What To Pack In Bag For Hospital Delivery: 10 Essentials To Bring

If you’re reading this, you’ve either packed your hospital bag or are just preparing yours. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, keep reading for Mama’s Choice’s very own list of what to pack in bag for hospital delivery!

What is a hospital bag, anyway? It’s a simple yet special bag that contains all the important things that any new parent will need for childbirth and some special items that can help you feel comfortable during your hospital stay.

With a hospital bag’s main purpose being to ensure that you don’t leave behind any essentials when it’s time for you to head to the hospital, it’s ideal to have your hospital bag ready by 36 or 37 weeks.

This is because despite knowing your due date, babies don’t always follow the schedule. And when you have a hospital bag at the ready, you can focus on getting to the hospital safely instead of wasting time packing.

To shortlist the 10 hospital bag essentials, we asked the mamas of Mama’s Choice to share their must-haves! Keep reading to find out what items made the top 10.

What To Pack In Hospital Bag For Delivery? Here are the 10 items you should bring!

1. Comfortable Clothes

Comfortable clothes that are easy to wear are essential. In addition, make sure you have breastfeeding-friendly tops because you’ll spend a lot of time nursing your new baby. Just make sure you also pack a maternity nursing bra so you can stay comfortable while you nurse.

2. Your Toiletries

Childbirth is tough. You’ll get sweaty and feel icky, so make sure you have items to help you freshen up. A soap, deodorant, facial wash, toothpaste, and mouthwash are the top picks of many mamas!

As much as possible, use toiletries that are specially formulated for pregnant or breastfeeding mamas so you can be sure they don’t contain harmful ingredients that are commonly found in your usual hygiene products.

What to bring? Mama’s Choice Non-Fluoride Toothpaste, which contains miswak and does not have an overpowering minty taste.

3. Items for the Baby

The stuff you’ll bring for the baby will probably take the most space in your hospital bag. Here’s a breakdown of what we recommend you bring for your newborn:

4 sets of baby outfits are separated in a transparent bag so it’s easy to spot. Each set comes with a pair of mittens, a bib, socks, a cap, a tie-side top, and pajamas.
1 receiving blanket
2 Muslin blankets
1 hooded towel
1 burp cloth
A pack of diaper
A car seat or infant carrier

Besides these, make sure you have baby care products like a hair and body wash, a diaper cream, and some wet wipes.

4. Nursing Pillow

Make breastfeeding more comfortable with a nursing pillow. Typically arriving in a U shape, it’s designed to support the baby so that you, mama, can relax while your little one nurses. It also frees up your arm so you can update your loved ones on the phone or even have a healthy snack at the same time.

5. Breast Pump

To maintain your breast milk supply, the Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Neonatal Nursing recommends breastfeeding 8-12 times per day. It’s great to bring along a breast pump so that you can stimulate continuous milk production and express milk should your breast feel full and your baby doesn’t want to breastfeed yet.

For your hospital bag, you can go with either a single electric breast pump or keep it practical with a manual breast pump.

6. Postpartum Essentials

After giving birth, it’s normal to experience postpartum bleeding, pain around your stitches (if you had a C-section, and even leaking breast milk. That’s why our mamas recommend bringing a postpartum corset, maternity pads or diapers, and breast pads.

7. Nipple Cream

We’ll be honest with you: the first few hours and days of breastfeeding will hurt. It’s physically painful and mentally exhausting. That’s why it’s simply a must to have a nipple cream that can help you feel more at ease as you start your breastfeeding journey.

Mama’s Choice Intensive Nipple Cream effectively soothes and moisturizes the skin to prevent dryness and chapping. Our nipple cream contains natural ingredients such as date extract, coconut oil, and shea butter. With its food-grade formula, you don’t need to wipe it off too.

8. Healthy Snacks

Food may be the last thing on your mind as you endure labor pains, but as soon as you return from the recovery room, you’ll most likely be starving. As such, save your partner the hassle of heading out to buy snacks by bringing along your favorites. It would be even better to bring snacks that promote breast milk supply too!

9. Your Birth Plan and Other Documents

Besides your birth plan, make sure you stash the important papers you’ll need for a smooth hospital say. These may include your admission form, credit card, marriage certificate, and outpatient visit receipts. Keep these documents in a neat folder so you (or your partner) don’t have to rummage through your hospital bag in panic.

10. Your Nice To Haves

The last must-have is unique to every mama. For mama Angela, it was her portable diffuser so she could feel relaxed in the hospital. Meanwhile, it was a Bluetooth speaker for mama Christina so she could listen to relaxing music and play lullabies for her new baby. And for this author, it was a Kindle.

Think about what would help you feel more at ease and comfortable and bring that along–just make sure it fits in your luggage and can be brought inside the hospital, though.

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We hope you feel more confident as you approach your due date now that we’ve shared what to pack in the hospital bag for delivery. Just a few more reminders for you: after you pack your hospital bag for delivery, keep them in an easy-to-access place. Better yet, keep them in the trunk of your car so you’re always prepared!