I got to 8 months pregnant before I even thought about my hospital bag, the thought hadn’t entered my head that I needed to have something sorted & sorted soon. What do I need in my hospital bag?! If it wasn’t for a friend at the time, I probably would have gone in completely underprepared & had to call someone to go & get the bits I had forgotten.
The lovely ladies here at ‘The Baby Bag Company’ have come up with such a comprehensive list of bits you need & of course you could always have it done for you by the ladies!
What Do I Need In My Hospital Bag?
#1 Your birth plan, if you have one & of course your maternity notes. – These are so easily forgotten so when it get close to ‘the day’ I highly recommend keeping them in the bag. Birth plan wise if you are stuck have a google or speak to your midwife, if it wasn’t for my Hypnobirthing teacher, I wouldn’t have had a clue what to put in my birth plan.
#2 Bits for baby – Of course, this is an obvious one but what isn’t obvious is that depending on how long you’re in for, you are going to need a fair few spares. Be sure to pack the basics like vests, sleepsuits & depending on the weather mittens & hats. Of course the one thing you will need in a plentiful supply is nappies, I wasn’t quite prepared for the poo-storm that hit when B was first born. Be sure to have plenty just incase! Wipes wise I highly recommend water wipes for when baby is first born, they aren’t the cheap but they are so gentle on babies skin.
#3 Bits for you – Whatever you do! Don’t forget bits for yourself. I didn’t bring nearly enough towels or appropriate clothing. I gave birth in June & was lucky enough to be able to get myself into one of my maxi dresses the day after I had B. I recommend something comfy & loose! Appropriate underwear, my hospital did provide ‘underpants’ that were fabulous for holding the pads in place. I didn’t breastfeed so didn’t have to worry about a nursing bra but if you are planning on breastfeeding then remember nursing bras & breast pads!
I bought a lovely maternity dressing gown from Mothercare so would recommend having a look there for your sleepwear! Can’t be walking around your room or ward in the nudie rudie.
#4 Cleaning products – I couldn’t be without my cleanser & toner so I made sure I packed that along with some basic make-up. I also went out of my way to find non-scented wash products for bathing after I gave birth. I wanted to make sure B got used to my natural scent rather than instantly being over powered by a heavily perfumed body wash. Of course, don’t forget your toothbrush & toothpaste
#5 Phone & charger – We aren’t all lucky enough to have family close, so having a phone & a charger is a must for keeping in contact with those who need to be in the know! Plus its always lovely to get some natural images just after baby is born, I really wish I’d done this!
For the full list of items you need to make sure are in your hospital bag be sure to print off ‘The Baby Bag Company’ hospital checklist viewable here: https://www.thebabybagcompany.com/hospital-checklist/
This is so useful! I blame myself for picking NCT over NHS led maternity prep courses, but I was woefully underprepared. My NCT class came up with the idea of taking champagne to celebrate, so I ended up with nowhere near enough practical stuff, and just a coolbox full of uneaten pork pies and champagne!
My oldest baby has just turned 10, but I remember the days of packing my hospital bag. There was so much in it!! I could have done with this list then 🙂
We all used to use the list in the back of the Mothercare catalogue…
This is a very useful post for pregnant women. I don’t have children and I don’t know if I would have thought of making a bag for the hospital. I see now why it is so useful.
So useful! I found the bag packing so tricky! X
Headphones! I was in for a couple of nights the second baby and the ward was so noisy that headphones for my phone were a lifesaver!
Such brilliant tips. I love that you’ve kept it simple as often people suggest all these things you’ll never need. xx
Such a good list. We forgot our phone charger which was a bit silly as we ended up being in for a lot longer than expected! I like you left my hospital bag to the last minute and then panic bought!
I was the opposite to you! I was ridiculously organised. I must have repacked and unpacked about 50 times! I love seeing what everyone puts in there bags and compare it to what I put in mine. I keep it in mind in case baby number 3 comes along!
This is so useful. I was like you, only I didn’t even pack a bag AT ALL with my first four, I was just so laid back I never even thought about it! With my fifth I finally learnt my lesson but as he was an emergency induction it was only partially packed and my husband had to bring in the rest – I think he forgot all of the important stuff!!
great tips here! Packing the hospital bag is something every new mum panick to! But I think most of us get very casual from the second child onwards 🙂
This is a great list. I spent a long time on google trying to find what to pack to find I still didn’t pack the right things, especially extra clothes. I packed my makeup bag but because I was discharged within a day I didn’t get a chance to use it!
Having had a baby 5 weeks ago this post has taken me back to such an exciting time! I found straws for drinking water during the throws of labour and lip balm were essentials. Gas and Air dried out my lips!
I was so slack about getting my hospital bag sorted each time, leaving it right till the last minute and then not actually needing half that stuff that was in there!
Bits for me and phone charger I guess! I am not a mom haha. I think phone charger is a must for everyone. Can’t do anything without my phone.