Everything I Actually Used from My Hospital Bag
As a chronically Type-A overpreparer, I was bound to overpack for the hospital prior to having our son - but as it turns out, my painstaking tendencies actually came in handy. When I was packing our hospital bags a few weeks before my due date, I had no idea that a) my son would be gracing us with his presence Earthside a week early, or b) that it would take a couple of days of labor for him to do so, resulting in three additional recovery days in the hospital.
There were a handful of things that I packed that we didn’t end up needing during our hospital stay - but when it came to the things that we did need, I was grateful that we went in prepared. This is a list of what we used the most from our hospital bags - and if you’re in the process of building your own, I hope you find it useful!
Insurance Card, paperwork, and birth plan: These were the first things to go into my husband’s bag, since I thought it would be better for him to have access to them rather than digging through my stuff for them while I was in labor. This ended up being a great decision because after my epidural and subsequent emergency c-section, I was in no state to locate paperwork for the first few hours after giving birth.
Comfortable clothes: I bought myself this set a few weeks before I gave birth and when I tell you I lived in it for most of the hospital stay, I’m being serious. Those wrap dresses with the opening? Didn’t use a single one (this may have had to do with the fact that it was the dead of winter) - I know they work for some folks but I wasn’t one of them. It’s very important to feel as comfortable as possible in those first few days, and having a matching set made me feel a tad more put together.
A comfy robe: This might have been one of the best and most used items that I brought with me to the hospital. All of our nurses told me it was a great idea and it did make me feel a lot more comfortable in a space that really isn’t that comfy (and while I was recovering from my labor and c-section). This one is pretty close to the one I bought myself, and once we came home from the hospital, I washed it immediately and then proceeded to wear it for the next three months.
Extra long phone charging cords: These came in very handy, particularly once we realized that my labor and recovery were going to take more than a couple of days. We threw a couple of these in my husband’s bag as well, and when we got home I put one of them in the nursery so I could charge my phone when feeding the baby or racking him before sleep.
Weighted blanket: We packed this in my husband’s bag and were very glad we brought it with us. We took turns using it for naps during our stay and it definitely improved the little sleep we got at the hospital!
Nipple butter: Anyone who’s breastfed before knows how rough those first few days are while you’re still adjusting to it. This was really helpful for me to have on hand, and I think I went through three or four containers in the first few months postpartum when I started pumping as well.
And here’s a brief list of some other essentials:
Toothbrush, toothpaste and toiletries
A good hand cream - this one’s my favorite
Dry shampoo - I’ve got dark brown hair, so this is the one I use
Slippers
Flip flops for the shower - After the hospital, these slippers got a second life as my shower flip flops when I went to the gym
Newborn outfits for the baby (I highly recommend bringing 3-4)
Extra bags to pack up all the extra stuff in the hospital room: This will hit different once you’ve gotten that hospital bill back, but since you paid for everything that comes in your hospital room, you’re entitled to take as much as you want.