The complete guide to packing your hospital bag(s)

It was a couple of weeks before my due date and I remember sitting on my bed with a rather large collection of lists in front me, telling me to bring a gazillion things to the hospital when it came time to give birth. I had no idea where to start, whether all of it was really necessary, and how on earth I was supposed to fit it all into a reasonably sized bag that we’d be able to drag into the hospital with us in between contraction.

I remember a midwife shaking her head in woe after telling us a story about a couple who’d brought four suitcases, a collection of plastic bags and a big box into the delivery room with them, like they’d planned to set up camp and just raise the baby there instead of going home. Needless to say the midwives and the obstetrician were not impressed. I come from a family of girls, renowned for overpacking at the best of times, but I did not want to be that couple.

In the end we managed ok; I walked into the birthing unit with only my handbag and after I was admitted hubby went back to the car to fetch a small suitcase that contained my stuff and bub’s, a shopping bag containing my after-labour snacks and drinks, and his own backpack with his change of clothes and a camera.

As a reminder for next time (assuming there is a next time), here’s what we did.

Tips about packing I received from other mums and the hospital staff:

Keep all your labouring stuff (eg heat packs, massage oil) in one place, preferably somewhere that’s easy access like the front pocket of your suitcase, so you don’t have to waste time mid-contraction telling your support person where to find what.
Organise your suitcase so that your toiletries bag and your first outfit (underwear, comfy pjs, a few maternity pads and a robe) are right on top of the pile. Make them easily accessible, preferably in its own waterproof bag, so that you can just take that into the bathroom with you when you’re ready to shower. This saves you from bending down and digging around looking for things, then trying to carry a handful of stuff into the bathroom with you – trust me that’s the last thing you want to be doing after labour.
Leave your valuables (ie your wedding rings and other bling, credit cards, iPad) at home. You really don’t need them at the hospital. And when you’re at the hospital, be discrete with things like your phone/camera as the postnatal ward is pretty open to the public during visiting hours and the people who go there to steal things are the people who know who to steal things from and when (mothers who are busy oggling over their newborn or have ducked off to use the toilet generally aren’t thinking about where they’ve put their wallet).
Pack for a minimum stay, then have a few spare sets of clothes for you and bub in another bag. That way hubby can just grab it from the boot of the car or duck home to get it in the event you need to stay for longer than you intended. I had another suitcase of stuff I didn’t need on my first night sitting in the boot of the car; luckily I didn’t bother unpacking it when we we got home, because I ended up needing it all when our little one was admitted into the special care nursery only four days later.

Stuff for your toiletries bag:

Face wipes (handy for immediately after delivery)
Small bottle shampoo/conditioner
Soap (although the midwife told me not to use soap or body wash immediately after birth so the baby got used to my natural scent)
Moisturiser (for your face, not your body and only if you really need it; again I was advised not to put anything on my skin so baby got used to my scent)
Antiperspirant deodorant
Toothpaste + toothbrush
Hair brush / comb
Spare hair ties / clips
A headband (very handy to use during labour, in case you throw up – which I did… twice)
Tinted moisturiser / blush / whatever minimal makeup you might normally wear (coz you will probably want to fix yourself up a bit for all the photos you’ll be in after bub is born. I do know a few ladies who brought their hair straighteners… there’s a part of me that wonders if that’s well and truly overkill)
Lip balm/Pawpaw ointment (you get really dehydrated during labour and after breast feeding)
A travel pack of tissues
1 box of breast pads
2 packets of maternity pads

Clothes:

Obviously the amount you need will depend on the duration of your stay at the hospital. Because I only intended to stay one night I only brought a small suitcase into the room with me, but I did pack another small suitcase with a few more clothes which I left in boot of the car – just in case things got complicated and I needed to stay a few more nights.

For an overnight stay all you need is:

One nursing bra and/or singlet and one spare
3-4 pairs of your oldest underwear… or if you really want, bring disposable ones
2 pairs of socks
2 large and/or button up shirts (for easy access if you’re breast feeding)
Track suit pants / PJs
Robe
Cardigan/jumper
Nice clothes to go home in
Plastic bags (to throw your dirty clothes and other such things in)

Shoes:

Flip-flops / thongs (to wear into the shower/bathroom)
Sandals/slippers (to wear around the ward, not in the shower)
Flats / whatever shoes you’ll go home in

For labour:

Again, pack all this stuff in one compartment of your suitcase so your support people can find everything easily.

Straws (I remember someone looking at me weird when I suggested this but when you’re lying down or hanging limply over the bed head and someone sticks a drink in front of you, sipping through a straw makes it all so much easier and saves you from having to sit up).
Heat packs
Massage oil / massage ball
Swimsuit (one of the lists said to pack this but I never used it – so frankly I think it’s a waste of space since you’ll be naked or in a hospital gown 90% of the time)
Music (I have a funny story about this… I had a playlist of my favourite songs ready but I hadn’t told my husband that so he set my music player to shuffle. The first song that blaring through the speakers was Sending Postcards from a Plane Crash (Wish You Were Here) by Fall Out Boy… which, btw, is not at all relaxing. He set it to play slow songs after I shot him a death stare, and to be honest after that I stopped paying attention to the songs… until it came time to push and the song playing just happened to be Everybody Hurts by R.E.M., which my sisters and the midwives found very entertaining.)

Keep it in your handbag:

Yellow card (have this handy when you call the hospital as they’ll ask you for your MRN)
Wallet (bring cash and Medicare card, ID only – leave credit cards at home!!)

For after the birth:

Books / magazines
Movies / TV shows on your phone (to entertain you during late night feeds)
Headphones (if you’re going to be in a shared ward)
Journal & pen (?)
Phone charger
Camera

For the new Dad:

Board shorts (because everyone’s been told the story about the midwife who walked into the birthing room shower expecting to find a woman in labour only to catch a glimpse of a very naked and embarrassed man giving his wife a back massage and coaxing her through a contraction)
A change of clothes
Flip-flops/thongs
Coins for parking and vending machines (have these ready in the car)
Phone & charger
Camera / camera charger / batteries / spare SD cards

Food:

If you’re in a shared ward, avoid anything with loud crinkly packaging because you will be up and eating at all hours of the night.

Bottled water
Glucose lollies
Juice boxes
Fruit (prunes and dried apples are good… you know, to keep things… regular)
Biscuits
Pringles
Chocolate
“Cup of soup” packets

For Baby:

I had this in my suitcase, packed in one of the clear plastic reusable bags that muslin wraps are usually packaged in. I’ve found them really handy for keeping nappy stuff/baby clothes separate. Again, the amount of clothes you bring all depends on how long you end up staying in hospital, but for an overnight stay all you need is:

Vaseline / oil (put this on before putting on his first nappy so the meconium doesn’t get stuck on his bum)
Newborn nappies (though the hospital usually has a supply you can use)
Nappy bags
Baby wipes and/or cotton wool balls
Baby wash
2 x Newborn (size 0000) singlets
Body suits/onesies (2x long sleeve is good + 1 short sleeve spare)
Beanie
Mittens
Wrap (for when you take him home)
Baby blanket (to tuck him into the capsule)