re welcome (please note the sarcasm font there).
A good rule of thumb is that we will provide everything the baby needs (formula, diapers, wipes, shirts, etc).
We provide very little of what you need. I DO agree with her in that you don’t need a full luggage set to come to the hospital. Most people bring way too much
Don’t forget to check out the other posts about what to bring to the hospital:
- Postpartum bag (this post includes what to bring to the hospital if you have a planned cesarean section)
- What to pack in the diaper bag for the hospital
- What to pack in hospital bag for dad
I HIGHLY recommend taking a tour of the hospital before you deliver. See what they offer as far as snacks, toiletries, etc. I have worked at 3 hospitals so far in 2 different states but we carry basically the same stuff at all of them.
Maybe consider trying this free beginning prenatal class as well:
Get my free beginning childbirth class!
Straight to your inbox, this class will teach you:
- Common third trimester testing
- Common fears (and how to get over them)
- Answer common questions
- Tell you what should bring you into the hospital (or at least a call to your doctor)
For a limited time you can also get the free online coursehere - as part of my pregnancy newsletter.
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What NOT to bring in your hospital bag:
While I am a big believer that you can bring whatever you want…. a few things I recommend you keep at home.
- Weapons. True story — I’ve seen this become a problem.
- Excessive makeup. Unless you’re a diehard makeup wearer you are not likely to want to do a lot of makeup. Throw in some mascara and lip gloss — for sure, but a full face doesn’t usually get done.
And now that we’re done talking bags…. get the printable PDF checklist:
Know just what to bring
Totally free & Printable: Hospital Packing List
Straight to your inbox from a labor & delivery nurse ~ included as part of my pregnancy newsletter.
This also gives your consent to also recieve my newsletters with new or relevent posts ~ unsubscribe/adjust at any time.
This post also gives you another hospital checklist:
Other great “preparing for delivery” posts:
I’m probably the patient you hate! I brought my own pillow and my nursing pillow. I also brought blankets for my girls. I just like mine better! In my defense the nurses kept saying how much they loved the blankets I brought. I do draw the line at baby clothes (aside from a going home outfit) you won’t see them, the baby is wrapped up the while time!
One thing I think could be worth adding would be nipple cream.
Lindsay, at all of my hospitals, we provided a small tube of Lansinoh, but you had to ask for it. I’d agree that nipple cream is VERY important those first days. 🙂
I don’t mind people bringing their own pillows, I always am just worried they’re going to get dirty. 🙂
It’s the OCD in me. 🙂
What would you recommend for a c-section birth? What would be different than the list you provided?
Eliza, that’s a great question — C-section wouldn’t be all that different (as 30% of all people have C-sections, many unplanned you do need to come ready for whatever comes). I would DEFINITELY want toiletries and hair stuff with a c-section, and I’d probably want pants by day 3. I’d mostly want chapstick and a hair tie though. 🙂
Eliza, there isn’t much of a difference in the necessities you will need. I would recommend bringing your nursing pillow though. It’s much easier to nurse and use your pillow as a buffer against that incision that WILL be uncomfortable. I always found the hospital pillows a little too soft. Good luck! -Jenna (L&D nurse and 3 time C-section survivor)
Good point Jenna.
I just HATE cleaning my boppy cover. Maybe that’s why I’m against bringing it.
Annoucement: Hilary is lazy. 🙂
Hah this made me laugh, because they don’t tell you these things before. I am getting ready to have baby #4 in 5 weeks via c-section, and it is a good reminder of what to bring, because you do forget! Thanks for posting!
For c-sections I do suggest bringing the nursing pillow. It was a comfort and made nursing much easier. I have a cover for mine, so if it does get dirty you can have someone throw it in the wash when you get home.
I have to say, you could have just written this article from your own experience, rather than trying to refute someone else’s. She said in her article “in my experience”.
Something I have noticed in all of the research for my first child is this: no two hospitals do things the same exact way or provide the same exact supplies.
Otherwise, great advice.
Brian, you are probably right. I write it in a huff after reading her piece. BUT, I have had babies at 3 hospitals, and I’ve delivered as a nurse at 3 other ones. Every. single. one. provides the same, sad toiletries….
Hilary, thanks so much for the info. & humor…I am passing onto my daughter, as she will deliver in about 10 weeks…1st grandbaby!!!
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Thanks Deebi27!
It’s one of the questions I get asked most frequently!
The one thing that I suggest to all new mom’s to bring with them are some Depends! I read it as a suggestion on some internet list before I had #3, and oh my, SO MUCH BETTER then those gauze underwear! I was much more comfortable/confident to move around a little without fear of making a bloody mess! Expecting # 4 in May and I already have the depends packed (and no extra laundry to bring home is a plus ;o).
The one thing that I suggest to all new mom’s to bring with them are some Depends! I read it as a suggestion on some internet list before I had #3, and oh my, SO MUCH BETTER then those gauze underwear! I was much more comfortable/confident to move around a little without fear of making a bloody mess! Expecting # 4 in May and I already have the depends packed (and no extra laundry to bring home is a plus ;o).
it’s true the gauze undies are a wonder of creation. BUT, depends are kind of pricey, aren’t they? I must say my current hospital is great with pads. We have really big ones that help prevent accidents. Other hospitals only had the elastic band with the clips that our moms wore in 1950, so that might be something to ask about on your tour. 🙂
This was the most realistic and honest “hospital bag” list I have read to date. The only thing I could add is don’t actually bring the bag into the hospital until you are moved into the postpartum room. With my second only thing i’m walking into the hospital with, to labor and deliver, is the cored blood box and my regularly packed purse (I always hair ties floating around the bottom, my phone, and some kind of chapstick, vending machine money). You just won’t need it until baby and you are settled into your room.
I agree, if you have something for your hair and chapstick — you can survive fairly nicely in labor. 🙂
I love your humor add-ins Hillary! The only other thing I would add is what NOT to bring…like your jewelry. Something you just don’t think of for the pieces you never take off. One less thing to think of. Now, do you have a list of what to bring someone when you are visiting them in the hospital? 😉 Let’s make some REALLY nice suggestions there! lol Just kidding!
(maybe you do already have that up…I’ll have to blog stalk some more! )
Good point. NO VALUABLES! 🙂
Love love love this!!! This makes me paling my bag so much easier… ftm here so I had no darn idea… thanks so much!!! You rock!!!
I hope it helps!