Maternity Favourites: What I packed in my Hospital Bag

A quick look at what I packed in my hospital bag. I’m sharing what I used and what I should have left behind at home!

Ahhh the hospital bag! Possibly one of the most nerve wracking things to do at the end of your pregnancy. Why?! Because it means that the end is near. Erring on the side of caution, I packed my bags at around week 35. I tend to get pretty frazzled in high stress situations so I knew I needed to have the bag ready so I wouldn’t miss anything. Ps isn’t baby’s diaper bag so cute! Don’t forget that he needs a bag packed as well!

I spent a lot of time researching what I should pack in my bag. I didn’t want to miss out on anything so I researched list after list. I ended up with a pretty extensive list of my own that I meticulously curated and packed.

No stone was left unturned so to speak!And then I got to the hospital! And things I thought I needed I didn’t really . And things I brought just in case ended up saving my butt.

Now mind you, everyone’s list is ultimately going to be different. We all prioritize different things and that’s ok. What’s important to me might be trivial to you and vice versa. I’m sharing my thoughts on my list anyways! I’ve omitted super basics like a tooth brush and change of clothes! It’s always worth a read if a visit to the delivery room is in your near future!!

What I packed in my Hospital Bag: Things I used

• Fridababy Fridet the MomWasher:
  Oh yes, this was needed! Now the hospital does give you a bottle of their own to use , however I found the Frida version well worth the money . It was just so much more comfortable to use, especially since I had stitches (I’ll actually be sharing Aren’s full birth story later in this week! Stay tuned!) I’m 100 percent am happy that I made this purchase.
• Nipple Balm: So glad I packed this! And I love the formulation of this Honest one. Bonus? You don’t need to wipe it off before feeding. For a first time mom this was so necessary!
• Moisturizer and Cleanser: What made me pretty much feel like a normal person . I found having a light gentle cleanser and moisturizer to be best which is why I opted for my Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Radiance Lotion and this Beautycounter Nourishing Cream Cleanser. They’re both super gentle which was really helpful after the 2-3 days of no sleep! The last thing you want to put on your face is something that stings or is drying.
• Concealer: I packed a makeup bag but the only thing I used was a little concealer. This nude by nature Perfecting Concealer was strong enough to cover my dark circles but didn’t need crazy blending or tools to set it in. Just the light touch of my fingers did the trick! Feeling a little like yourself goes along way!
• Depends: Um yes, I said it. (never thought I’d write that out loud!) I found Depends way easier than using pads. Cleaner and just more simple all around. I ended up using them the first 2-3 days before switching over to regular pads. In case this is the first hospital list you’re reading-you’re going to need some coverage!
• Nursing tank: Don’t overcomplicate things with nursing clothes. You just need a tank that you can easily nurse with. Because in those first 24 hours there’s a lot of nursing!
• Robe: Because you will have guests even if you really don’t want any!
• Flip flops: For me this was a better solution than slippers. Made it easy for me to change and also since I had a quite a bit of swelling in my feet, they were much easier to get in and out of.
• Hair Elastics: I religiously wear my hair down albeit for a trip to the gym but you definitely need a hair elastic for labor! I packed a few in my bag and also gave a backup to Ara in case I couldn’t find mine!
• Extension cord I’m saving the best for last! This is something you don’t think you’d need but it’s so worth it to bring! The outlets that you can use in the hospital room are not at all near the bed- the extension cord kept me occupied for a good ten hours 😉 I had read this on another blog and I am so glad I packed it with me!

What I didn’t use:

• Pads: Like I mentioned above, the other option was just way easier. I did however use them when I came home and subsequently for about 7-10 days, followed by liners.
• Face mask: Not sure when I thought I had time to do a face mask but this definitely didn’t get used even though I had a two day labour.
• Mascara, makeup etc: – Once again, last thing on my mind was putting on makeup! Everyone is different of course but I didn’t even takeout my eyelash curler out which is huge for me! I had packed some makeup basics in the off chance that we took a picture and or for visitors, but at the moment it was a low priority for me.
• Slippers: Flip-flops were my preference but then again this is a personal choice! I could see how you’d want slippers in the colder months.
• Camera: I really wanted to take some professional images but between the doctors and nurses checking in on us and the newborn baby we were trying to get acclimated with, this did not happen. I can see myself perhaps using one for baby number 2 when everything isn’t so new.
• iPad: Once again, no time for an iPad! Even during the hours waiting in labor it just didn’t make it’s way out of the bag.
• Boppy: I was in too much pain with the stitches to sit properly in one position long enough to nurse using a boppy. Some people swear by them though so it may be worth just leaving in the car
• Nursing Pads: I really didn’t use them at the hospital. Around day 4 or 5 is when they became more needed at home! I really liked the Bamboobies brand for both washable and disposable