We are officially one week away from baby boy’s due date! He really could come at any point, so you bet we have our bags packed and ready! Around 35 weeks, I had an early labor scare and that really motivated me to get as much done as I could before baby’s arrival. So I have actually had my bags packed for about 4 weeks now! But I have added some items here and there as I have given more thought to what I would like in the hospital with me.
After reading a ton of articles, it seems like what you decide to take with you really depends on if you are a low maintaince or high maintaince type of packer. I have always been the kind of girl that packs the exact amount of what I think I need. The only issue is that sometimes I am not well equipped for the unforeseeable events. I don’t like to overpack, but I do want to have the items that will make me feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible. Granted, this is my first baby so I plan on updating this post afterward to let you know if there was anything I brought that I shouldn’t have or vice versa.
To make things extra easy, my husband and I are actually sharing a bag. He really isn’t bringing much, so we thought it would make our lives easier to just have a bag for us and then a small bag for baby.
What I am Packing for Myself:
Clothing
- 2 Robes: I am bringing a black one that I am not worried about staining and then a blue one just in case we take some newborn pictures in the hospital.
- 2 Nursing Bras: I have one that has a little more support just in case we have visitors, and another for sleep and comfort.
- 1 Pair of Pajamas: I will probably live in my robe for the majority of my stay because I heard that nurses need “easy access” to check up on how you are doing. But I am bringing a black pair of button up pjs just in case I want to wear those instead.
- Slippers: I bought a cheap pair from TJ Maxx that I plan on throwing out or only wearing outside after my stay. I just don’t want to be walking around my house in the same shoes I was walking around the dirty hospital floor!
- Going Home Outfit: I am just packing a pair of black leggings, t shirt, cardigan, and flip flops. I will probably wear the flip flops in the hospital shower as well. I literally live less than a half a mile from the hospital, so I am not too worried about what I will be wearing on the way home. I will probably just change into pajamas when I get back anyway!
Toiletries
- Cosmetic Travel Case: I am packing everything in my Henri Bendel Makeup Case.
- Shower Products: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and sphynx travel razor.
- Hair Products: dry shampoo, hair spray, travel blow dryer, curling iron, brush, hair ties.
- Makeup Products: foundation, concealer, mascara, brow products, blush, bronzer, and lipstick. * I actually have these products in a bag sitting on my vanity. I am still using them on a daily basis, but I have them in one place for easy grab and go.
- Other Necessities: deodorant, tooth paste, tooth brush, lip balm, hand cream, face wash, moisturizer, eye cream, travel size fragrance, nipple cream, bottom balm, and prenatal vitamins.
Labor Kit
- Cosmetic Pouch: I decided to put together a small kit of little essentials that I think I might want while I am in actual labor. I didn’t want my husband to have to shift through our bag to find something that I wanted quickly.
- Here are some items I included in the bag: lavender essential oil, sleep mask, headphones, lip balm, granola bar, gum, ear plugs, hair tie, and mini massage oil.
What I am Packing for Baby
- Diaper Bag: I packed everything in my Fawn Designs Diaper Bag.
- 1 Onesie: Our hospital provides an outfit to wear while we are there. But I wanted to bring this blue one for pictures or for his going home outfit.
- 1 Hat: I love this “little man” hat that I am bringing for photo purposes.
- 1 Pair of Mittens: These are so he doesn’t scratch his face.
- 1 Pair of Socks
- 1 Swaddle Blanket: Our hospital provides this as well, but I wanted to bring another one for photos.
- 1 Blanket: This one is a little more heavy duty and is honestly just for pictures sake. It is still 100 degrees in Vegas so I doubt we will need it!
- Water Wipes: I heard that some hospitals give you wet clothes instead of actual wipes. I just wanted to play it safe and bring my own just in case. The water wipes are also great if your baby has sensitive skin.
- Nursing Pillow: I bought the Boppy Pillow and this cute elephant cover to practice using for breast feeding while in the hospital. I heard the nurses can help you position it for the best feeding angles.
- Baby Book: I heard that the nurse can stamp their hands and feet in the book for you. I also figured I could start filling it out during some free time in the hospital.
- Car Seat: We have the Maxi Cosi set up and ready in the car. The hospital will not discharge you without one.
What Dad is Bringing
- 2 Changes of Clothes: His exact wording was, “I am bringing a set of clothes to look good in and another change of clothes for comfort.” I thought this was too funny! Our hospital also told him to bring a sweatshirt because “mother’s in labor like the room super cold!”
- Blanket
- Pillow
- Camera, laptop, chargers, memory cards, and phone chargers
- Our wallets, keys, and medical paperwork
- Snacks: We have granola bars and trail mix just in case.
- My Push Gift: He is very excited about gifting this to me!
After typing all that out, it seems like a lot! But I promise it all fits into one bag for us and a diaper bag for baby! We will have to carry the Boppy Pillow separately because it is too awkward to fit into a bag.
I really found these types of packing guides really helpful while I was figuring out what to bring. I hope you enjoyed this list! Leave me a comment if you have any other suggestions! Thanks for reading.
Boxers. Old Hubbys boxers, they will give you mesh undies but it just felt awkward to be just in them, a friend suggested it before hand and they were amazing, I just slipped the PJ pants on top.
And since they were old, if any got stained it wasn’t a big deal.