How To Pack A Diaper Bag For The Hospital

Do we need a diaper bag?

Of course, it’s not necessary to buy a diaper bag 🧺🧴🧥 every single time you go somewhere. You might already have a purse 💼 or handbag 🎒 that works well for you.

However, if you’re looking for a way to organize your essentials 🧺🧴🧥, a diaper bag 🧺🧴🧥 could help you keep track of what you need in case you forget something. Plus, it’s nice to look stylish 💄 while you’re out and about. 🌎

What to Pack in a Diaper Bag For the Hospital

1. Baby Wipes

You know how much parents 🧑‍👦‍👦 love those cute prints 💝, but did you know that baby wipes 🧹 come in many fun designs too? 🌈 You can choose from a variety of patterns, including dinosaurs 🦖, unicorns 🦄, rainbows 🌈 and more.

If you’re looking for something extra special, try choosing one with a favorite character such as Mickey Mouse 🐭, SpongeBob Squarepants 🧽 or Dora the Explorer 🧑‍♀️.

3. Breast Pump

If you plan on pumping breast milk 🍼 during your maternity leave 🤱, you’ll definitely need a pump.

Choose one that works well for you and is easy to store, since you’ll likely be carrying it around with you everywhere you go.

Some models fold up small enough to fit inside your purse 💼. Others are large enough to fit under your shirt. 👚

What to Pack in the Hospital Bag for Mom (Labor and Delivery)

For many women, labor involves a long period of waiting — sometimes weeks — while they prepare for the big day.

If you know what to pack ahead of time, you’ll feel better about your experience and less stressed out during those days.

Here are 10 things to consider packing into a bag for mom (and dad):

1. Baby clothes 🧥🧥🧥. Make sure you’ve got enough outfits for both you 🧑 and your little bundle 🍼. And don’t forget diapers 🧺, wipes 🧹, bibs 🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️, burp cloths 🤱, and bottles 🍼.
2. A change of clothing 🧥🧥, including maternity wear 🤰. Having a clean outfit to put on once the contractions start is comforting.
3. Maternity underwear 🩸. This goes without saying, but you want to make sure you’re comfortable throughout the whole process.
4. Your favorite pair of shoes 👠. Walking around in sneakers 🥾 can cause blisters 💊, especially if you’re walking up and down stairs 🪑. Picking out a couple pairs of comfortable flats 👠 or sandals 👡 will help keep your feet happy.
5. A hairbrush 🧑‍🦱 and comb 💆‍♀️. Having a brush and comb handy will give you something to do while you’re sitting around waiting for labor to begin.
6. Lip balm 💋. Dry lips mean cracked skin, which can lead to infection. Also, a good lip balm 💋 can prevent chapped lips.

What to Pack in the Hospital Bag for Mom (After Delivery)

If you’re planning to give birth at home or at a birthing center, there are many things you won’t need to bring with you.

However, if you’re having a planned cesarean section 🩸 or emergency delivery 🚑, it’s important to prepare ahead of time 🧐.

Here are some items you’ll definitely want to include in your hospital bag 💼, whether you deliver vaginally 🔜 or via C-section 🩸.

A comfortable pair of pajamas 🛌.

Maternity pads 🩸, tampons 🩸, and panty liners 🩸.

Nursing bras 🩸, nursing pads 🩸, and nursing covers 🩸.

Comfortable shoes 👟.

Bottles of water 💧, juice 🍹, or milk 🥛.

Toothbrush 🧹 and toothpaste 🧹.

What to pack in a hospital bag for labor

If you’re having a baby, you know how important it is to prepare ahead of time for what lies ahead.

But even though you’ve got everything planned out, there might still be things you forget about along the way 🤔

If you’re planning a hospital delivery, we’ve put together a list of items you’ll definitely want to bring with you 🚫🔜

1. A nightgown. You’ll probably spend most of your time sleeping, so a comfortable nightgown is essential 🛌
2. Maternity pads. Your doctor will likely give you some pads, but you may need extra 🩸
3. Nursing bras. Even if you don’t intend to nurse, you’ll probably want to wear a nursing bra while you’re in the hospital 🤱
4. Laundry detergent. If you wash your clothes at home, you’ll want to take some laundry detergent with you 🧺
5. Toothbrush. Don’t forget to pack your toothbrush and dental floss 🦷
6. Hair ties. For those long nights where you won’t have access to a mirror, hair ties can help keep your hair tidy 💆‍♀️

Hospital bag checklist for mom

Clothing

If you are planning to go into labor, it is best to pack some extra clothes for yourself and your baby 👶🏽🧥

You don’t want to run out of clean clothing while you’re giving birth. If you plan to spend the night in the hospital, bring pajamas and a change of undergarments 🛏🧦

Pack a few pairs of socks and shoes in case labor takes longer than expected 🧦👟

Also consider packing a pair of comfortable sneakers, since you’ll probably still be walking around during contractions 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Entertainment/food

There are many things that parents can do to help children prepare for long flights 🛫 🧒🏼🧑🏽👶🏾🧒🏽👶🏻🧒🏾👶🏿🧒🏻:

Miscellaneous items

A lot of people don’t think about what they might need when they go into labor, but it’s important to consider everything you might need during delivery. Here are some things you may want to bring with you.

Your Newborn Baby Hospital Bag Checklist

Hat And Socks

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends bringing hats and socks to the hospital for newborn babies.

“Newborns are born without hair and often develop diaper rashes,” says Dr. Jennifer Kowalski, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital Colorado and lead author of the study published in JAMA Pediatrics.

JAMA Pediatrics.

“If they’re exposed to the elements, they’re likely to catch cold.” So bring along a hat and some extra clothing for baby.

JAMA Pediatrics.

Clothes To Wear Home

You might want to pack a few things for yourself before you go into labor 🤰🏼. You don’t want to feel like you’re wearing maternity clothes when you return home after giving birth 🤰🏽🧖🏼‍♀️.

Packing baby clothes ahead of time 🧒🏼‍♀️ makes it easier to transition into regular clothing once you arrive home 🏠. Plus, there’s nothing worse than having to dig out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt while still recovering 🤕.

Car Seat

You’ve been waiting weeks for your newborn to arrive 🤱🏾. Now, you’re finally ready to take him home 🏠. But there’s one problem – he hasn’t passed his car seat test 🚗. And you don’t know what that entails 🤔.

The car seat needs to be tested before you can bring him home 🚫. So, you’ll need to wait until he grows bigger and stronger 💪🏼. Until then, you’ll have to make do without your little bundle of joy 😔.

But don’t worry 🙏🏼. We found some tips for passing the car seat test 💡. After all, you want your child to grow up safe 💕.

Nursing Pillow

The nursing pillow prop ups your little one 🍼 and provides extra support during breastfeeding.

With adjustable straps 🤲 and a soft cushion 🛌, it helps keep baby comfortable and supported throughout the feeding process.

This product is designed specifically for moms 🤱 who want to nurse comfortably and easily, without having to worry about how much pressure is being applied to their breasts.

Diapers

The hospital staff 🏥 will likely diaper the baby 💩 the first time, so it doesn’t really matter what brand you use.

You’ll probably need to bring some disposable diapers 🧻 anyway since hospitals don’t usually stock up on those.

But once you’ve had your baby 🍼, you might want to start packing your own diapers 🧹 for any future changes.

If your hospital does supply diapers 🧦, you can skip this step and save space in your bags 💼.

Baby Wipes

Whether you include diapers 🧦 on your check list or not, it’s a good idea to pack some baby wipes 🧽.

Baby wipes are used for so many things — cleaning your baby 💦, cleaning you 🚽, and removing sweat 💦 and make up 💄, just to name a couple.

Diaper Rash Cream

Whether it’s a newborn 💕 or a toddler 🐣, your baby 🍼 needs protection against diaper rash 🍑 caused by chafing, irritation, and even infection.

And since many babies experience diaper rash 🍑 within the first few weeks of life, it’s important to use a product that effectively treats the problem 🤕 without harming your child’s sensitive skin 🙁.

Baby Lotion

The perfect mix 🍹 of moisturizer 💧 and sunscreen 🌞, Eczema Baby Lotion helps prevent eczema 🤒, cradle cap 🤕 and dry skin 🌵.

This product contains natural ingredients 🌿 like aloe vera juice 🌺, vitamin E oil 💊, jojoba oil 🌰, shea butter 🧈 and avocado oil 🥑.

With a light texture 🌬, this formula provides protection against sunburn 🔥 while keeping babies’ delicate skin soft and supple 🧖‍♀️.

What to Bring When Packing Your Hospital Bag:

User-Friendly Baby Clothes

The best thing 🙌 about having a baby 🍼 is getting to dress him/her in cute outfits 💃 every day.

But it can become difficult to find those perfect pieces 🧥 once you’re out of the hospital 🏥. So we asked moms 🤱 what they packed into their hospital bags 💼 to make life easier for themselves and their little ones.

They told us everything from diaper covers 🧦 to cozy socks 🧦. Their advice might surprise you 😮!

Comfortable Clothes for Mom

You might feel like you’re wearing maternity clothes 🤰 forever now that you’ve had a baby 🍼, but there are some things you’ll want to keep in mind while pregnant 🤰.

A Tablet, Magazines, & Other Entertainment

Parents 🤱 need to be attentive to infant care 🏥 and spend the majority of their free time bonding 💑 with their child 💕.

But what about entertainment 🎥? If you’re working full-time 💼, there’s no way you’ll ever see the latest movie 🎥 or enjoy some adult programming 📺.

So how do parents keep up with their favorite shows 📺 while caring for their children 🧒? Here are some suggestions:

1. Get a tablet 💻.
2. Buy a magazine subscription 📰.
3. Rent videos online 💻.
4. Use your smartphone 📱.
5. Make use of public libraries 🏛.
6. Watch TV via antenna 📡.

Breastfeeding Supplies

If you are thinking about starting up breastfeeding, you might want to consider bringing along some supplies.

Like many things in life, having the proper equipment can make all the difference. Here are some items you might find helpful.

Nursing pillows are designed to support your body during breastfeeding. They come in different shapes and sizes and usually include a soft headrest area where you can rest your head 💆‍♀️

You can choose from several types of fabrics such as cotton, satin, microfiber, bamboo, etc. These pillows can be used on both sides 🌀

Some hospitals provide free samples of nursing pads. Nursing pads are thin pieces of material that fit over the breasts to protect them from rubbing against clothing. 💊

Some people prefer disposable pads because they don’t require washing. Others like reusable pads because they feel better against the skin. 🧼

There are several kinds of nipple creams available. Most contain lanolin, a substance found naturally in sheep wool. Lanolin helps keep the skin moisturized and reduces irritation. 🌿

There are also lotions containing petroleum jelly, mineral oil, aloe vera gel, vitamin E, and olive oil. All of these products can help reduce soreness and discomfort. 💆‍♀️

You can apply nipple ointments directly onto your nipples. This product contains ingredients similar to those found in a diaper rash cream. 💊

When applying, avoid getting the product into your eyes and mouth.

Yummy Snacks

Pack a few healthy snacks into your hospital bag for postpartum recovery. There are plenty of options out there that don’t require refrigeration, making them easy to pack and transport. Here are some ideas:

• Protein bars – These are great because they provide energy without adding too many carbs. You can find ones with added calcium, iron and vitamin D. 💪
• Whole grain crackers – They make a great snack while waiting to meet your baby. Try one with cheese and avocado slices for a healthier version. 🍴
• Nuts – Almonds, cashews and walnuts are nutritious choices that add crunch to your meals. Just remember to keep them away from babies under 12 months old. 🌰
• Fruit – Apples, bananas and oranges are good sources of potassium and magnesium. Keep them separate from anything else you might give your baby. 🍎
• Veggies – Carrots, celery and cucumbers are all great for digestion. Just don’t forget to wash your hands before eating them. 🥕
• Water – This is essential during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Be sure to drink lots of water throughout the day. 💧

Hospital bag checklist for partners

When you’re planning to go into labor, it’s important to think about what you’ll need to take along with you. 🚼

A hospital bag checklist can help you prepare ahead of time, making sure you bring everything you’ll need to make the delivery as smooth as possible. 🧑‍💼

What to pack in a hospital bag: For you

The biggest challenge for women during pregnancy and childbirth is finding comfortable clothing options while staying warm enough. 🤰

When it comes to maternity ward slippers, there are many choices out there. 👡

What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag: For Baby

A lot of parents are still trying to figure out what to pack in their hospital bags for baby. Here are some things we suggest packing for yourself and your infant.

1. Car Seat

You’ll likely be told to bring a car seat into the hospital, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do it. If you’ve never used one before, check out our guide to choosing a car seat. 🚗

2. Going-Home Outfit

This might seem like overkill, but having something ready to go is helpful. 🤰

You’ll want something that fits well, is comfortable, and makes sure your baby looks good at home. We suggest looking into nursing tanks, onesies, and sleepers. 👶🏻

3. Going-Home Outfits in Different Sizes

Don’t just assume you’ll buy clothes in newborn sizes. Having both newborn and 0-3 month outfits lets you avoid buying multiple pairs of tiny pants and shirts. 🧒🏻