When it came time to finally start packing my bag, I was not overwhelmed but I definitely felt like I was overpacking at first. I really tried to narrow it down to things that I knew I would actually use and took out everything that I could get by without. Basically I think you should ask yourself, what products/items do I use on a daily basis that I know the hospital will not provide me with?
I have watched and read numerous posts going over what to pack and what you could pack but may not be necessary. The hospital will have everything you need, what I packed in my bag is just so I feel comfortable and know that I have a few options as far as food or clothes go.
To make things a little easier, I broke down the packing into three main categories: mom, baby, and Joe.
Things I packed for myself:
- Going home outfit
- I recommend loose black pants (or dress) and comfortable top
- Nightgown
- wore this the whole time after labour
- 2 nursing friendly bras
- the ones linked were my favorite, I wore them everyday, they also fit the Elvie pump awesome if you are looking to get that pump
- Postpartum underwear
- I ended up just wearing the ones they gave out at the hospital the whole time BUT after I got more comfortable, I wore the ones linked about for the duration of my recovery and they were really nice (not flattering by any means but great for recovery)
- A few overnight heavy flow pads
- the hospital will give you all the postpartum care products you will need so there is no need to pack these, I used everything the hospital gave me for postpartum care
- A few nursing pads
- Nipple cream
- the hospital gave me some
- Regular socks & fuzzy socks
- Zip up hoodie
- Toiletries
- tooth brush, dry shampoo, face cream, face wash, deodorant, etc…
- Glasses case
- SNACKS!!
- Gatorade
- I read that drinking an electrolyte drink while in labour is good to stay hydrated and get some calories in, since you are not able to eat, definitely recommend bringing some
- Reusable water bottle
- you can just keep refilling it while at the hospital and won’t have to keep asking for more water but they do a really good job of proving water all the time so you don’t have to
- Pillow
- Blanket
Things for baby:
- 2 newborn onesies
- 2 0-3 month onesies
- did not need, Joey still fit into newborn onesies
- 2 hats
- 2 pairs of mittens
- didn’t need
- 2 pairs of socks
- didn’t need
- Swaddle
- Burp cloths
- didn’t need
- Blanket
- Car seat
- this is the travel system we have and really like
- Diaper bag
- my tip is to fully pack a diaper bag before you go into labour and just keep it in your car, the hospital will have everything you need for your baby but during that newborn madness when you come home, the last thing you want to have to do is pack a diaper bag before going for the 24 hour checkup
- Letter board
- Baby bottle
- you don’t need this but we actually did use it (we knew we wanted to bottle feed though so that is why I brought it)
- Breast pump
- you do not need this but I brought mine because I wanted to try and start using it
Things for Joe:
- 3 changes of clothes (boxers, socks, shirts, pants)
- Hoodie
- Toiletries
- Pillow
- Blanket
- Laptop
- Laptop charger
- Headphones
- Homework supplies
- SNACKS!!!
- Reusable water bottle
Miscellaneous technology things:
- Polaroid camera & extra film
- we wanted to take pictures to put into Joey’s baby book
- 10 foot phone charger
- I heard you never know where the outlets are going to be located but we didn’t need this
In terms of what we used to pack up all of our things: we were able to pack everything into an Adidas duffle bag, one backpack and Joey’s diaper bag.
Again, all of these things are completely dependent on you as a person and what you need to make yourself comfortable. I think it is a really good idea to talk with your partner to figure out what you both think you will need. This all also depends on how long you will be staying. I talked to my doctor and he said that 2 days regular delivery and 3 days c-section. Also, during this chaotic time Joe was not able to leave the hospital, so planning according to that was important for us.
Lastly, I want to give you guys a tip!
- Make a list of the things you will still need to pack right before you leave for the hospital. I made this list because I knew I was not going to pack things like chargers, some toiletries, water bottle, etc… until I went into labour since I used those things on a daily basis and it makes no sense to buy separate ones just to pack into your bag. I taped this list to the dresser in our bedroom, that way everything was quick and we would both saw it making sure to not forget anything.
Hope this helps, and thank you so much for taking the time to read this. Let me know if you guys have any questions or perhaps things that you thought were helpful that you included in your bags!
-With love, Kasia
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