I brought a few bags to the hospital: the diaper bag packed with stuff for the baby (not much!), a duffle bag packed with clothes and toiletries for me and Aaron, and a big gym bag that I called my “spa bag,” stuffed with everything I thought would be useful to get through a natural labor. My “spa bag” held relaxing/calming things – things like my diffuser, essential oils, scalp massager, heating pad, robe, and even a yoga mat.
I didn’t end up using a lot of what I packed. Fortunately, I wasn’t in labor for very long [you can read my full labor story here]. If I were to do it all over again though, I would pack the same exact way, because you never know how long you’ll be in labor for and what you’ll find useful in that time.
Throughout my pregnancy, I had an ongoing list of things I wanted to bring to the hospital with me. I was always jotting ideas down in a notebook when they popped into my head, but I didn’t physically start packing until about 2 weeks before my due date.
Here’s a list of everything I brought, what I used and what I didn’t.
What I Packed In My Hospital Bag[s]
Documents
- Copy of my birth plan – didn’t end up needing because they already had it on file from my previous doctor’s appointment.
- Insurance Card – also didn’t end up needing because they already had on file.
The Basics (Toiletries)
- Toothbrush for me {Used}
- Toothbrush for Aaron {Used}
- Toothpaste {Used}
- Floss {Used}
- Face wash (in a small travel size container) {Used}
- Shampoo & conditioner (also in small travel size container) {Used}
- Body wash (also in small travel size container) {Used}
- Deodorant {Used}
- Hair brush {Used}
- Hair ties {Used}
- Coconut oil {Used} – As moisturizer… the hospital is a dry place!
- Prenatal Vitamins {Used} – It’s important to keep taking these even after baby, and throughout breastfeeding.
- Makeup {Used} – For all the photos.
The Not-So-Basics
All packed in my “spa bag.”
- Cell phone charger {Used}
- Headphones {Not Used}
- Music and meditation playlist on phone {Not Used} – Even though I didn’t use my playlist, I definitely recommend having one ready. A couple weeks before my due date, I started a free 3 month trial of Apple Music, so I was able to download music and save a playlist. I downloaded everything from gangster rap, to country, classic rock, Disney theme songs, and even some guided breathing meditations.
- Essential oil diffuser {Used}
- Essential oils {Used} – Lavender, Grapefruit, Peppermint, and Ylang Ylang. Lavender was the only one I actually used.
- Notebook & pen {Not Used} – I thought I could write to document the experience, and even write a letter to baby. I do wish I did this, but I really had no down time at all. Even after the baby was born, there were always visitors and/or nurses in our room.
- Pregnancy pillow {Not Used}
- Scalp massager {Not Used}
- Heating pad {Not Used}
- Healthy snacks {Used}
- Nursing pillow {Not Used} – I definitely think this is a good thing to bring. I’m not really sure why I didn’t use mine. I think I may have just forgot about even having one. The nurse popped a bed pillow under the baby during a feeding, so that’s just the way I kept doing it.
- Yoga Mat {Not Used} – Certain yoga poses can be great for getting the baby into optimal birthing position [if the little one isn’t already there]. So I brought my mat just in case I had to get on the floor and do some moves.
- Robe {Not Used} – Totally forgot I even brought one, but it would have been much nicer to wear post birth than the hospital gown I had on.
- Flip flops for shower {Used}
- An extra bag for bringing things home {Used} – I took some nasal aspirators from the hospital, baby wipes,* baby blankets (a nice keepsake, plus they work great as burp clothes), lanolin cream, pain relief spray, a peri bottle, and those super cute mesh underwear and pads (wish I took more of these!). The extra bag was also good for bringing home visitor gifts.
*I LOVED the baby wipes from the hospital. They’re dry wipes, so there’s no manufacture chemical solution on them. You just have to wet them with a little bit of water. Great for newborn sensitive skin.
Clothes
- Lots of extra underwear {Used}
- Socks {Not Used} – I lived in the hospital non-slip socks instead.
- 2 nights worth of comfy pajamas for me, with easy access for breastfeeding {Used}
- 2 nights worth of comfy pajamas for Aaron {Used}
- 2 days worth of comfy clothes for me, with easy access for breastfeeding {Used}
- 2 days worth of comfy clothes for Aaron {Used} I definitely didn’t need to pack as much for him because he came home a couple times to take care of the dog, check on the house, shower…
- Sweatshirt for Aaron {Not Used} – Even though it was the middle of summer, I brought a sweatshirt for him just in case I needed the a/c cranking and froze him out.
For Baby
- Swaddle blankets {Used}
- Soft baby blanket {Used}
- Coming home outfit {Used} – Brought a couple different sized outfits because we weren’t sure how big the baby would be.
- Props for photos {Used} – I brought a couple very loose fitting baby bows, cute swaddle blankets, and a letter board. I didn’t end up using the letter board because I somehow forgot all about it.