We welcomed our sweet baby girl into the world (almost) a month ago and I can hardly believe how fast time has flown! It seems like just yesterday I was scouring the internet for information on labor, motherhood, postpartum, & of course – what to pack in my hospital bag. I’m an over-reasearcher, by nature, and tried to read up on as much as I could. I wanted to truly experience these things before sharing any info with you guys. Now that our hospital stay has come & gone, I thought it may be helpful to put together a list of the 20 hospital bag essentials that I actually used!
I was very particular about what I packed in my bag and knew that the hospital would have most of what I truly needed. Even for this “minimalist”, there were definitely things that I could’ve left at home! I’m hoping this checklist is helpful if you are a mama-to-be (especially a first time mom!) or if you want to be sure not to forget anything that may be of use. All of the items listed below were items that I used during my two day hospital stay and I will bring again for any future deliveries.
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- Baby Mittens – The hospital outfits for baby didn’t have the little hand covers, so I’m glad I brought some mittens! Her nails were sharp after delivery and she always had her hands by her face. These ones are an affordable neutral pack of 4 – I love that they have the little tie for around the wrist. Less chance of falling off!
- Boppy Support Pillow – I used mine throughout our hospital stay. The pillows at our hospital were flat & lifeless so having the Boppy for arm support really helped us figure out nursing! Even if you are formula feeding, it’s a nice place to rest baby for a minute without having to hold them.
- Zipper Baby Onesies – Scratch all of the super cute outfits and just stick with zipper onesies. Trust me. When they are this little, it’s hard to wrangle them into anything else. Plus, diaper changes are a breeze with the zipper feature!
- Shower Flip Flops – I just didn’t want to put my feet on that hospital shower tile. Personal preference, I suppose. These were $2 from Old Navy & worth it in my opinion!
- Dry Shampoo – Speaking of showers, that post-delivery shower is unlike any other. I opted not to wash my hair while at the hospital (since we were only there for 2 days) and instead used my favorite dry shampoo. It works like a charm & I love the scent!
- Baby Book – We brought Ellie’s baby book with us so that the nurses could do her footprints. I never would’ve thought to bring it along but a friend recommended to & I’m glad we did. Much easier than trying to do it ourselves while sleep deprived at home!
- Extra Long Phone Chargers – A must-have for your hospital bag! I bought this pack of three from Amazon so that Eli and I could each have one. It was so nice not having to get up or ask for my phone if it was plugged in.
- Lip Mask – Hospitals have the driest air, ever. I made sure to pack a super hydrating lip mask to lather on whenever I needed it. This stuff is my favorite & has lasted me a long time!
- Velcro Swaddle – I had to add this to my list of 20 hospital bag essentials. Our hospital swaddled the baby using blankets but we thought these velcro ones were much easier! She has slept in this swaddle each night since she’s been born & it is safe for babies as small as 6 lbs. Worth every penny!
- Henley Nursing Dress – Love this affordable option from Amazon. The button top is essential for feeding and there are lots of color choices! I found that wearing a sleep dress made restroom trips much easier.
- Large Water Tumbler with Straw – I used this during my delivery and entire hospital stay. The nurses would fill this up for me when it would get low. Since it’s a large tumbler, I wasn’t asking for refills constantly and it kept my water nice and cold!
- Large Hair Clips – I’ve used these clips for years and they are great at holding all of my hair up and away from my face. I lose hair ties easily & these are harder to misplace.
- Slippers with Hard Sole – I grabbed a cheap pair to wear at the hospital. It was nice to have these right by my bedside and slip them on for bathroom runs etc.
- Carseat – They won’t let you leave the hospital without one so don’t forget it! We have been loving our Nuna Pipa carseat but no matter which one you chose, be sure it accommodates infants.
- Cozy Blanket – You will be spending the entire stay in bed, so why not make it as cozy as possible!? 100% polyester blankets are my favorite and I was thankful to have this to snuggle up with. Not to mention, our hospital was pretty cold!
- Earth Mama Nipple Butter – This was my saving grace for the first week or two. Be proactive and apply it early on! I love this one in particular since it is all-natural & there’s no need to wipe off before feeding.
- Cozy Robe – I splurged on this item. I’ve used it non-stop since having Ellie & truly believe every mama deserves a quality robe. It’s great for wrapping around you in the hospital or postpartum hanging at home.
- Cleansing Facial Wipes – Highly recommend grabbing these for mornings & evenings at the hospital. I was pretty sore after delivery and the last thing I wanted to do was bend over to wash my face. These are awesome to have bedside!
- Portable Sound Machine – If you bring nothing else for the baby, bring this! We used this to settle her to sleep during our stay. It was nice to set it in her hospital bassinet and not have to plug anything in. Just be sure to charge it before you go!
- Black Nursing Friendly Pant Set – As for clothes for mama, just go with black! I packed a lighter colored set along with this one and really only felt comfortable in the black one. This one is super stretchy and has buttons at the top which make it nursing-friendly.
Well friends, that’s it! My list of 20 hospital bag essentials that you will actually use! For lots more pregnancy, postpartum & baby essentials – be sure to check out the Shop My Instagram section on my blog. I share all of my favorite items there along with home decor, clothes & beauty.
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today!
xo,
sarah jane
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