I am notoriously known for over-packing (what women isn't though, right?!) so I really tried to think practical when I was making my hospital bag packing list. I used the information from some of our baby prep classes combined with a few checklists online and some helpful advice from friends, so hopefully I have all of my bases covered. I will undoubtedly still end up over packing and may even forget a few things, but I feel pretty confident with the items I have.
I am sharing my hospital bag packing list below in case any other mamas are interested. I also thought it might be interesting to update this post after my hospital stay to see what items I actually needed and those that I could have gone without.
Just a side note for any men that may be reading this :: There are some "girly" items listed below. You have been sufficiently warned :)
- Toiletries (basic shower + hygiene necessities...I basically just raided the Target travel section for these items)
- Chapstick (I have had SO many people tell me to bring this, since hospitals can be very, very dry)
- Hard Candy + Gum (again, hospitals are very dry)
- Hair ties (I pretty much always have one on my wrist, but I packed a few extras just in case...there is nothing worse than having hair in your face when you are hot & uncomfortable...I am thinking these will come in handy during labor)
- Nursing bras + breast pads (self explanatory...I also threw in some Lanolin cream)
- Boppy pillow (for nursing)
- Post-delivery clothes (I am STILL debating on whether to bring some comfy pants combined with nursing tank tops or just opting for a button-down nightgown...I suppose I will try to figure this out soon)
- "Going Home" outfit (I packed a pair of comfy yoga pants, a tank top, and lightweight hoodie...I am not trying to win any fashion contests here)
- Underwear + pads ('nuff said. Most mamas reading this will understand why)
- Prenatal vitamins (since I am planning to nurse, these will still be a part of my daily routine)
- Bath towel (this one might seem excessive, but I've been told hospital towels are small & thin, so I threw in one from home just for added comfort)
- Flip Flops (for the shower)
- Fuzzy socks (for walking the halls & staying warm)
- Magazines (for any downtime. I also threw in my breastfeeding book I received from our breastfeeding class...even though I've read through it already, I will no doubt need to reference it once baby is actually here)
- Extra bag for dirty laundry
- Note book + pens (for taking notes and tracking baby's feeding/diaper changing schedule)
- Thank you notes (for any gifts we may receive while in hospital...I figured it couldn't hurt to pack a few of these)
- Cell phone + charger
- Wallet + insurance card (obvious necessities)
- Birth Plan (which I am almost finished writing!)
- Baby Book (we learned on our hospital tour to bring this with us and the nurses will gladly make a duplicate copy of baby's footprints inside the book)
- Wipes (the hospital where I am delivering uses wet "activating" wipes, which I've heard aren't the greatest, so I picked up an extra pack of wipes to use instead)
- Onesies + sleepers (I packed a few of these in NB and 0-3 m. I want to have these just in case)
- "Going Home" outfit
- Hats + mittens + socks
- Receiving blankets + lightweight blanket for car ride home
I also have a small bag packed for Rob as well, as he'll be staying in the hospital overnight with me. Some of his items include: 2 days worth of clothes, pj's, and toiletries. Rob is also in charge of the camera gear :)
Well, there you have it...my hospital bag checklist. I am just about packed...I still have a few of these items to gather up around the house, but hopefully I'll have all 3 of our bags zipped up and ready to go very soon.
What do you think of my list? Am I a crazy over-packer? Or am I missing some obvious necessities?
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