Minimalist Hospital Bag Packing List

Everything I packed in my hospital bag

Woohooo!! The time to pack your hospital bag has come! My husband and I packed the bag around 36-37 weeks. The last thing I wanted to do was pack the bag in labor and worry about forgetting something.

Also the last two weeks of pregnancy I had stopped working and desperately needed a task to complete each day to pass the time!

As a first time mom I read a lot of blog posts and Instagram whatevers to create a list for what I thought I would want- and I have to say, I used everything in the bag!

Now, my list is definitely minimalist compared to some others, I went for the necessities and a few extras. I also tend to be a light packer on trips so it wasn’t difficult for me to really pair the bag down to essentials only.

Let me also add this disclaimer: I had an unmedicated hospital birth attended by a midwife, doula, and my husband. I didn’t require stitches and had only one small internal tear that didn’t give me any trouble. This absolutely impacted my recovery and had things not gone this way, I might have wished I brought other items. You do you!

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Here is everything I packed in my bag! Which was a single carryon suitcase we already had. While this might be a special trip- I absolutely felt zero need to buy a new bag as some posts might encourage you to do!

Baby:

1. One going home outfit

2. Velcro swaddle - I packed this one!

3. Traditional swaddle - Even at home I preferred swaddle blankets with stretch over muslin ones

4. Booties, bonnet and hat for pictures

THAT IS IT! Baby was in a diaper and swaddled our entire hospital stay for easy skin to skin and diaper changes. The hospital provided diapers, wipes, burp cloths, everything a baby could need. Double check with your provider or hospital if you’re worried they won’t have any of these items; but I think you’ll find most do. When we left we grabbed a keepsake swaddle and the remaining diapers and wipes we had in our room.

I very much appreciated the velco swaddle. I had cared for an infant during my entire pregnancy (she was born when I was just 7 week along!), because of this I knew how to swaddle.

My husband, however, did not. Even after a quick demo done by the nurses, my husband preferred using the velcro swaddle. It was super easy to use, and quick!

Mom:

1. Going home outfit- I opted for a one piece romper that was actually a PJ from Old Navy. It was black and stretchy, easy to breastfeed in, and I could lounge around at home and be totally comfortable once getting home. I opted for a romper so I would have to worry about incision soreness if I had to have a c-section or discomfort in a thick waistband.

2. 1 pair of PJ pants- I was in the hospital three nights. The first night I was laboring all night. The second and third were after delivery. I showered a few hours after I delivered baby and put on one pair of PJ pants and I think I had them on the rest of my stay. You’re in bed for most of the stay so a nightgown, Winnie the Pooh style, or loose pj pants are really all you need.

3.1 PJ top- I packed one PJ top that gave easy access for breastfeeding and was soft and comfy. I didn’t feel the need to change my top, I might have had an extra in there- but I know I didn’t use it if I did.

4. If you plan to breastfeed pack a nursing bra or two- I was wearing nursing bras for most of my pregnancy, I brought one or two to wear during my stay and going home.

5. Toiletries- I bought a two pack of toothbrushes, travel toothpaste, travel face wash, moisturizer, and travel deodorant for the hospital bag. I personally didn’t want to worry about packing anything when the time came and this worked well for us. I am not a makeup wearer and wasn’t offended at the thought of using hospital provided soap in the shower- but you may want to pack these things!

6. Chapstick- now I was so confused as to why this was on everyone’s list. Let me tell you- my lips were PARCHED. The air was dry, but more impactful, I was doing a ton of mouth breathing and it dried me out! It took me probably a full week to recover and I had used chapstick in labor. Don’t pass on this- especially if you plan to labor unmedicated at all.

7. Phone charger! Some people also bring a sound machine because of hospital noises, I didn’t bring one but I did play white noise while I slept from a Spotify playlist! Less to pack and it did the job just fine.

8. Pillow- I am a whore for a good pillow so I brought mine from home! I had zero regrets about this. My husband also brought his.

9. Boppy- I brought my Boppy but left it in the car. I ended up not bringing it into the hospital at all, but next go round I probably would.

I instead layering pillows up under the baby when I fed him. Why did I do this? Maybe I was being kind and didn’t want to make my husband walk to quarter mile to the car for the pillow.

Even if you don’t plan to breastfeed I loved having a boppy those first few weeks. It was great to snuggle with baby on the couch or in bed.

For breastfeeding support though, I have to say I did prefer the My Breast Friend pillow. It has a buckle you put around yourself that keeps the pillow in place. Jude tended to fall between the Boppy and my body.

The Boppy pillow is great for tummy time, supported sitting, and elevated laying though, where My Breast Friend isn't as conducive. I am less is more, so if we have other babies, I would still stick with the Boppy!

Bonus- I delivered in summer and the shoes I wore to the hospital I wore so that I could also shower in them if I wanted. You may want to throw a pair of flip flops in your bag for this.

This was all I brought for me and it worked out great! Had everything I needed, and didn’t need anything else- except for a hair tie. A kind nurse found me one when I had lost mine.

Dad:

Dad was in charge of his portion of the bag, he brought some underwear, a change of clothes, a set of sweats and shower shoes. He considered a bathing suit but tubs weren’t available at our hospital at that time so he decided against it. I did labor in the shower, but the shower head was removable so it was positioned just on my back and my labor support person was able to help me without getting wet!

Labor:

I also packed a few things in a pocket of the bag just for labor. I put these items in an outer zipper pocket so they were accessible and easy to find.

1. Two tennis balls

2. Large sock to hold tennis ball if needed

3. Print outs of labor positions and pain management techniques for my husband to use (remember I went unmedicated so he used these a lot to help me change things up or try to get some relief)

4. Snacks!! I went for high sugar snacks for an energy boost and then some favorites too!

5. Print out of my affirmations. I didn’t want to spend money on any cards- so I looked online and found some birth affirmations that resonated with me and printed them out to bring. I also taped this paper to my bathroom mirror the last two months of my pregnancy and would read through them while I brushed my teeth each day.

That folks is all I brought! I will say that I wish I had brought a tens unit- but I couldn’t find ours to bring it!

I packed the bag and then we popped it in the trunk of the car so it was ready to go whenever we needed it. I loved this because when it was go time we each grabbed a pillow and got in the car!

I also had put a beach towel in the car with the bag so I could sit on it for the drive just in case my water broke.

I am a planner and like to have my ducks in a row- my husband and I are also a one car family, he would drop me off at work and then head to his own job. In the event I went into labor at work we didn’t want to have to drive back home to get the bag and then drive past both of our job sites to get to the hospital.

I am sure a seasoned mom would tell you that it was unnecessary, and it was- but if we have another baby I would absolutely do it again!