What to pack in your hospital (or birth center) bag for labor

When thinking about what to pack in your hospital bag for labor, you want to find the balance between feeling prepared and not overwhelming yourself with too many things for you to use. Ideally, you should have your bag mostly packed by 37 weeks. Many of the things on the list I want to have accessible before baby, so I'd have them ready to go in a basket or container that's easy to gather up when labor begins. A super clear printed check list is useful in case someone else needs to gather up the final details before leaving for the hospital or birth center.

Many birth centers send you home only a few hours after birth. Because of this, I would leave most of the After Birth and Baby items at home and just bring the absolute basics.

If you're having a home birth, I still recommend having the basics ready in case of transfer. I printed out the check list and made sure my husband and mom knew where everything was just in case they needed to pack a bag without me.

Obviously, your birth partner should bring the basics to take care of themselves for however long you expect to stay at your birth location.

For Labor:

• Electrolyte mix, coconut water, other hydrating beverage of choice

• Laboraide

• Print out of your birth plan

• Print out of a high level overview of your decisions (e.g. cord clamping, eye ointment, Vitamin K, bathing, etc) - I have this format laid out in My Birth Plan template available for free here.

• Snacks: Familiar and enjoyable foods that offer easy to digest energy

  • Fresh Fruit

  • Peanut Butter & Honey Sandwich

  • A favorite simple soup in a large thermos for early labor. It’s a great way to get some protein and hydration in and is easy to sip on. This is also a great thing to have in the freezer for postpartum - someone could have the job of heating it up and bringing to you after birth.

  • Keep in mind, vomiting and diarrhea often happens in labor, so plan your snacks accordingly 🙂

• Hair ties

• Labor & Delivery friendly gown: this is just a preference, but many find themselves more comfortable and less patient-like when they choose their own clothes over what hospitals provide

• Wool socks with grips: temperature changes are common in labor, so it's good to have warm socks that you wont slip walking in. Birth is associated with the loss of blood (warmth) from our womb and we want to support healing as much as possible by encouraging replenishment. I recommend having warm, cozy, wool socks since wool is naturally breathable, clean, and adapts to your temperature.

• Slippers or other comfortable house shoes for walking around

• Two piece bathing suit if you plan to labor in the shower or tub - underwear is also fine, just make sure you bring extras

• Essential oil of choice - I prefer eucalyptus and peppermint for calming and to help with nausea

• Lip balm

• Eye Mask

• Headphones/earbuds/speaker

• Phone charger

• Mints and/or gum

  
  

After Birth:

• Disposable underwear: hospitals provide these, and some birth centers do. You'll likely want to use them for a few days after birth.

• Nursing friendly loungey bras: you dont want to wear anything tight, but having some support can be more comfortable. I prefer natural fibers like cotton whenever possible.

• Nursing friendly tops

• Maternity friendly bottoms: even once baby is born, your body will prefer loose fitting clothing like stretchy pants or roomy dresses

• I highly recommend starting a stool softener soon after birth, along with hydrating and eating gentle foods, to ensure the first poop after birth is more manageable. The hospital will usually provide, but I like this brand and you'll want to use it for a few days after birth. You don't want to be reactive when it comes to postpartum constipation.

• Nursing pillow. This organic cotton / buckwheat hull one is my favorite - I used for all my babies and passed along to a friend.

• Nipple cream and/or silver nipple shields

• There is some debate about this in the lactation world, but I appreciated having a nipple shield available in the beginning of breastfeeding with two of my babies- the two who happened to be the most tongue tied. These are ideally only for short term use while addressing latch problems or oral restrictions. In the early days, when you need a shield due to severe pain or latch difficulties, it's nice to have one ready immediately while you seek out additional resources.

• Perineal Spray & Rhoid Balm for after birth.

• Toiletries: If you'll be in a hospital, plan to take your first shower there. Bring toothbrush and paste, shampoo and conditioner, contacts or glasses, hairbrush, and any other basic toiletries you need. If you can stand it, skip deodorant if you can or use something unscented so as not to interfere with the olfactory signaling between you and baby.

• Some people like to have their own pillows or a blanket. This is definitely nice to have but might not be worth lugging around if you're not too picky.

• White noise machine or even ear plugs to drown out hospital noises

• A portable red light so you can see without turning big lights on. I find them very useful once you're home as well for middle of the night feeds and diaper changes.

• After birth cramp ease tincture - this is especially useful for subsequent births. It's normal to experience very intense cramping for a few hours or days after birth.

For Baby:

• Newborn diapers: hospitals have these, but I do take extra care in the first few months to use more natural diapers for baby's skin. This has been my favorite brand for years, but I know there are many others avaailable these days.

• Baby blankets: I don't like the scratchy hospital blankets and find these muslin, organic cotton blankets to be useful for many months.

• Burp Cloths: These are another long term helpful item that can be nice to have in the hours/days after birth for spit up, burping, diaper changes, etc.

• Baby hat: I don't recommend putting a hat on baby right after birth - mom's chest is the best, warmest spot and the smell of baby's head is great for hormonal signalling in the immediate postpartum. But after a few hours, it's good to have a few hats available to keep baby warm. Again, the hospital will provide, but I don't like the scratchy material and like to have my own.

• Organic cotton baby clothes. This is my personal preference for style - I think it's easiest to get on and off tiny and squirmy babies. I have a post here about keeping a baby warm in colder temps. I often just do a top like the one linked and then a muslin blanket or wearable blanket like these instead of getting pants on them.