If you’re in the home stretch like me, it’s time to start thinking about heading off to the hospital soon! The baby’s room is all set up, the car seat has been installed and you’re all stocked up with diapers and supplies! It’s time to do that last step, getting the hospital bags packed! If you do a quick search on Pinterest or google you will find plenty of packing list for the hospital! Some are extensive, some are cute printables, but all might have you wondering, do I really need all this stuff?!
Since it’s been six years since I had my first, I wanted to see what other moms thought! So, I took this question to the people (aka facebook) to see what other moms thought of as their hospital bag “must haves.” I wanted to know what each person’s unique “must haves” were, besides the general things every list recommends. I got a lot of responses from bloggers and facebook friends alike, many with items you may not have thought of to pack!
What was one thing you would recommend as a “must have” to pack in your hospital bag for labor & delivery?
“Robe, nursing bra, loose fitting lounge pants, dry shampoo, face wipes, lanolin or nipple butter, extra long cell phone charging cable” -Sarah, sweetmiles.com
“The one thing I needed most was my own pillow from home!!” -Bethany, mycaffeinatedchaos.com
“Chapstick and LOOSE fitting clothing for you, cute but comfy outfits for baby.” -Kara, borrowedblessings.net
“Word search book, because all of my babies were born pre-smart phone! Also snacks, boppy and a baby book to write in.” -Michelle, ourthreepeas.com
“Super comfy maternity sweatpants. Especially if you’re going to have a C-section. And a robe that can easily open for those extra long nursing sessions and easier skin to skin interaction!” -Lauren
“My husband needs 100 snacks packed because he gets hungry during labor and I need his help so he can’t leave” -Caitlin, www.realmomrecs.com
“Slippers! Freezing floors and those hospital socks are always one-size-fits none.” -Nina
“The one thing I remember appreciating was my bluetooth speaker. I’d created playlists in advance.” -Shelly
“Ear plugs! Might as well get some sleep while the baby is in the nursery and the hospital isn’t exactly quiet. I slept with mine both nights and I must’ve really missed a lot cause someone actually wrote in my chart “hard of hearing”!” -Dara
“Your own panties and pads. Those mesh hospital panties and ginormous pads are awful!!!” -Shelly, xoxoShelly.com
“Fuzzy socks. Hospitals are always freezing, and I hate ugly hospital socks!” -Sammie, downredbuddrive.com
“Multiple sizes of clothes for baby. Both my boys were not the anticipated size. Bring a selection to choose from for dressing baby. Also, this isn’t something to bring, but something to communicate. Tell whoever is with you what pictures you do/do not want.” -Meghan
“Depends !!!!!! They’re way better than pads I think!” -Alexis
“Besides the basic toiletries, my own towel from home (hospital towels are so small and thin).” -Marissa, mommyknowswhatsbest.com
“Candy/treats to keep in the room for the nurses and visitors. Otherwise, I don’t remember bringing or needing anything out of the ordinary.” -Christina
“A presentable shirt for each parent for newborn hospital pics.” -Allison
“Wear home outfit for baby, change of outfit for Mom & Dad, snacks for Mom & Dad, cell phone chargers, and any cameras you plan to use.” -Danielle, gettingfitinma.wordpress.com
“Oh! My own pillow, the ones at the hospital were thin and crinkled from plastic.” -Pam, tracingmytree
“Extra long charger for the 1000s of photos you take.” -Bryannah, healthylittlemama.com
“Before I hit heavy labor with my first, I was just awake and waiting. So I watched “The Office” on Netflix to entertain myself and just lighten the room before the hard part. After 2 completely natural deliveries and no pain meds afterward, I’m a big proponent that with labor and delivery, mindset makes ALL the difference.” -Bekah, purelyunrefined.com
On the other hand, if these tips seem like too much, just keep these last four in mind! You may not need as much as you think!
“I’ve been a labor nurse for many years and I’ve birthed 6! I agree with the minimal approach. My biggest advice is bring only your immediate necessities into the labor room… If you want footprints bring your baby book! We can also footprint dads shirt or whatever you choose (just ask).” -Tricia, habibihouse.net
“When my first was born we weren’t sure if I was in labor but she came so quickly – all I brought was a pair of fuzzy socks. I hate cold feet!” -Julie
“My contrarian view to “hospital packing lists”: You honestly NEED nothing. Nothing! There are absolutely ZERO must haves.The hospital has everything you’re going to need.” -Paige, anuncomplicatedlifeblog.com
“Please don’t bring enough stuff to fill a pack n play!” -Tricia, habibihouse.net
What were your hospital must haves? What was something you brought that you didn’t even need? Share in the comments!
Shop this post! Here’s a few of my own must haves for my hospital bag! (affiliate links ahead!)
