What's in my Hospital Bag | Preparing for Baby Girl | Cincinnati Fresh 48 Photographer
It’s round three of preparing a hospital bag for our baby girl who could make her arrival anytime in the next couple of weeks! As I’m getting prepared, I decided to put together a checklist of everything I bring along to my deliveries for any of you starting to think about your own hospital bag!
The first thing you should know as you are planning for your delivery & thinking ahead to packing a hospital bag is this: you don’t need to pack anything.
Yep, that’s right. If you’re lucky enough to have the time to prep, then this blog post is for you. But as a NICU nurse for 10 years, I can promise you that babies have a mind of their own and plans don’t always work out how we picture them in our head. So because it’s possible you may find yourself in a sudden delivery situation or unable to pack a bag for various other reasons, I just want to assure you that you’re going to be just fine.
You will be supplied with absolutely everything you need at the hospital whether you pack a hospital bag or not.
Well, I guess almost everything. You will need a car seat. So if you’re unprepared in that area, have a family or friend bring you one when you’re close to discharge. You can also have someone quickly throw together a bag of clothes for you & baby or whatever things you specifically ask for from home after you find yourself admitted to the hospital.
Otherwise, general toiletries, mesh underwear, (😉) diapers, wipes, pumping materials, formula, etc. will all be provided for you at the hospital. Heck, we nurses are known to stock you up on ALL the things and will definitely send you home with hospital bags full of goodies.
All that said, what you find below is a list of things I like to put in my hospital bag as I’m preparing for delivery! We currently have a newly turned two-year-old, an almost one year old & a little girl coming any moment so I’d say I’ve spent quite a bit of time in a delivery room in the last two years… yes you read that correctly 😂
So without further ado, scroll on down to find out everything I pack in my hospital bag!
what’s in my hospital bag?
must-have’s for mama, toiletries & snacks of course
hair ties, a hair clip, a hair brush & a headband… most of us won’t be delivering with freshly showered or curled hair so it’s nice to have options 😉
travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, deodorant & my hair dryer… I love to be able to take a shower after delivery (sometimes you won’t be able to depending on how delivery goes) but if you’re able, this post-delivery shower is glorious. Don’t get me wrong, you barely fit in the teeny tiny shower, you are still bleeding everywhere & you are super sore BUT it’s a game changer to wash your body and hair with non-hospital products if you can. I don’t wait until I get home to do this, it is SO worth the effort to feel fresh and clean after another human being exits your body
chapstick, chapstick, chapstick… did I say that enough? this is an absolute essential for pretty much everywhere I go in life, but for whatever reason the dry air of the hospital can really wreck my lips *** if you do find yourself with super dry lips and desperately need some relief, let your nurse know… lanolin cream (used for your nipples with breastfeeding, can be a good temporary option or Aquaphor from the nursery)
homemade trail mix, granola bars & other miscellaneous snacks *these particularly come in handy when you get hungry in the middle of the night (ahem, my husband) or if you’re lucky enough to be able to snack here and there before you’re cut off & have to have a baby 😂 Believe me, having snacks from home beats anything you’ll find on the unit or in the vending machine when the cafeteria is closed at night
a small baggy of my essential makeup things (moisturizer, mascara & eyeliner)
fuzzy socks, comfy sweater, slippers & a new set of pj’s *** I started this tradition with the delivery of my firstborn, Leo, and I love treating myself to something new and comfy to wear at the hospital. It’s also really special to now wear those pj’s and remember they were “Leo’s birth pj’s” or “Noah’s birth pj’s”. All of a sudden those articles of clothing have incredible stories to tell.
and speaking of clothing, I’ll usually wear something comfortable & loose fitting into the hospital (think maternity leggings and a comfy t-shirt) and then pack one additional set of similar clothes for when discharge comes around
sports bra or breastfeeding pumping bra/top if you’re planning to breastfeed!
a pillow from home… makes you feel a bit more comfortable sleeping in the hospital bed I promise
my kindle & my go-to motherhood book, Risen Motherhood. I absolutely adore the chapter on Motherhood and our birth experiences. It is such a beautiful chapter to ponder and meditate on both in the weeks/months leading up to birth and also while I’m at the hospital before or after delivery. A gentle reminder for Christian mamas about the vulnerability of birth and the power of our God.
all the special things for your new little one
sleep sack (halo sleep sacks are my favorite... I’ve tried them all)
going home outfit
baby outfit x 2
a special lotion I’ve used with all my babies that brings back all the nostalgic feels. I’m sure when I smell this lotion 30 years from now, I’ll probably ball my eyes out
two baby blankets/swaddles as well as a thicker blanket to cover her in the car seat when we’re discharged (since she’s a winter baby)
bows of course and a winter knitted hat & botties that both boys also wore at the hospital
miscellaneous knickknacks such as a mini announcement board, a stuffed animal or some lovies
pacifier if you have a specific brand to use (the hospital will give you plenty so this isn’t a necessity)
bottle or pumping materials if you want to bring your own (again, you don’t need to do this… I cannot medically breastfeed so I generally pack one Dr. Brown bottle in my bag & don’t have to worry about any of the pumping materials)
memory making materials
my bible with a specific bible verse picked out for our new little one. we always make sure to ink their footprint over the specific verse we’ve chosen for them
one baby book for her daddy to read to her on the night/day she is born
pictures of those we love and the women who have birthed before me to line up on the windowsill
all the camera things, which should surprise absolutely no one 😂
miscellaneous extras
Bluetooth speaker to play music during delivery
portable, travel white noise machine (both for us and for the baby, as it helps us get a little bit of decent sleep if we’re lucky!)
a Christmas outfit just in case we find ourselves with a Christmas baby
one of our personal computers *** Zach and I love being able to pull up our favorite shows while we order takeout someplace special after I deliver. We like to treat it as a little date and sneakily enjoy a little celebratory drink courtesy of my mama who smuggles in a mini champagne bottle tucked into a baby gift bag
phone chargers
affirmation materials or prayer materials if this is something you plan to use (usually my husband just reads scripture for me 😂)
any gifts you plan to give to the hospital staff… we generally order in bagels and coffee for the staff after we’ve delivered but I know some families do goodie bags, homemade cookies etc.
Hopefully this list is helpful for you as you start preparing for your delivery and the arrival of your little one! If you’re an experienced mama and have other things you’d recommend, comment below! I’d love to know what other mom’s are packing!