Delivery Day : What to bring to the hospital for labor

Embarking on the labor and delivery adventure? Pack your bags with the enthusiasm of a baby shower and the precision of a well-timed contraction. Sharing my hospital bag list and tips to help you be prepared. 

1. Start packing your hospital bag and install a car seat about 1 month before the baby arrives. 

   • I know this sounds early but it’s better to be prepared in case the baby arrives early. So what if the car seat sits in the car for a month, at least it’s ready and installed. 

2. Print the hospital bag checklist and leave it with the bag to be a guide for whoever ends up finishing the packing which may not be you as you’ll be focused on labor. 

3. Pack any personal items that will make you feel the most comfortable. Some of my own personal favorites: 

Portable speaker: UE Wonderboom

I thought I was going to want pump up music like “Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa but ended up playing spa music to help me relax and focus. Bring a speaker if music would be helpful for you. 

Pajamas/Robe for post birth photo

Leading up to birth and during birth I used all the hospital gowns, etc. The best part about this is they are made for easy access for all the times you and baby get your vitals checked and then they take it away and clean it (birth is messy so better for the hospital to clean these!). Once you’re cleaned up after birth, then you can put on your own cute and cozy outfit for more photos with your newborn. 

Shower towel and sandals

I liked having my own large shower towel and bought cheap shower sandals from Old Navy that I threw away when we left.  I know they clean the hospital bathrooms a lot but I just felt wearing shower sandals was more comfortable for me. 

Extension cord

A fun fact you don’t realize until you’re in the hospital is that the outlets are not always close to the hospital bed.

Garbage bag

Any dirty clothes just throw in the garbage bag and deal with when you get home. 

Extra foldable bag

There are a lot of essentials the hospital will send you home with (vaseline, bottles (if you’re not breastfeeding), postpartum essentials, etc.). Having an extra bag for all of this was helpful. The foldie is one of my favorite bags as it folds up small and is easy to travel with.

Remember this is a labor of love so pack what is essential for you to make your birthing experience as smooth and stress-free as possible.