I learned from experience, during my very first pregnancy, that labor can come at any time and you probably won’t ever be fully prepared until it happens. I started dilating at 27 weeks with my first, so you can imagine the rush of emotions when I was NOWHERE NEAR prepared - and hadn’t even thought of ‘what if’ back then. Ever since, I try to remind myself to start preparing for that moment, early. It’s not hard, keep it simple, but make sure you’re going into that special day - knowing you have what you’re going to need or even want before you can return home with babe.
These are the must-have items I will be packing for myself and Sean, my husband.
- Mommy Bag and Daddy Bag
- Toiletries Bag for Mom and for Dad
- Niche Feeding Pillow
- Hospital socks with grip
- Stylish Water Bottle
- Linen Masks
- Nursing Bras
- Postpartum Underwear
- Refillable Travel Kit
- Airpods
- Frida Mom Postpartum Essentials Kit
- Nipple & Lip Rescue Balm
- USB Charging Hub
- Phone charging cords of different lengths for Apple or Android
- Satin Sleep Set
- Luna Battery Powered Breast Pump
- Loungewear
- Satin Robe
When it comes to packing your hospital bags, try to remember that everything (except your car seat which is mandatory to have and checked by the nurses before you leave) NEEDED to care for you and your baby, the hospital is fully stocked and prepared to have on hand. Everything from diapers to breast pumps and milk storage - they will provide for your stay. Everything in my hospital bag is personal preferences of my own and through past experiences that I feel will make my stay along with babies, smooth sailing. (As much as possible lol)
What I feel is best for my hospital stay, may be completely different than yours. I am personally all about cute pictures and such right after babe is born so I like to pack the essentials to have on hand whenever there is a camera around! I do tend to deliver somewhat early than most, therefore from the experience of not having them, I always like to have a pack of preemie onesies in my baby bag. Along with a few different brand pacifiers just because you never know what your babe will prefer. Let me say this- the hospital will provide you with a pacifier and aspirator…. HANG ON TO THEM WITH ALL YOUR LIFE. Like forever. There is nothing that compares or works the same as those God-given products… My mom even has mine from when I was a baby. (Yeah they are that good lol).
Here are my must-have items to take with me for the baby to the hospital:
- Niche Feeding Pillow
- Itzy Ritzy Diaper Backpack
- Toiletries bag for baby essentials
- Clek Liing Infant Car Seat
- Velveteen Rabbit Blanket
- Swaddling blanket
- Itzy Ritzy Pacifier & Bibs Pacifier
- Ryan and Rose Pacifier Clip
- Swaddling blanket set
- Tye knot sleepers
- Premie Onesies & Newborn Onesies
- Nylon Bows
