What I Packed in my Hospital Bag for Labor and Delivery

It’s been 2 weeks since we’ve been home with baby George and I’m constantly asking myself what life was before this little one. While it has been a big adjustment, I don’t think we’ve ever been happier.

I know many of you have requested a “hospital bag” blog post and it’s still a question that continues to pop up in my inbox. The reason I didn’t share this before baby was because I wanted to wait and see what we actually used and what we could have left at home. You guys know I am a minimalist when it comes to packing and I wanted to keep it that way for the hospital.

We kept everything in these two bags. Austin and George shared the smaller one, and I used the larger concourse bag.

FOR MAMA

1. BREASTFEEDING GOWN | GOOD FOR WHEN YOU’RE READY TO CHANGE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL GOWN (OR WEAR IN LEIU OF THE HOSPITAL GOWN) FIT: I SIZED UP.

2. NURSING PAJAMAS + ROBE SET | SO SOFT AND PERFECT FOR BREASTFEEDING. I BROUGHT THESE, BUT SINCE I HAD A C SECTION, DID NOT WEAR THEM. I LITERALLY WORE THIS GOWN EVERY NIGHT SINCE I WAS AVOIDING ANYTHING WITH A WAISTBAND. HOWEVER, THEY ARE IDEAL IF YOU AREN’T HAVING A C SECTION OR FOR ONCE YOU HEAL.

3. CARDIGAN  A COMFY CARDIGAN TO WEAR AROUND THE HOSPITAL ROOM OR ON YOUR WAY HOME. I WORE THIS OVER THE BLACK GOWN AND IT WAS SO COZY.

4. NURSING BRAS | IF YOU ARE CHESTY, THIS ONE IS THE BEST. I TRIED SO MANY AND THIS WAS BY FAR THE BEST FOR SUPPORT. I ALSO LOVE THIS ONE FOR SLEEPING OR HANGING OUT AT HOME (NOT AS MUCH SUPPORT, BUT INCREDIBLY SOFT).

5. BOYSHORT PANTIES | THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU GUYS SUGGESTED ON MY IG STORIES WAS TO BRING DARK PANTIES AND ADULT DIAPERS. YOU WILL WANT BLACK, COMFY PANTIES TO WEAR AT THE HOSPITAL AND FOR A FEW WEEKS AFTER.
6. SLIPPERS | HOSPITALS ARE COLD AND THESE WERE PERFECT TO SLIP ON WHEN WALKING AROUND THE ROOM. A LOT OF PEOPLE RECOMMENDED WE BRING SOCKS WITH GRIPPIES, I BROUGHT THEM BUT NEVER WORE THEM. I PREFERED THE SLIPPERS!

7. GOING HOME OUTFIT | I WORE A LOOSE FITTING DRESS AND CARDIGAN SINCE I WAS SO SWOLLEN. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND WEARING SOMETHING THAT IS DARK (OR NOT WHITE) AND AVOID ANYTHING TIGHT OR CONSTRICTING.

7. GOING HOME OUTFIT  | YOU’LL WANT A CUTE GOING HOME OUTFIT FOR PICTURES AND SUCH. GEORGE WORE THIS NEWBORN GOWN AND THIS BUNNY OUTFIT WHEN WE WERE IN THE HOSPITAL.

8. BLANKET | THE HOSPITAL WILL HAVE A SWADDLE FOR YOU, BUT YOU WILL WANT TO HAVE A SOFT BLANKET TO WRAP BABY IN.

9. A ONESIE OR TWO  | WE WERE THERE FOR ALMOST A WEEK, SO AUSTIN HAD TO GO HOME AND GET SOME CLOTHES FOR HIM. IDEALLY, YOU ARE ONLY THERE 1 OR 2 NIGHTS SO YOU REALLY ONLY NEED ONE OR TWO.

10. CAR SEAT | WE ENDED UP GETTING THIS ONE AS A GIFT FOR MY BABY SHOWER. IT’S INCREDIBLY LIGHT AND REALLY EASY TO USE.

MUST-HAVES

11. CAMERA | WE JUST BOUGHT THIS A FEW WEEKS AGO AND HAVE LOVED USING IT FOR PHOTOS AND VIDEO. IT’S SO EASY TO USE.

12. BLUETOOTH SPEAKER | WE ACTUALLY ORDERED THIS, BUT IT DIDN’T COME IN TIME. IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME TO HAVE MUSIC, BUT WE WERE IN SUCH A FRENZY HEADING OUT THE DOOR THAT AUSTIN JUST GRABBED ALEXA (LOL) AND RIGGED IT TO WORK IN THE HOSPITAL. NOT IDEAL, BUT IT WORKED!

13. DIFFUSER | MY DOCTOR AND DULA BOTH RECOMMENDED I GET CLARY SAGE OIL TO DIFFUSE DURING MY BIRTH. IT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HELP REDUCE CRAMPING, HELP WITH ANXIETY/STRESS, AND SPEED UP THE LABOR PROCESS. I LOVED HAVING THIS IN OUR ROOM! I TOLD AUSTIN TO GO HEAVY ON THIS AND WE HAD 15 DROPS GOING EACH TIME (PRETTY SURE IT RECOMMENDS 6). I REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS HELPED TAKE THE EDGE OFF BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO GET AN EPIDURAL (WHICH, UNFORTUNATELY, WAS SEVERAL HOURS). PLEASE NOTE, MY DOCTOR STRESSED TO NOT USE IT UNTIL I WAS LABORING AT THE HOSPITAL. IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PREGNANT WOMEN TO USE UNTIL THEY ARE AT 37 WEEKS AND IN ACTIVE LABOR.

14. IPHONE CHARGER | YOU WILL WANT THE LONGEST CORD POSSIBLE WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL ROOM. THIS CHARGER IS OUR FAVORITE AND IT DOESN’T BREAK OR SHREAD LIKE THE OTHERS. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

15. SNACKS FOR YOUR PARTNER & ANYONE LABORING WITH YOU | WE HAD A WHOLE BAG OF TREATS AND SOMEHOW IT STILL WASN’T ENOUGH, HA! I WOULD BRING MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU WILL NEED.

16. DRY SHAMPOO+BOAR BRUSH | THIS DUO IS MY GO-TO WHEN I DON’T WANT TO WASH MY HAIR. THE BOAR BRISTLE BRUSH IS A GAME CHANGER! I APPLY AT NIGHT AND BRUSH OUT THE NEXT MORNING. IF YOU NEED SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY, APPLY AT ROOTS, WAIT A FEW MINUTES, THEN MASSAGE WITH FINGERS AND BRUSH OUT.

17. NIPPLE BUTTER  | A NATURAL WAY OF TREATING THOSE SORE NIPPLES, WHICH I HATE TO SAY THIS BUT IF YOU PLAN OF BREASTFEEDING OR PUMPING, THEY WILL BE SORE. THIS REALLY HELPS THOUGH!
18. PLASTIC ZIPPER POUCHES | A FUNCTIONAL CASE FOR ALL OF YOUR GOODIES. I PLAN TO USE THESE WHEN I TRAVEL WITH GEORGE TOO. I BOUGHT THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZES.
19. FACIAL ROUTINE | YOU GUYS KNOW I LOVE INDIE LEE. I BOUGHT THIS LITTLE TRAVEL SIZE KIT AND IT WAS PERFECT TO USE WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL. HONESTLY, YOUR SKIN FEELS SO DRY AFTER LABOR. BRING PRODUCTS THAT WILL GIVE YOU SOME HYDRATION AND MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE AT HOME.

20. JET LAG MASK | IF YOUR ROOM HAS A MINI FRIDGE, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND POPPING THIS IN THE FRIDGE.  I WAS SWOLLEN AND DEHYDRATED – THIS MASK GAVE MY SKIN A BOOST AND FELT SO NICE AFTER 14 HOURS OF LABOR.