So sorry it has taken me this long to write this post! Originally I was going to do it before even heading into labor and though that was silly! I wanted to wait until I actually knew what I used and what I really didn’t need.

I should preface this by saying *every labor is different. You may need items that aren’t on my list and you may find no need for items that are! I had a vaginal delivery and was in and was out of the hospital a day after giving birth. Some people choose or need to stay longer so they may need more.

10 Things You Need in Your Hospital Bag

Before listing what you need to bring, I should probably make sure you know to have this bag packed WAY AHEAD OF TIME. Pack it and keep it in the back of your car. You just never know when the time will come! Tons of my friends had their babies 3-4 weeks before their due date!

Start collecting these items now to make sure everything ships and arrives in time for you to pack and be prepared at least a month before your due date.

I originally asked all of you to help me create a list for my hospital bag. If I had gone with that list, I would have filled the entire room haha! Plus, a lot of the stuff you guys suggested is great to have at home for postpartum, but they provide it all for you at the hospital.

If you need that postpartum list for home, make sure to check out THIS POST.

Also, you are not allowed to take any of your own drugs or use any of your own medicine in the hospital. So I couldn’t take my prenatal, colace, etc. The hospital will provide it for you. I also brought dermoplast spray and tuck’s witch hazel wipes and was unable to use those as well!

1. Motherhood Maternity Delivery Gown. I have posted this nursing gown 100 times on my Instagram Stories already and love all of the messages I have received from those of you who have worn it. It really is a life saver at the hospital. It is really soft and cozy and it just feels good to be in your own clothes. I recommend washing it & wearing a few times before you go to really get the smell of your own home on there! Plus it gets softer and a little smaller with each wash (fits a little big at first!) I got a small in the pink and the black. I wore the black during labor and the pink the next day, but ended up getting blood on the pink one and had to take it off shortly after putting it on! The blood came off both and I wear them at least once a week still here at home!

2. Blankets. It is freezing in the hospital! You will need a warm blanket for you and either a SUPER warm blanket for your husband or two blankets for him. We used THESE from Target and they are on sale right now! You will have a couple of thin blankets that the hospital provides, but your husband will need something to sleep with. You could also throw in a sheet for him to sleep on!

3. Fleece-Lined Socks. If you saw Miller’s Birth Story, then you probably saw I had these huge black socks on during delivery. I had these on the entire time I was in the hospital and they were life savers!!! Like I said, it is cold in there and even with blankets you can get a chill. Labor is scary after all and with the medicine pumping through you it is hard to regulate your body. I would have the shakes over and over again, but my feet stayed WARM! I got mine from Costco (comes with 2 sets for $15), but THESE Ugg Slipper Socks are also amazing! Wearing a them HERE in this post.

4. Sleep Mask. You will definitely need a sleep mask. When the nurses come in every hour they have to turn on the light and the lights in there are so awful and bright! Plus, when they come in they are usually just checking something and you don’t even need to be awake for it. Oh and sometimes the windows aren’t covered well so light pours in as soon as the sun comes up. Definitely pack a sleep mask so you can sleep undisturbed while your baby sleeps. I use the Slip masks, but they are kind of pricey. THIS ONE is only $9 and is a best seller with rave reviews.

5. Sound Machine. Have you bought a portable sound machine for the baby yet? If not, I highly recommend buying THIS ONE and bringing it with you to the hospital. Like I said, the nurses come in SO OFTEN and this sound machine will help you, your husband, and your baby rest easier. This sound machine is also on my Top 25 Products for Newborns list!

6. Nursing Pillow. Get the My Breast Friend!! It was so clutch in the hospital and those first few weeks at home! You are just so tired and the baby feels extremely heavy so it is so nice to be able to set him/her on the pillow and be more hands free! The Breast Friend is my favorite because it attaches around you and it is really sturdy. I just have it in the plain grey color because it is a really soft (fleece-like) fabric.

7. Electronics. Most rooms have a tv but you will have limited channels and our tv didn’t even work. You will want something to do while you wait for the baby to come and during the day when the baby has arrived! I recommend have movies downloaded to an iPad or having a book you have been dying to read ready to go on your iPad/Kindle. Oh and don’t forget a super long charging cord! LIFE SAVER for real! You never know where the closest plug is in the room! We have THIS ONE in rose gold and in silver!

8. Overnight essentials: Toothbrush, toothpaste, blow dryer, brush, curling wand or straightener. You will need the latter only if you want to get dolled up for photos with the baby. Other than that I just recommend Dry Shampoo so you don’t even have to wash your hair. You will NOT feel like doing it! I also recommend seeing if you have any blow dry services in your area that will come to you! In Dallas you can do the Birdie App and they will come to the hospital and blow dry & style your hair for you! I know a lot of city also have the Glam App and similar apps to that! Totally worth being able to sit in the hospital bed and have them do it for you. Definitely bring face wash!! You will love the feeling of washing your face! Oh and make sure your chapstick/aquaphor is in there. So weird how chapped your lips get!

9. Water Bottle/Tumbler. You will definitely need a tumbler for the hospital. That might even be the #1 thing I tell you not to forget! The one they provide you just isn’t all that great! You will be SO THIRSTY and you won’t want your husband to have to keep leaving the room to grab you more water and ice (the hospital cups are so small!). I seriously had to stop several times during labor and ask for more water! I brought THIS CUTE TUMBLER in Rose Gold!

10. Going home outfit for you and the baby. A lot of people recommended bringing a few outfits for the baby. They are mostly naked & in the hospital provided swaddles (Baylor had Halo swaddles)! You may want to bring 2 going home outfits just in case they spit up or poop in one of them! I just wore leggings and a comfy tunic sweater for the ride home. Miller wore this onesie, this dress, this bow in white, and some white newborn socks from Buy Buy Baby.

Here are things that you guys told me to bring that I didn’t end up using (BUT YOU CAN FIND THEM ALL ON MY POSTPARTUM POST):

Depends- the hospital has great pads and ice packs that fit into the pads. I just wore the pads and was totally fine while in the hospital and then put the depends on at home.

Panties- Same as above. I was actually obsessed with the underwear that the hospital provided! Stretchy mesh boyshorts basically!

Nursing pads- If your milk was squirting out while you were at the hospital WOW, good for you! For most of us, the colostrum is hard to come by and if it does come out you definitely don’t want to be wasting it by having it leak into a pad. I didn’t need nursing pads until I came home from the hospital! If you are in the hospital for a few days you may need some.. not sure. Again, you just really don’t produce that much milk at the beginning!

Nursing Bra- I guess if you have a lot of visitors you MIGHT need a nursing bra? I didn’t wear a bra while I was there! I love THESE from Kindred Bravely if you do want to pack one!

Nursing Gowns/Tanks- I literally wore the delivery gowns the entire time because they also work as nursing gowns! I think I may have brought an extra one to sleep in.. I can’t remember. THIS NURSING GOWN is amazing (and 25% off) and may be worth throwing in.

PS: Your husband will need the following:

-a blanket of his own

-a pillow

-his overnight bag

-headphones to listen to music

-his own electronics

-something comfy and warm to sleep in

-a light jacket

-gum/snacks

*My hospital bags were gifted by Dagne Dover.

xox Amanda