The nursery is decorated, and the tiny clothes are hung with the cutest little hangers. Nesting has hit you full force and you have found yourself scrubbing the toilet at 4 a.m. Baby will soon be here! One of the last tasks to prepare for is packing the hospital bag that will sit by the door in anxious anticipation.
My due date was February 18th and I had packed and unpacked my hospital bags no fewer than five times by New Year’s. How many outfits might the baby need? How many outfits might I need? And don’t forget Daddy! I scoured the Internet and social media for all the tips on what not to forget and I am happy to now share what I packed, and what I actually used!
About me: I am a first-time mom, in my early 30s. My due date was in the winter in Colorado so I packed for cold weather. I delivered at UCHealth Memorial North Hospital in Colorado Springs and stayed overnight for 3 nights. I packed my stuff into two bags so that I knew exactly where everything was. One for me, and one for the baby. My husband was responsible for his own packing.
For Mom:
- Slippers and comfy socks
- I wore two pairs of socks when I was in labor because my feet were freezing!
- My feet also got extremely swollen after delivery and I could barely fit even my slippers so bring roomy slippers if you can.
- A comfortable robe
- 2 nursing bras
- Nursing tank top
- I loved these from Amazon
- Nightgown
- Nursing and skin-to-skin accessible. Although I honestly only wore it when we had visitors. Otherwise, I just wore my robe.
- Phone charger with a long cord
- Small Bluetooth speaker
- I had plans to listen to music while in labor but that didn’t happen. I probably wouldn’t bring one again next time.
- Card game
- I was in labor at the hospital from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. and we actually did play Phase 10.
- Frida Mom Postpartum Recovery Kit
- I knew that the hospital provided postpartum supplies, but I still brought my own in case. The only thing I used from this kit at the hospital was the peri bottle.
- Granny panties
- I didn’t use any of these. Just wear the hospital-provided disposable underwear.
- Big water bottle
- Chapstick
- Laptop for watching movies
- Copies of important documents
- I printed a resource from work about who to contact to start maternity leave and add the baby to our health insurance.
- Going-home outfit
- I packed a nursing top and a pair of jogger pants.
- Normal toiletries
- Body wash, shampoo, conditioner, skincare, hairbrush
- I brought makeup that I did not use
For baby:
- Going home outfit
- Hat & mittens
- Booties
- Swaddle blanket for pictures
- Newborn-sized onesie
- 0–3-month sized onesie
- Boppy breastfeeding pillow
- Infant car seat
- Baby blanket
Things I forgot or wished were on my hospital packing list:
- Medication that I take daily. Fortunately, they had my prescription on file and gave me my daily medicine for the few days I stayed at the hospital.
- Sleeping bag for my husband. The hospital bed/couch in the room was rock hard and right by the window so it got very cold at night.
- My own pillow
- Nipple cream
- Haaka breast pump
- Velcro swaddle
- I actually did bring a velcro swaddle, but it was too big for my 6lb baby. This is the one I wish I had brought.
I was extremely fortunate to deliver my baby at the hospital where my husband works as an anesthetist, so I had a lot of insider knowledge on what to expect during my stay. We also only live 12 minutes from the hospital so I knew if there was anything I forgot my husband could run home and grab it. Now that the newborn fog has lifted and I reflect on my labor and delivery experience, I feel that I was as packed and prepared as I could have been. I hope this list helps you feel the same!