Hospital bag checklist (2024)

Once you’ve given birth, there are a number of new baby essentials you’ll need to have at the ready, and your baby’s hospital bag checklist should include:

• Nappies - there’s no way to pinpoint exactly how many you’ll need, but to be on the safe side, it’s best to pack plenty.
• Nappy bags and cotton wool - so that you canchange your babyas often as is needed.
• Baby vests, babygrows and sleep suits – you may find that front-opening babygrows are easier when changing your new baby.
• Scratch mitts and socks.
• Baby hat.
• Baby blanket.
• Mittens, booties and snowsuit.
• A ‘going home’ outfit.
• A rear-facing group 0+ car seat.
• Muslin squares.

What you pack in your baby’s hospital bag may to some extent be influenced by the weather. For example, if you’re giving birth in the winter, packing a snowsuit and some mittens and booties are a good idea.

For many new parents, choosing their baby’s going home from hospital outfit is a very special thing, so don’t forget to give this some thought. In addition, whilst it’s by no means essential, why not consider packing a baby journal or keepsake book to record those incredible first few hours and days with your new baby? Some parents like to bring along some baby milestone cards or badges, to announce their baby’s birth, name and gender. This can make for some lovely photos to send to friends and family.

When you’re about to become a parent, it’s easy to focus all of your attention on your baby and the things they might need once they come into the world. However, it’s just as important to think about what you need too, both during your labour and once you’ve given birth.

Give some thought to the things that will make you comfortable, relaxed and ready for your unique birth experience.

Hospital bag essentials might not be the most glamorous items, but rest assured they’re the things that will be the most useful.

• Socks or slippers and perhaps some flip flops.
• Nursing bras and absorbent breast pads.
• Maternity knickers.
• Loose-fitting nightie or t-shirt – nighties that have a front-opening (for example buttons) will be helpful if you’re breastfeeding.
• Dressing gown.
• An eye-mask – this may help you get some well needed rest and relaxation during your labour (ear plugs are a good call too).
• Absorbent sanitary or maternity pads.
• Loose, comfortable clothes for going home.
  

Make sure your hospital bag checklist includes your birth plan and your maternity notes that have been with you during your antenatal appointments. That way, your midwife and doctor will be in no doubt as to your wishes for labour and birth, and can follow the plan as far as possible.

Pain reliefduring labour has probably been one of the things you’ve considered, and if you’ve attended any antenatal classes, it’s one of the things that you probably discussed. If you intend to use a TENS machine, make sure that it’s packed and in good working order and that you have some spare batteries in case you need them.

However you choose to give birth, comfortable clothes are a must. For example, if you’re planning to have awater birth, a bikini or tank top will probably be the most practical in a birthing pool. Whereas if you’re giving birth in a bed, a loose cotton front-opening nightie or t-shirt could be a good option.

Loose comfortable clothes will help if you have a c-section, as they’ll be less likely to aggravate your wound.

When you go into labour, it’s difficult to predict how long you’ll be in the hospital afterwards.

No one birth experience is the same, and it might be that you end up staying in a bit longer than anticipated. For example, if you have a C-section or if your baby comes early.

That’s why you should pack a wash bag containing:

• Your toothbrush and toothpaste.
• Deodorant.
• A flannel.
• Shampoo and a hairbrush.
• Moisturiser or lotion and lip balm.

Having some hand and body lotion can be helpful, as it’s not uncommon for your skin to become a little dry in the hospital environment. On that note, if you intend to breastfeed, having some nipple cream in your hospital bag will help if your nipples become sore.

If you’ve got longer hair, it’s also a good idea to have plenty of hair ties and a headband, to help keep it off your face and stay cool.

Because labour and birth burn a lot of energy, making sure you’ve got a variety of snacks on your hospital bag checklist is a must. Having these at the ready will also mean that you and your birth partner won’t need to keep making trips to the hospital vending machines.

During labour, try to opt for nutritious snacksthat will provide you with much-needed energy and that won’t sit heavily on your stomach. For example, bananas or other fresh fruit, bread sticks, wholemeal biscuits, and crackers. Energy bars can also be a good option but check the sugar content.

Giving birth can be thirsty work, so having a water bottle within easy reach will help to keep you hydrated. You might also want to consider having a couple of isotonic drinks on standby for the later stages of your labour, as they’ll provide you with calories and energy if you don’t feel like eating. Pack some straws – these will make it easier for your birth partner to pass you a drink when you need it.

This is also worth doing even if you’re planning ahome birth. Having some essential snacks and provisions close by will help you to feel more prepared and ready to focus your energy on your labour.

If you choose your partner, or someone else as your birth partner during your labour and birth, they’ll need to do some preparation of their own.

So just what kinds of things should be in your birth partner’s hospital bag?

A change of clothes and some basic toiletries, including a toothbrush and some toothpaste, may well come in handy. There’s simply no way of telling how long your labour will be and how long you’ll need to stay in hospital.

Your birth partner might also want to consider:

• A handheld fan.
• A water spray to help keep you cool during your labour.
• A mobile phone and a charger.
• Your ipad or other e-reader.
• A pair of ear plugs – these may help if your labour takes some time and you’d like to get some rest.
• An extra pillow.
• A water bottle.
• Some books or magazines.

There are various other jobs you could task them with too. If your birth partner is the one who’ll be doing the driving, make sure they’ve got plenty of fuel in the tank and plenty of change or a mobile app for car parking. Spare change will also come in handy for the hospital vending machines, should they want to pop out for a quick refresher.

You can find more helpful advice for partnershere.