the time has come and i can’t even believe i’m saying this, but my hospital bags are PACKED and now “live” in the trunk of our car (except for the things we use on the daily). it’s wild to think i could go into labor starting any day now… and i had a ton of fun packing things away for my little girl. it’s starting to feel SO real. read on to hear what i felt was necessary and what i decided to leave at home!
i started with baby, since she’s the star of the show! in addition to our installed & inspected carseat, i opted to pack:
- jj cole bundleme (because baby it’s cold outside!)
- jojo maman bebe cozy infant bunting (same reason!)
- a ‘going home outfit’
- two ‘looks’ for her in-hospital photoshoot
- a letterboard (for her birth announcement!)
- tiny baby socks for her tiny baby tootsies!
- a boppy luxe pillow, to aide those early days of breastfeeding. i like the luxe and think it’s worth the extra spend to have the softer “minky” fabric on the slipcover!
here are the things i left at home:
- pacifiers
- extra swaddles
- white onesies
- hats
- diapers & wipes
i left all of these at home because they’re all things that are provided by the hospital, with the exception of pacifiers. i’ve learned that pacifiers should be used very sparingly during an infant’s first few weeks and that if you’re attempting to breastfeed (which i am) it’s best to offer your breast first and foremost…. so we’ll be trying those first 48 hours without any ‘paci’ unless provided by the hospital! i’m sure the minute we get home, we will be using them… but it’s worth a shot, right?!
now on to mom & dad!
for me, i packed:
- two pairs of postpartum support leggings by jojo maman bebe
- two nursing tanks (also by jojo!)
- high waisted postpartum support briefs…. jojo style
- two nursing bras (jojo all the way!!!! can you tell i love them?)
- a cardigan
- two pairs of underwear (although i hear the mesh undies you receive in the hospital are the bomb)
- the fridababy momwasher!!!! (you’ll get a similar spray bottle courtesy of the hospital, but this product is supposedly the holy grail of early motherhood, and if i don’t have to miss out on a moment of using it, i don’t want to!)
- a matching hospital gown, nightgown & robe trio from baby be mine maternity! this is totally not a necessity, but just something i felt i wanted to have for the ‘occasion’. i’m 5 feet tall, and after 2 trips to labor & delivery during my third trimester, i got a feel for how massive and scratchy the provided hospital gowns were. i’ll definitely be taking photos here and there, and i pride myself in attempting to look cute in even the most icky situations, so i’ve opted to have my own personal hospital gown… just know that this is NOT a necessary expense!
- cozy socks!!!
- flip flops – i’ve heard a few different reasons for flip flops, all of which i can get on board with: 1. you won’t want to shower barefoot, and 2. none of your shoes will fit (and they already don’t so….. i’m trusting this).
- toiletries – deodorant, shampoo & conditioner, dry shampoo, hairspray, toothpaste & mini toothbrush. all of these are travel-sized.
things to pack in-the-moment:
- makeup remover & wipes
- curling wand
- hair brush
- camera & charger
- phone charger
- laptop & charger
and last but not least…. for dad, i packed:
- sleep shorts
- 2 white tees, 2 regular tees
- a crisp white buttondown for photography
- mini toiletries (deodorant, tooth brush & paste. shower stuff we left at home because we live so close to the hospital that he’ll be popping over to check in on the dogs every now and then anyway… no need to shove him into a hospital shower if he doesn’t have to!)
- a pillow & blanket, because dads get banished to the uncomfortable couch!
- SNACKS…. i packed an epic bag of goodies for him so that he’s not running to the vending machine every 5 minutes! he was very pumped about this.
- socks & underwear
- a pair of sweats & a hoodie, because hospitals are cold!
man…. the dad packing is just TOO easy! so it seems like quite a lot in our hospital bags, but in my opinion if you want to have a comfortable stay and really embrace those first hours & days with your little one, it’s important to do it your way. i’ll definitely report back on things i wound up packing that i didn’t use… but overall i feel equipped and ready to bring baby girl into this world! mom’s… what did you find most valuable in your hospital bag? i feel such a sense of relief knowing everything is packed and ready to go. now, we’re officially on “babywatch”! follow along on instagram for real-time updates!
Great list! I think it’s smart to pack nursing tops. I lived in them the entire time. In fact, 2nd time around I only wore my clothes including my own underwear 🙂 My advice though, sleep with one swaddle so it smells like you and bring it with you. Use it to wrap the baby, she’ll feel calm smelling your scent. I also brought the sound machine with me the 2nd time around. Made a huge difference. Can’t wait to meet baby E and hear about your labor story!! Good luck! You totally got this 🙂
Love this! Great idea about the swaddle. I actually do have our portable sound machine hooked onto the car seat, so I guess you could say that’s on our list as well, though I didn’t write about it in this post!