Oh the excitement about being pregnant and having a baby has kept you busy! You might have the baby room decorated, clothes washed and put away neatly in the dresser, rocking chair ordered, and bottles washed and ready to go when baby comes home! You think to yourself, I’VE GOT THIS! I AM SOOO READY!
You might be 30 weeks pregnant, and thinking … I’ve got LOTS of time to pack my hospital bag. I’ll get to it one day. I’ll just throw some things in my bag and we’ll be FINE! Than you get asked by everyone if your hospital bag is packed, and you suddenly start panicking and feeling like you DON’T HAVE THIS! Maybe I’M NOT READY!
Don’t panic! I’ve put together a hospital bag checklist from my own personal experience and by talking to other moms about what to bring!
When to pack your suitcase: I say 32 weeks start packing that bag! My oldest daugher came at 37 weeks (surprise!) and my twins, I had a scare at 32 weeks (thankfully they held in there until 36.6 weeks and surprised me again!) So pack that bag early!
Pack 2 suitcases: 1 for your car, and 1 for your partner’s car (mom’s car, grandma’s car or friend’s car). You never know when you’ll go into labour! So it’s better to be ready and pack an extra bag with the essentials in someone else’s car who might be driving you to the hospital as a backup plan!
Pack a suitcase not a bag. Way easier to roll it into a hospital vs carrying a bag. Especially if your husband is carrying your exercise stability ball into the hospital because you insisted on it and that you were going to labour on it (I’ll never live that one down … and I sat on my ball for 1 min and HATED IT!)
Remember if you have a vaginal delivery – you’ll probably be in the hospital for 1-2 days
c – section delivery – you’ll probably be in the hospital for 3-5 days
My philosophy was … if I forget something … I’ll send someone home to get it or buy it from the mall across the street. (Which is another funny story … My oldest daughter came at 37 weeks. I didn’t buy any nursing bras or tank tops yet .. cause I thought I had time! SO … I was in the hospital for a day and stopped at the mall to buy a nursing bra on the way home from the hospital. AGAIN, buy your stuff early!)
HOSPITAL BAG CHECKLIST
1.Photo ID, hospital forms, health insurance and your birth plan (if you have one)
2. Cell phone and charger; camera and charger
3. Music that calms you down or pumps you up; Bluetooth speaker
4. Book, puzzle books, magazines. You never know how long you might be here!
CLOTHING
5. Socks, flip flops or slippers (ones you might want to toss in the trash can after your stay)
6. Robe – Hospitals are cold, and I hated walking around in just the hospital gown
7. Comfy clothes to go home in (yes you’ll probably still need to wear those maternity clothes for awhile post baby!
8. 3-4 pairs of High waisted underwear (in case you have a c- section and lower ones rub on your incision). The hospital will supply you with real sexy (lol) disposable mesh panties if your prefer to wear those.
9. 1- 2 Nursing bras, sports bra, or padded (supportive) tank top. In my mad dash to go to the mall to buy a nursing bra on the way home from the hospital, I have to say, I HATED that bra! When my milk came in, that bra was too small, too tight and just super uncomfortable. I bought a looser fit sports bra and regular bras to nurse in!
TOILETRIES/ PERSONAL ITEMS
10. Toilet paper! Bring your own soft toilet paper from home! You’ll thank me the first time you lightly wipe yourself after you pee or your first bowel movement!
11. Tooth brush, toothpaste, brush, hair ties, headband, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, contact lenses (case, solution), cosmetics. You only need travel sized stuff to bring with you!
12. Towel from home – be prepared to trash it after
13. Hairdryer, curling iron, straightener. I only put these down in case you want to do your hair before company comes to the hospital or birthing centre
14. LIP BALM
** CHECK with the Hospital or birthing centre if they supply nursing pads and lanolin cream (if not pack those too)**
SNACKS
15. Pack snacks! Healthy granola bars, fruit, veggies, Gatorade, sugar free candy to suck on. If your health care provider allows you to eat during labour (cause some believe in just giving you ice chips during labour). Pack food for after labour too (because you never know when you’ll be served food).
FOR BABY
16. 2 outfits to come home in. (You never know if they’ll throw up or poop in 1!)
17. 3-4 sleepers. I put my twins in sleepers right after they were born in the hospital. I found the hospital gown so scratchy on their skin
18. Blanket – for hospital and car seat
19. Certified car seat
20. In the winter, you might want to put a car seat cover OVER the car seat. The ones that are inserted under the baby to sit on is not recommended or safe.
21. Think of the season your giving birth – appropriate hats/ toques
*** Check with the hospital or birthing centre if they supply diapers, wipes and formula (if your formula feeding) **
PARTNER
22. Change of clothes
23. Pillow/ blanket
** Check with the hospital or birthing centre if they supply this**
24. Toiletries for them
25. Snacks
START PACKING! You’re going to be FINE! You’ve GOT THIS! xo
My name is Rachelle and I am the owner and founder of Momentum Health & Wellness . I am devoted to inspire and promote health and wellness to individuals and families. I want to create a community where people feel motivated to share their wellness journey and to encourage one another to be positive role models in their home, at work and in the community. I offer prenatal fitness classes, postnatal fitness classes, fitcamp, personal training, injury rehabilitation, yoga for children and corporate wellness.
Contact me for more information on the services I provide!
Rachelle@momentumhealthandwellness.ca