With less than two weeks away from my due date, I figured it was about time I finished packing my hospital bag!
When I had Beverly I really didn’t know what I needed to bring, or what was unnecessary. In the end I had a Very. Full. Bag. I packed anything and everything that had the slightest possibility of use. This time around, I know what I really do need! Thankfully, I also know what I don’t need.
Blankets/Swaddles
You can never have too many blankets and swaddles! Burping, holding, warming, picture taking, swaddling, et cetera. I also like to use two rolled up swaddles to place on either side of the brand new babe in his/her carseat to help keep their head from falling to the side
Since we don’t know what gender our baby is, I am bringing gender neutral coloured blankets!
Clothes for Me
Rule #1. . . Keep it as comfy as possible. Rule #2. . . Choose clothes easy to take on and off. Rule #3. . . Wear a loose lounge-worthy bra.
Sweatpants. . . This time around I’m bring two pairs of super baggy bummed sweatpants. I didn’t think of this last time – nor did I need a spare pair – but I have the second pair just incase the first one gets ruined in that lovely postpartum way.
Tank Top. . . Easy to take on and off. Soft. Loose fitting.
Sports Bra. . . I am re-using the same bra that I brought in my hospital bag for Bev! It is super comfy (of course) and easy to either take completely off, or just move a cup over for nursing.
Clothes for Baby “Brew”
The clothes I’m bringing for our little “Brew” are pretty minimal!
Sleepers. . . A spare sleeper is a must! And of course, kept the colour gender neutral – white!
Socks and mitts. . . The sleepers we are bringing have closed feet but socks are good just incase it gets a tad too cold in the hospital! The mitts are mainly for when we have visitors. I do my best to limit the amount of skin people can touch on the baby since their little immune systems are so fragile.
Soother. . . Every baby is different. Beverly was a soother baby from the start (for our sanity and hers). Maybe this baby will need a soother, or maybe not! However, I’m bringing a sterilized soother just incase!
Newborn Hat. . . Green for a BOY! Floral for a GIRL! You’ll see one of these on my Instagram in the next couple weeks!
Toiletries
Theres nothing like a long shower after labor. I’ve got:
- Travel sized shampoo & conditioner
- Travel sized body wash
- Mini face wash
- Mini face cream
- Toothpaste & brush
- Hair brush
Seriously. . . Bring the good stuff! If I have time, I’ll also add some essential oil toner sprays to my bag!
Snacks
My biggest postpartum hack is dried mango.
TMI. . . Postpartum haemorrhoids are real for many women. Even if you don’t get them, the first few bowel movements after birth can be very painful and uncomfortable in many cases. Dried mango (I like to treat myself with the sweetened kind) really helped me (and other mamas I recommended this to) avoid these problems. All it really does is help soften the stool a whole bunch so it has an easier time coming out.
A bag of dried mango to snack on is an absolute MUST for my hospital bag.
What I’m NOT Bringing
There are certain things I brought last time that I won’t be bringing this time because my hospital supplies it!
- Adult diapers
- Baby diapers
- Wipes
- Baby Wash
- Nipple Cream
What I’ll Pack Once Labor Starts
There are certain things that I can’t pack till the baby is actually on his/her way! I like to keep a list of these things by the front door so that I can double check that I have everything on the way to the hospital:
- Phone & charger
- Camera & charger
- iPod
- Book
All Packed!
Having my hospital bag all packed definitely makes the fact that a new baby is almost here so real!
The hardest thing about having my bag packed though is knowing that a bag of dried mango is waiting for me. . . I really want to eat it now!
-Rach
Thanks for sharing! Very minimal & loved how you kept it simply essential. Will definitely be saving this for future reference.
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