Packing your Hospital Bag

Watching endless YouTube videos on ‘What’s in my Hospital Bag’ was a massive guilty pleasure for me in both of my pregnancies. There’s something about getting that job done that officially means you are prepared and ready for the arrival of your baby which comes with such a buzz and so much excitement. 

It’s important to pack a hospital bag even if you are planning to birth at home, so you have everything available should you need to transfer to the hospital for any reason. I recommend making sure the hospital bag is packed and ready to go by 36 weeks, with a note on top of any bits you need to pop in last minute. 

I think there’s a kind of standard list which I’ll run through but also some useful additional extras. I’ve created the list to accommodate a 2-day hospital stay, as this should cover the vast majority of people. If you need to stay longer you may need a friend or birth partner to bring some extras in for you. 

For inside the main bag I, personally, love a packing cube – they are great for organising and labelling everything and keeping it really neat, they’re not essential though and a couple of toiletries bags to separate bits would work just as well. I’m going to split into categories for ease. 

ESSENTIALS 

• Hospital Notes 

• Change for the Hospital Car Park/Vending Machine (most things are card these days anyway, but you never know)

• Birth Plan 

• Any Medication you’re taking

FOR BIRTHING PERSON

• Loose fitting Nightie/T-Shirt x1 (for labour, to comfortably move around in)

• Nightie/Pajamas x2 (for after birth, Ideally front opening)

• Loose fitting, comfortable outfit for going home x1

• Thin, non bulky dressing gown (not essential)

• Slippers/ Flip-Flops

• Nursing Bra (omit if bottle feeding) & Breast Pads 

• Socks x2

• Big Pants x4 – I’d go for full coverage and a couple of sizes bigger than normal 

• Pads – Night-time pads with wings are the best, 1 pack is enough. 

• Toiletries – Get minis if you can to save space if you can (I think you only really need body wash, toothpaste/toothbrush and deodorant but you may also want shampoo/conditioner, body spray and skincare products, Hairbrush). 

• Phone and Charger/Tablet 

SEPARATE LABOUR BAG 

Most of these, although not all, will be useful in any type of birth. You can put essential oils on a cotton wool ball and tape to the top of your gown, for example, if you have a caesarean.  

I used a second toiletry bag for this and found it really useful as a grab bag for my partner that held of all of the things I might want for Labour

• TENS Machine 

• Paracetamol 

• Affirmations 

• Massage Oil 

• Essential Oils (I’d recommend one or two, not the whole lot)

• Lavender and frankincense are great for relaxing vibes 

• Mandarin is brilliant if you’re needing a bit of a boost and are feeling a bit tried and emotional 

• Lemon and peppermint are great to combat Nausea 

• Flannels x2 and a waterproof sandwich bag for storage (Great for a cold compress or festival wash)

• Lip Balm 

• Cooling Spray/Mini Fan

• Hairbands/Clips

• Headphones/Small Bluetooth Speaker 

• Battery operated fairy Lights/LED Tealights 

• Bin Bag – For wet/dirty clothes
  

BIRTH PARTNER 

• Change of Clothes

• Toothbrush/Toothpaste 

• Mini deodorant/body spray 

• Phone and Charger

• Headphones 
  

FOR BABY

Newborn clothes really will fit the majority of babies, so don’t worry about taking multiple sizes of clothes. They might be slightly big on a 6lb baby and a big snug on a 10lb baby but It’s not worth packing loads of outfits in multiple sizes. 

• Nappies x 8

• Baby Vests in Newborn Size x3 

• Baby Grows In Newborn Size x3

• Baby Vest 0-1 Month x1

• Baby Grow 0-1 Month x1

• Baby Hat x2 

• Baby Blanket x1 

• Muslin Cloth x2 

• Snowsuit if it’s Cold

• Pre-prepared formula and bottle if you’re planning to bottle feed

SNACKS 

• This is obviously personal preference, I find fruit and sweets are usually the only things women want to eat in labour, but you never know! It’s also a really good idea to get snacks for after birth and for your birth partner. 

• A small squeezy squash bottle and a couple of bottles of non-fizzy Lucozade can also be great additions. 

• Mints or Chewing Gum can also be great to have to hand. 

THE CAR 

• I’d put a pillow in your car so its there if you need it, it can be nice to have, particularly after birth. 

• If you are planning to breastfeed it might also be useful to pack a nursing pillow and leave it in the car. 

• Knowing how to fit and use your car seat is really important, so make sure you know how it all works and have done a trial run prior to the day. 

I appreciate this is quite an extensive list, but most things are small and overall, it should fit into a holdall or small/medium sized suitcase. I find it better not to take multiple bags. If you can fit everything into one bag that is best and it makes moving around and transportation between wards much easier. 

Good Luck, and Happy Packing 😊