Hospital Bag Checklist
What to pack for labor and delivery — for her, the baby, and you.
Packing the hospital bag is one of those tasks that feels simple until you are standing in the bedroom at 2 AM with contractions five minutes apart, trying to remember where the insurance cards are. The solution is obvious: pack it early, pack it right, and leave it by the door. This guide covers exactly what goes in the bag for her, what goes in the bag for the baby, what goes in your bag, and — just as importantly — what the hospital already provides so you do not overpack. We have also included the items most people forget, because someone has to learn from other people's mistakes.
When to pack the hospital bag
Pack the bag between week 35 and week 36. Not earlier, because you will spend weeks second-guessing what you packed and repacking it. Not later, because babies do not check your calendar. About 10% of births happen before 37 weeks, and you do not want to be the couple improvising a hospital bag from whatever is clean while timing contractions.
Set aside an hour on a weekend. Pull up this list. Pack everything that can be packed now, and create a short “grab list” of last-minute items that cannot be packed in advance (glasses, daily medications, wallet). Tape the grab list to the top of the bag. When it is time to go, you grab the list items, throw them in, and walk out the door.
See our Week 35 guide for the full breakdown of this week's tasks, including packing the bag.
Her bag
This is the main bag. Pack it in a small duffel or weekender — something with a wide opening so you can find things quickly in a dim hospital room. Do not use a suitcase. You will not have floor space for a suitcase.
- Robe — You will live in this. A knee-length, lightweight robe that opens in the front is ideal for breastfeeding and skin-to-skin. The hospital gown works for delivery, but afterward you will want your own robe for walking the halls, receiving visitors, and feeling like a human being.
- Slippers with grip — Hospital floors are cold and slippery. Bring slippers with rubber soles, not fuzzy socks. You will wear these to the bathroom, down the hallway, and anywhere else you shuffle in the first 24 hours.
- Lip balm — Hospitals are aggressively dry. Breathing through labor dries out your lips completely. This is a small thing that makes a surprising difference. Pack two, because one will disappear.
- Hair ties and a headband — Long hair and labor do not mix. Pack several hair ties and a wide headband to keep hair off the face during pushing. These also vanish into hospital bedding, so bring extras.
- Nursing bra — If planning to breastfeed, pack two nursing bras. A soft, no-wire style is most comfortable for the first few days. Skip the underwire entirely until well after milk comes in.
- Going-home outfit in maternity size — Do not pack pre-pregnancy jeans. You will still look roughly six months pregnant when you leave the hospital. Pack loose, comfortable maternity clothes — a stretchy dress or soft pants with an elastic waist. This is not the time for optimism about sizing.
- Toiletries — Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, face wash, dry shampoo, and a small towel. Hospital towels are the size of washcloths. Bring your own if you care about actually drying off after a shower.
- Long phone charger (10 feet) — Hospital outlets are behind the bed, under a counter, or across the room. A standard 3-foot cable is useless. Buy a 10-foot braided cable now and pack it. You will use your phone more in those 48 hours than any other 48-hour period of your life — texting family, googling breastfeeding positions, taking photos, and doom-scrolling at 4 AM.
- Your own pillow — Hospital pillows are flat, plastic-covered, and terrible. Bring one pillow from home in a distinctive pillowcase (not white) so it does not get mixed in with hospital linens.
- Snacks — Labor can last 12 to 36 hours, and hospital food operates on a fixed schedule that will not align with when you are actually hungry. Pack granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit, crackers, and anything else that does not need refrigeration. Nuts and protein-heavy snacks hold up better than sugary ones.
Baby's bag
The baby's bag is the smallest bag. Newborns need almost nothing, and the hospital provides most of what they do need during the stay. Your job is to have the right stuff for the ride home.
- Going-home outfit in two sizes — Pack one outfit in newborn size and one in 0-3 months. Babies vary wildly in size, and the newborn size might be too small if the baby is over 8 pounds. A simple onesie, pants, and socks work. Skip anything with complicated snaps or buttons — you will be doing this for the first time on approximately zero sleep.
- Swaddle blanket — One or two lightweight muslin swaddles. These work as a swaddle, a blanket, a burp cloth, a sun shade, and a surface to lay the baby on. They are the single most versatile item you will own for the next six months.
- Car seat installed in the car — The hospital will not let you leave without an infant car seat properly installed. Do this by week 36 at the latest. Many fire stations and hospitals offer free car seat installation checks. Do not assume you installed it correctly — get it checked. The base should not move more than one inch side to side when you shake it.
- Blanket — One warm, soft blanket for the ride home. Even in summer, newborns lose heat quickly, and car air conditioning can be cold. Keep it light enough that it does not interfere with the car seat harness — the blanket goes over the buckled baby, never under the straps.
Dad's bag
You are going to be at the hospital for one to three days. The pull-out couch is uncomfortable, the room is not yours, and you will not want to leave to get things you forgot. Pack your own bag as if you are going on the least glamorous overnight trip of your life — because you are.
- Change of clothes — At least two full changes. You may be at the hospital for two or three days, and you will want to feel clean even if you slept on a vinyl couch. Pack comfortable layers — hospitals alternate between freezing and warm with no logic.
- Toiletries — Toothbrush, deodorant, face wash, and anything else you need to feel human. You will not have time for a full grooming routine, but brushing your teeth after 18 hours of labor coaching makes a real difference.
- Phone charger — Your own long cable. You will be texting the entire extended family, taking photos, and possibly livestreaming the first bath. Your phone will die if you do not charge it constantly.
- Laptop or tablet — Labor can involve long stretches of waiting. Bring something to watch or work on. Download shows and movies in advance in case the hospital Wi-Fi is slow, which it will be.
- SERIOUS snacks — Not a single granola bar. Pack a bag of real food: beef jerky, trail mix, protein bars, peanut butter crackers, dried mango, nuts, and anything else calorie-dense. The hospital cafeteria closes at odd hours, and the vending machine selection is grim. You are the support team, and you cannot support anyone if your blood sugar has crashed. Pack enough for two days.
- Cash for parking — Many hospital parking structures only take cash, or charge daily rates that add up fast. Bring $40 to $60 in small bills. Some hospitals validate parking for maternity stays, but do not count on it.
- Pillow and small blanket — The dad sleeping situation in most hospitals is a fold-out chair or a narrow couch with a single hospital blanket. Bring your own pillow and a throw blanket. You will not sleep well regardless, but you might sleep slightly less terribly.
- Entertainment for downtime — A book, a deck of cards, a podcast playlist, or a downloaded game. Early labor can last many hours, and there are stretches where the best thing you can do is be present without hovering. Having something quiet to do nearby helps.
Documents folder
Put all of these in a single folder or large zip-lock bag. When you are checking in at the hospital, the last thing you want is to be digging through a duffel bag for your insurance card while someone is having contractions in a wheelchair next to you.
- Insurance cards — Both the primary cardholder's card and any secondary insurance. Bring the physical cards, not a photo on your phone. The admissions desk will want to photocopy them.
- Photo IDs — Driver's licenses for both parents. The hospital will verify identity at check-in and again when you are discharged.
- Birth plan copies — Print three to five copies. One for the OB, one for the labor nurse, one for your backup, and a spare. Even if your birth plan is simple, having it written down means you do not have to re-explain your preferences to every new shift nurse. See our Week 34 guide for how to write a birth plan that nurses actually read.
- Pediatrician info — Name, phone number, and practice address. The hospital will ask who the baby's pediatrician is before discharge so they can send records. Choose your pediatrician before week 35.
- Pre-registration confirmation — Most hospitals let you pre-register online weeks before delivery. Do this. It cuts your check-in time dramatically and means less paperwork while someone is in active labor. Bring the confirmation number or printout.
- Emergency contacts list — A printed list of names and phone numbers for people to call. Your phone might die, you might be in the OR, and the nurses may need to reach someone on your behalf. Include parents, siblings, and your backup childcare person if you have older children.
See our Week 34 guide for birth plan templates and our Choosing a Pediatrician guide for how to find and vet the right one.
What the hospital provides (don't pack these)
One of the most common mistakes is overpacking because you assume the hospital provides nothing. They actually provide quite a lot — all of it functional, none of it luxurious. Save the bag space and leave these at home.
- Hospital gowns — They are not fashionable, but they are designed for medical access during labor, delivery, and postpartum monitoring. You will wear the gown during delivery and can switch to your own robe afterward.
- Postpartum pads — The hospital provides large, absorbent pads for postpartum bleeding. They are industrial-grade and effective. You do not need to bring your own for the hospital stay.
- Mesh underwear — These stretchy, disposable mesh underwear are designed to hold the large pads in place. They are surprisingly comfortable and breathable. Take as many as they offer you. Seriously — ask for extras before you leave.
- Diapers and wipes — The hospital provides newborn diapers and wipes for the duration of your stay. Do not pack these.
- Formula samples — If you are formula feeding or supplementing, the hospital will have formula available. They typically provide ready-to-feed nursette bottles.
- Peri bottle — A squeeze bottle for rinsing after using the bathroom postpartum. The hospital provides one; the Frida Mom version is an upgrade worth buying for home use.
- Ice packs and cooling pads — For perineal soreness. The hospital has these. The nurses will show you how to make the ice-pad combos that make the first few bathroom trips bearable.
Pro tip: before you are discharged, ask your nurse what you can take home. Most hospitals are happy to send you home with extra mesh underwear, pads, diapers, and the peri bottle. These supplies are billed to your stay whether you take them or not. Take them.
What most people forget
We hear from parents every week about things they wished they had packed. The same items come up again and again. Consider this the lessons-learned section.
- Long phone charger — This is the single most-cited forgotten item. A 3-foot cable does not reach from a hospital outlet to the bed. Buy a 10-foot cable before week 35. Buy two — one for each of you.
- Snacks for dad — Everyone packs snacks for the person giving birth and then dad sits there hungry at midnight with nothing but a vending machine. Pack a dedicated snack bag for yourself. A full one.
- Going-home outfit in the right size — The number of people who pack their pre-pregnancy jeans and then cannot wear them home is staggering. You will still be in maternity sizes when you leave. Pack accordingly.
- Nipple cream — If planning to breastfeed, nipple soreness starts within the first 24 to 48 hours. Lanolin or a nipple balm provides immediate relief. The hospital may have some, but having your own means you are not waiting for a nurse to bring it.
- Hair ties — They seem insignificant until you are in active labor with hair stuck to your face and neck. Pack at least five. They migrate into the bedding and disappear.
The day-of grab list
Some items cannot be packed weeks in advance because you use them daily. Write this short list on a piece of paper and tape it to the top of your packed bag. When it is go time, run through the list, throw these items in, and leave.
- Glasses or contacts — If you wear corrective lenses, you will forget them in the rush. Glasses are easier for labor and the hospital stay. Put them on top of the bag the night you think labor might be close.
- Daily medications — Anything you take daily: prenatal vitamins, prescriptions, allergy meds. Do not assume the hospital will have them or that your doctor will prescribe them during the stay. Bring your own bottles.
- Wallet with ID and insurance cards — If you keep your documents folder in the bag, you still need your daily wallet with your driver's license and any cards you might need. Some people forget this because they already packed the insurance cards separately.
- Phone (charged) — Obvious, but in the middle of the night when you are half-asleep, it is easy to leave your phone on the nightstand. Grab it. And the charger, which should already be in the bag.
The goal with the grab list is speed. When contractions are five minutes apart, you want a 60-second out-the-door routine, not a 20-minute packing session. Everything else should already be in the bag.
Related guides
Packing the hospital bag is one piece of the third trimester preparation puzzle. These guides cover the rest:
The full week 35 checklist, including bag packing, finalized birth plan review, and pre-registration.
Week 31 — Postpartum PlanningMeal prep, recovery supplies, help scheduling, and setting up the postpartum support system before the baby arrives.
Week 34 — Birth PlanHow to write a birth plan that nurses actually read, including pain management preferences and contingency plans.
Recommended products
10-Foot USB-C Phone Charger
Hospital outlets are never where you need them. A 10-foot braided cable means you can actually use your phone while it charges, whether you are in the bed, the chair, or pacing the room at 3 AM.
Frida Mom Postpartum Recovery Essentials Kit
Peri bottle, cooling pad liners, perineal healing foam, and disposable underwear in one box. The hospital provides some of this, but the Frida versions are significantly better — and you will want them at home too.
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