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Hello third trimester mom! This is my third time packing a hospital bag! While I would LOVE to say I have the packing the hospital bag down pat, I’m a bit of an “over-packer”. This year I’ve decided to write everything down that I’m packing in my hospital bag in hopes that you can use this checklist and hopefully not have an overflowing bag!

Most pregnant women pack their hospital bags between 33 and 36 weeks. I usually give birth right around my due date so I won’t pack my bag until week 36 or even 37. If this is your first child I would say to pack your bag around 35 weeks or until your doctor says you are dilating. I’ve divided the checklist into three sections: Mom’s checklist, Baby’s checklist, and Dad’s checklist.

Mom’s Checklist

1. Breastfeeding friendly clothes- If your goal is to breastfeed then you should pack at least two nursing bras, a nursing nightgown, two nursing tops, and comfortable bottoms.
2. Wallet with Insurance Card- This one is a no brainer but if you have pregnancy brain like I do you might forget it if you don’t have it written down!
3. Toiletries- This includes shampoo, conditioner, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, make up, hair ties, and anything else you use.
4. Gift for Nurses- Usually I write a nice little thank you note and put a gift card to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. If you want cute ideas on nurses gifts, check out Pinterest.
5. Nursing Pads- Again if you are nursing you want to buy some pads. I use disposable ones but I know the reusable ones work awesome too!
6. Going Home Outfit- You can pack some loose fitting pants or a dress. It’s really up to you!
7. Cardigan or Sweater- Hospitals are typically cold places in my opinion. I would suggest a cardigan over a sweater because it is easier to breastfeed while keeping the cardigan on.
8. Belly Bandit- This is perfect if you have a C-Section. I LOVE my Belly Bandit (Thank you my amazing sister Sherry!) and I wear it the first few weeks after birth. I’ve never had a C-Section I just like how it makes everything feel tighter after labor.
9. Gift for Sibling- If you plan on having your other children visit the hospital (because of COVID the boys can’t come to the hospital), then you should pack their gifts from their new sibling. I usually do a toy that I know they’ve been wanting or will love!

Baby’s Checklist

1. Outfit for photos– You know you’re going to take photos at the hospital! So make sure you pack one really cute and nice outfit for photos.
2. Outfit for going home– Depending on how long the drive home is (ours is about an hour) you might want to go with comfort over cuteness. Yes, you’ll want a cute picture of bringing your baby home but it’ll be their first time in the car seat. You want them to feel comfortable.
3. 2-3 Sleeper outfits for hospital stay– I love sleeper outfits the first week because they are super soft and will keep the baby warm.
4. Blanket– The hospitals usually proved you with blankets but I always bring an extra one. I think the hospital rooms are kind of cold and plus you want a blanket for the car seat on the way home.
5. Car Seat– This one is a MUST! Most hospitals won’t let you check out until they see the car seat. There are so many great car seats out there but I prefer Graco. We were in a car accident when Teddy was 6 months old and JT was 2 year old. They were both in Graco car seats and neither one of them were hurt. I always suggest Graco just because I know they work!
6. Nail Clippers– This seems silly but trust me sometimes babies come out with claws! I like to clip them pretty quickly after the baby is born just so they don’t scratch their face. If you are hesitant to do it yourself, you can always ask a nurse.
7. Mittens– This is another way of protecting your baby’s face from their nails! I love mittens because if you aren’t confident in clipping your baby’s nails you can just slip these on and your baby’s face will stay scratch free.
8. Baby Book-DON’T FORGET THIS! After your baby is born you will have a lot of things to do but there will be some moments when the nurses take the baby. This is when you write down all the information about the birth.
9. Boppy– If you are breastfeeding I would suggest you either bring your Boppy or whatever feeding pillow you plan on using.

Dad’s Checklist

1. Clothes– Make sure to pack a nice shirt and pants for photos. Also pack relaxing clothes like sweatpants or basketball shorts. Don’t forget underwear and socks!
2. Snacks– We are usually in the hospital having the baby late at night after the cafeteria closes so I pack a thing of beef jerky or Luke’s favorite snack.
3. Wallet and money– Most hospitals make people show a valid ID for entry. So make sure Dad has his wallet! Also, money is always good to have in case he needs something from the vending machines.
4. Phone Charger– Luke and I tend to share our charger but if Dad has a different phone you should make sure to pack his charger too.
5. Toiletries– Make sure you bring his shampoo and body wash so he can shower too. Don’t forget deodorant and any medicine he takes!

Other Pregnancy Posts

• My First Trimester Essentials
• Why I Make a Registry EVERY Pregnancy!
• Pregnancy Update: 28 Weeks
• Second Trimester Essentials

Final Thoughts

Whew! Now that I’ve written everything our I feel so much better about packing my hospital bag. Remember, you are only staying at the hospital and NOT living there. The hospitals will provide you with post partum essentials but I will be posting my essentials in the next few weeks. If you liked this post please share it on Pinterest! If you think I forgot anything (pregnancy brain is strong) please let me know in the comments! I love hearing feedback. Thanks, Kel!

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