“Expecting Parents: This is What You’ll Want and Need to Pack in Your Hospital Bag”

Mar 29, 20213 min read

It’s recommended that parents begin packing their hospital bag at the start of the third trimester. Since it is possible to go into labor at any time during this final phase of pregnancy, being prepared at all times is a must.

Expecting Parents: This is What You’ll Want and Need to Pack in Your Hospital Bag

According to USA Today, just under 4 million babies are born annually in the United States. Although some parents opt to deliver at home or at a birthing center, data from the CDC reveals the vast majority of babies are delivered in hospitals.

It’s recommended that parents begin packing their hospital bag at the start of the third trimester. Since it is possible to go into labor at any time during this final phase of pregnancy, being prepared at all times is a must.

If you are soon entering (or are already in) your third trimester, but haven’t yet packed your hospital bag, now is the time to review the most critical items that you’ll both want and need to bring. Child Care Seer invites you to consider the following as you prepare for the big day.

Important essentials

When the big day arrives, the last thing you and your partner want to be doing is scrambling to find the essentials that you need to bring to the hospital. As you start to assemble your hospital bag, create a checklist of the required documents and items that you for sure will need. This category includes your phones, insurance cards, photo ID, and credit cards/debit cards.

To ensure that nothing is missed, contact your local hospital for more information on what documents and other essentials you are expected to bring.

Items for baby

You will enter the hospital as a family of two, but it’s important to remember that you’ll be leaving as a family of three. It can be easy to think solely about what you and your partner will need for the delivery, but be sure to consider everything that needs to be packed for moments post-delivery.

Draft a list of everything you will want and need for your new addition. At a minimum, you should include a going-home outfit, a car seat, and an extra diaper or two for the ride home. If you plan to have professional photos taken at the hospital, pack all clothing, hats, socks, blankets, stuffed animals, and more that will be used for various poses.

Cozy and style-conscious clothing for mom

Depending on various factors, your hospital stay may range from a day or two to several days. Oftentimes, the length you’ll need to stay can’t be predicted with certainty. This is why it is wise to bring multiple outfits for the new mom to wear.

Thanks to recent innovations in maternity clothing, postpartum outfits can be both stylish and comfortable. Consider bringing clothing items such as a hospital gown with a stylish print, a comfortable yet stylish T-shirt, nursing pads, nursing bras, and cozy yet flattering sweatpants and sweatshirts. Think about what you would want to wear if you were required to stay for several days, and don’t forget to bring backups of nearly all clothing pieces.

Toiletries and personal care items

It can be surprisingly easy to overlook bringing your own toiletries and personal care items from home. However, both you and your partner will want to pack all of the items in this category that you use on a daily basis. This includes (but is certainly not limited to) your toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, makeup wipes, lip balm, hand lotion, contact and contact solution, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and more.

Important comforts from home

After tackling some of the more essential items for your hospital bag, it is also a good idea to create a list of your wants for your labor and delivery.

Start by making a list of which comforts from home you plan on bringing. This could include anything from a favorite pillow and/or blanket, to your favorite movies, games, and magazines.

With a bit of advanced thought and preparation, you can create the ultimate hospital bag with everything you need for a calm and smooth stay. In addition to creating your list based on these suggestions, it is a good idea to speak with other moms you know to see what they packed for their labor and delivery for additional helpful ideas.

By Josh Moore

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