Hospital Bag Checklist: Our Nurses’ Favorites

May 19, 2022

You have everything for your newborn…but what about you?! Hospital Bag Checklist: Our Nurses’ Favorites includes essentials and comfort items to bring to the hospital or birthing center.

Hospital Bag Checklist at a Glance

Item	For Who	Why It Matters
Extra long phone charger	Both parents	Keeps phone accessible from bed
Non-slip slippers	Birthing parent	Safety on hospital floors
Nursing pillow	Birthing parent	Practice with your own gear before going home
Loose postpartum outfit x2	Birthing parent	C-section or vaginal birth comfort
Toiletries you like	Both parents	Hospital soap exists but your own is better
Snacks	Both parents	Cafeteria hours don’t match hunger
Your own pillow	Birthing parent	Hospital pillows are flat
Birth plan copies	Both parents	One for chart, one for staff, one for partner
Insurance cards and ID	Both parents	Keep accessible, not buried
Going home outfit	Baby	Weather appropriate, no bulky layers under harness
Swaddle blanket with stretch	Baby	Stays secure, allows hip movement
Car seat installed before leaving home	Baby	Required for discharge
Tote bag for hospital freebies	Both parents	You will collect more than you expect

Hospital Bag Checklist: Our Nurses Favorites

For You

• Bag for Hospital Freebies: A bag for your bags is essential! You’ll have lots of hospital freebies such as diapers and parenting hand-outs to bring home. Something to bring your discharge orders, pamphlets, formula and giant water bottle home will be helpful.
• Insurance Cards and ID: Keep these accessible, not buried in a bag.
• Extra Long Phone Chargers: You and your partner will be fielding LOTS of phone calls and taking millions of photos…don’t forget that extra long phone charger so the phone will always be within arms reach.
• Your Postpartum Outfit: The newborn coming home outfit and carseat are all ready but don’t forget your own clothes. Loose clothing that won’t rub against your tender mid-section and has a bit of give while your body is in the postpartum phase is a must. For this reason, plenty of new moms choose to keep their maternity clothes for a while.  If you’re breastfeeding, your new go-to clothing options are those that make nursing easy. Nursing tanks and loose shirts are perfect and nursing dresses are easy to pack, functional and -if you’re into being stylish- pretty cute.
• Nursing Pillow – Take advantage of the lactation counselors in the hospital by using the same breastfeeding pillow you plan to use at home. If you’re formula feeding, you’ll likely still use a nursing pillow to hold baby. Bringing your nursing pillow with you can help you feel confident at home.
• Your Own Pillow – Hospital pillows are flat! Bring yours from home so you can sleep better and also have a small comfort and feeling of familiarity in an intense situation.
• Non-Skid Slippers: Just like our team does in the family home, be sure to have non-slip footwear for walking on those slippery hospital floors. This is for your safety and the safety of your precious newborn when being held. 
• Lip Balm: We all know that giving birth means staying hydrated! Remember to keep your lips hydrated after baby arrives as well. It’s a small comfort your body might really appreciate.
• Snacks for Both of You: Pack snacks that don’t require refrigeration like nuts, protein bars, crackers or dried fruit. You may be cleared to eat during early labor and your partner also needs to eat, and the cafeteria might be closed when hunger happens.

For Baby

• Car Seat- Installed Before You Leave Home : You cannot leave the hospital without a car seat, and hospital staff will check that it is properly installed. If baby is born at 37 weeks or earlier, they must pass the Infant Car Seat Challenge before discharge; after being placed in the car seat, nurses will monitor breathing and oxygen levels for 90 to 120 minutes with baby secured in the seat at the correct travel angle. Babies who pass are cleared to go home.

• Going Home Outfit – Just 1 special outfit for baby is fine. Remember if it’s cold outside, your newborn cannot wear a coat in the car seat. A hat and then a baby bunting bag are safest to keep your newborn warm.

• Swaddle Blanket — The hospital will swaddle your baby, but if you bring your own, you can practice with it before you go home. Karla Pablo, RN of Let Mommy Sleep Southern California reminds us to choose one with some stretch: Muslin or jersey fabric wraps more snugly and stays secure longer than standard cotton blankets, and allows baby’s hips to move freely in a safe position.

What to Leave at Home

• Jewelry, valuables or anything you’d be upset to lose. Lots of visitors, shift changes and all your attention on the new human in the room are not a good combination for keeping track of things.
• Heavily scented candles, diffusers or sprays. Many hospitals prohibit them and newborns’ airways are also sensitive.
• Too many clothes and items for baby – The hospital or birthing center provides diapers, wipes and swaddle blankets and you’ll be discharged within 24 to 48 hours.

Our night nurses also suggest continuing the hospital level of care at home with a 1 hour postpartum visit. Let Mommy Sleep RN’s partner with newborn care specialists to be sure the full scope of postpartum care happens for babies and their families. Schedule with us today.