What’s in My Hospital Bag | Packing For My 3rd Hospital Delivery | Whitney Beth Photography
 

“I’ve been going to this school for 7 years... I’m no dummy.” - Charles De mar

The entire time I was prepping for this, I couldn’t get the scene out of my head from Better Off Dead (AKA my most favorite 80’s movie of all time.) Any takers? 

Despite this being my 4th hospital delivery, it’ll be the 3rd time I get to actually plan out what I want to bring. (Thanks to Banks and his surprise arrival and departure which is a story in and of itself.) This time around I know exactly what I do and do not need. In everyday packing for vacations, I tend to overpack - just in case. When it comes to hospital bags, I error on the “prepared minimalist.” If that’s a thing. I like to have options without packing the whole nursery!

For Mom

- I like to bring a comfy nightgown that I can nurse in to wear. I got this one off of Amazon and it’s so comfortable and has pockets! I bought a bunch and it’s basically all I slept in the last few months of pregnancy. 

- Lightweight robe. I’ve had this one since I got married (my mom got it from Target for me) and it’s so comfortable and cooling. I like having this for decency and it makes skin to skin so easy. 

- Nursing bra. If you can’t tell by now, I’m all about comfort. I like to bring the soft, cotton, sleeping ones. My body is so hammered after everything that I honestly just need something for some light support and to hold my nursing pads in place. 

- disposable nursing pads. I just bring a couple since I only really wear them when I’m going home. 

- Haaka handheld breast pump + let down catchers. This will be the first time I bring these to the hospital, since I only discovered how amazing they are halfway through nursing Fields, but I’d like to try hand expressing some colostrum to help little man get a jumpstart on chunking up. 

- Comfy, loose, and easily worn clothes for the way home. Since it’ll most likely be the temperature of the sun outside when it’s time to head home, I’ve packed some draw string shorts (that fit me at 9 months pregnant) and a loose button down shirt (also fits me currently) That way there’s no uncomfortable squeezing and breakdowns when it’s time to go home and nothing fits. 

- I don’t bring any other underwear other than a nursing bra, because hello mesh panty life! 

- Then of course the normal bag of toiletries that have my everyday stuff and a pair of socks because I don’t like the hospital ones. 

For Baby

- Nightgown from Quinn St. My friend owns this little shop and I LOVE her stuff! So comfortable (see? Trend. Ha) and breathable! They are made of bamboo so it helps regulate temperature. PLUS they knot at the bottom. With Jones I packed the cutest footies - but they were a PAIN in the hospital and all the tests and diaper changes. Fields I packed a nightgown that snapped into footies, but we just kept it as a nightgown. It worked pretty good, but the elastic always bunched up around his knees. With these they are nice and long and you just TIE them. I’m so exited to use them! (I packed two, just in case we need to stay longer than a night.)

- Baby bonnet from Mebie baby. This is purely selfish on my part, but I want them for pictures. Who knows if they’ll be too big or not, but I’d like to have the option for a quick fresh 48 sesh

- Swaddle I made. Once again this is for aesthetic. (I can’t help my photographer self) It’s such a perfect, neutral color that matches his nursery and will look so good in pictures. 

- car seat (duh)

- That’s it! No diapers, wipes, etc. The hospital will take care of all that stuff for me!

For Dad

- Change of clothes; pj’s, socks, underwear, the works. 

- Snacks! Food at the hospital is something itself, and only for mom (with the exception of the “fancy” dinner they give me and Danny on our first night as new-to-this-kid parents) So I make sure to bring lots of snacks! I’ve learned that I need to bring candy, as well as more “substantial” things like granola bars and protein shakes. Ha. 

Extra Essentials 

- long phone chargers

- watch chargers

- empty bag; we usually walk out with more stuff than we came in with, bringing a reusable bag makes loading up the car so much easier

- Camera, memory cards and charger

And that’s it! Not too bad, and it fits pretty nicely into a weekender bag. What do you bring? Is there anything that I don’t bring that you can’t live without? Let me know below!