Hospital Bag Checklist for Birth

If you’re pregnant and getting ready for labour, read our essential hospital bag checklist for birth. This will help make sure you’re fully equipped and prepared with a hospital bag that contains everything you need for a smooth hospital delivery experience where you are as a comfortable as possible.

As well as a hospital bag checklist for mums, we’ve also included a list of what to pack in the hospital bag for a newborn, as well as ideas for dad’s hospital bag, with suggestions for what your birthing partner could take with them to the hospital.

Hospital Bag Checklist for Mums

When it comes to a hospital bag checklist for mums, you might be wondering what to pack in your hospital bag to cover your time at hospital giving birth and once the baby is here.

Here is a list of hospital bag essentials for you to take with you to the labour and delivery ward, from labour outfits through to the small essentials you might not have thought of.

Something To Give Birth In

You’ll need to pack an outfit to give birth in. Read our post on what to wear during labour for ideas of what to take with you.

Maternity Notes And Your Birth Plan

Your folder of maternity notes from the midwife are a hospital bag essential, so make sure you remember these!

A Couple Of Changes Of Comfortable Clothes, Nightwear And A Dressing Gown

Pack clothes to wear in the hospital that you’ll feel comfortable in. Make sure any nightwear is front-opening or loose-fitting if you're going to breastfeed. It can also help to take slippers or rubber flip-flops, which are good for wearing to the shower.

Socks

While hospitals can be hot, your feet might get cold during labour - so pack socks in your hospital bag.

Big Pants And Maternity Pads

Super-absorbent thick maternity pads are a hospital bag essential, and you’ll need a couple of packs at least. You’ll also need to take several pairs of knickers to wear with them post-birth. Bridget Jones-style big pants are best – you don’t want anything too small or uncomfortable!

Some women choose disposable, absorbent pants instead, or take a mix of both.

Nursing Bras And Breast Pads

If you’re planning on breastfeeding, take nursing bras with you in your hospital bag. Even if you’re not, make sure you have soft and comfortable bras to wear post-birth. Pack absorbent breast pads in your bag, too – you can buy disposable ones or reusable pads.

Tens Machine

A Tens machine can help with pain relief, so make sure you pack this if you’re planning on using one during labour.

Labour Snacks

Take some high-energy snacks for during labour in your hospital bag, as well as food for when you've given birth. Good snacks for labour could include cereal bars, sweets or chocolate, nuts, almonds and dried fruit or even dextrose tablets.

A Water Bottle

A sports top water bottle or one with a straw is useful to pack in your hospital bag for during labour, and it will also be handy when you're breastfeeding and have no free hands.

Toiletries

Remember to take add any medication and toiletries you’ll need for an overnight stay to your hospital bag checklist, including a toothbrush, deodorant and nice shower gel for the first post-baby shower, and make-up if you want. Wet wipes can be useful.

A Phone Charger

Make sure you remember to pack a phone charger! A long charging cable can be helpful as hospital beds are often a distance from the wall plug.

Things To Help You Relax

When it comes to what to pack in your hospital bag for labour, it can help to have things that will help you relax. Prepare a labour playlist on your phone, and download anything that could help you relax, like podcasts. You could even pack portable Bluetooth speakers with you to the hospital. As you may be hanging round for a while, some light reading, like a magazine, might be useful.

Your Own Pillow

While the hospital will provide you with a pillow, you might feel more comfortable taking your own in your hospital bag for birth.

A Portable Fan

A portable fan will help keep you cool during labour, so it’s an item you might want to consider adding to your hospital bag.

Your Own Towel

The hospital won’t provide a towel, so remember to pack your own in your bag.

And Two Small Essential Items

Remember a hair band or hair clip to tie your hair up during labour. And a maternity hospital bag essential? Your lips can get dry in the hospital air, so pack lip balm.

What to Pack in Hospital Bag for Newborn

There are several essential items that you’ll need to take for when the baby arrives. It can also help to have a separate bag for your baby, so you know where everything is as soon as they are here.

Here is a suggested checklist for your newborn hospital bag, and what to pack in your baby’s hospital bag:

1. Take a couple of changes of bodysuits, vests, and sleepsuits. It can help to have a couple of different sizes as back-ups, as newborns can be smaller or bigger than you expect
2. A baby hat, scratch mittens, and socks if you don’t have babygros with these incorporated
3. A baby blanket for the hospital if you’d rather take your own
4. An outfit to take the baby home in, including a snowsuit if the weather is cold
5. Newborn nappies, cotton wool or wipes and muslin squares
6. A newborn car seat – this is a newborn hospital bag essential, as you’ll need this for the trip home.

Dad Hospital Bag Or Partner Hospital Bag

Remember to get your partner to pack a dad hospital bag too, containing all the items the father-to-be, your partner or your birthing partner should take with them to the hospital to keep them comfortable during labour.

Suggested items to pack in a hospital bag for your partner include:

1. A couple of spare changes of clothes – you might be in for longer than you think!
2. Phone charger
3. Snacks or drinks for them
4. Any medication or toiletries they will need to freshen up e.g. toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant
5. Camera and battery
6. Change for the car park and vending machine

Pregnacare Post-Natal Supplements Range

If you’ve taken Pregnacare throughout your pregnancy, did you know our Pregnacare range includes products for new mums? You can find out more about our Pregnacare postnatal and breastfeeding vitamins.

Make sure you read our posts on:

What to expect from a hospital birth, birth centre birth, home birth and C-section birth

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