The Hospital Bag Checklist I Actually Used (From a Proud Overpacker 🤍)

Packing my hospital bag was one of the first moments where everything started to feel real.

I remember sitting on the floor, surrounded by little piles of things, constantly wondering…
Am I forgetting something? Do I really need this? What do people actually use?

And if you’re anything like me, someone who leans a little overprepared, having real lists from other moms made all the difference. So when someone recently asked me for mine, I knew I wanted to put this all in one place for you 🤍

This isn’t just a checklist… it’s what I actually packed. Shout out to my husband and mom who carried it all in to the hospital from the car for me!

I hope this helps you as you go to pack for your sweet little angle baby and birth! Congratulations mama - you are so close to meeting your baby!

🤍 Mama

These were the items that made the biggest difference in how I felt during labor and postpartum—comfortable, calm, and a little more like myself.

• Labor gown – I loved this. So soft, so comfortable, and felt much better than a standard hospital gown.

• Pillowcase (pink ruffle) – Such a small thing, but instantly made the room feel more like me and less clinical.

• Birth comb – Recommended by my doula and I actually used it during labor!

• Water bottle – Essential.

• Slippers + grippy socks – For walking around comfortably.

• Eye pillow – I used this so much for sleep with all the monitor lights.

• Breastfeeding pajamas – Easy and comfortable for postpartum.

• Nursing bra

• Silverettes – SO needed. One of my top postpartum must-haves.

• Pads / underwear

• Sweatshirt / sweater – Hospitals can be cold and I was so cold post-birth after being a sauna all pregnancy long. The hormone crash manifested in physical symptoms for me like temperature control!

• Going home outfit

• Toiletries + makeup + haircare / hair ties – Even just a few small things helped me feel human again. I used it right before birth to calm my nerves a little / distract me and then all throughout the next 48 hours in the hospital post birth.

🧺 For My Husband (Will)

This is something I don’t think is talked about enough—your partner being comfortable matters too.

• PJs

• Computer / movies – Especially helpful during downtime (we had an induction).

• Lounge clothes

  • Zip-up hoodie for skin-to-skin – This was such a good call. He lived in just a zip up in the hospital.

• Socks

• Going home outfit

• Snacks + coffee

• Pillow + blanket – Highly recommend bringing your own for your significant other too, not just mama!

• Toiletries

👶🏼 Baby (Lily)

You really don’t need as much as you think for baby—but these are what we brought.

• Announcement cards

• Pacifiers

• Car seat (installed and ready to go!)

• Sound machine

• Nail file

• Burp cloth

• Blanket + swaddles

• Hats / socks

• Going home outfit

• Now, I also packed a ton of onesies and PJ’s but she was just in a diaper and swaddle the entire hospital stay till her going home outfit so these were not needed at all!

What I didn’t use:

• Pajamas – honestly not needed at all for us!

✨ Other Essentials (That Made a BIG Difference)

These are the things that took our experience from “hospital stay” to something that felt calm, peaceful, and ours.

• Camera

• Portable fan – Absolutely amazing during labor

• Speaker + playlist – Essential in my opinion

• Tea + electrolytes – I wish I brought more electrolytes

• Candles – Felt over the top when packing… ended up being one of the best things I brought. Even the staff commented on how serene the room felt 🕯️

• Birth wishes printed for staff - learned early on to reframe birth plan to wishes since nothing is on a schedule or plan during birth, you just have to go with the flow and be informed about your choices and the rest is up to you and baby and the moment.

• Cash for vending machines - especially Celsius money for my husband lol

• Essential oils / massage oil

• Headphones – didn’t use, but nice to have for maybe the significant other? I used the speaker for music the whole time.

• Snacks / candy - hello sour gummies!

• Cards – we played so many rounds while I was induced

• Extra long phone charger - you never know where the outlet is going to be

• Cozy blanket – BEST thing ever after birth

• Insurance + folder for important documents

🎁 A Sweet Extra

• Delivery gifts for our nurses, our doula, our moms, and Will

Not necessary—but something I loved doing to show appreciation for the people who supported us in such a special moment. Ours included a specific gift for each person and then candy, electrolytes, eye masks, ice rollers, sticky notes, claw clips, and just fun pink items to make someones day while they help make our day special and one we will never forget!

🤍 My Biggest Takeaway

We had the most amazing birth experience, and I truly believe a big part of that was creating an environment that felt peaceful, familiar, and comforting.

It wasn’t about having more things.
It was about having the right things.

If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be this:

Look around your home and ask yourself—what makes me feel calm, safe, and loved?

Then find a way to bring those pieces into your birth space. Whether it’s your favorite blanket, a soft pillowcase, or a room full of candles… those are the things that will matter most 🤍

Save this for later 🤍

or send it to a mama who’s getting ready to pack her hospital bag—you’ll be so glad you had a list like this when the time comes.