Hospital bag checklist: what to pack for labor and after

Packing a hospital bag is something concrete you can do in the last weeks of pregnancy. It takes one task off your mind for the day labor starts. The bag doesn’t need to be huge, because hospitals provide a lot. This checklist covers documents, things for labor and for after the birth, a going-home outfit for your baby, and supplies for your partner.

When to pack your hospital bag

The NHS points out that only 1 in 20 babies arrives on the due date. So it suggests having your bag packed at least three weeks before yours. Scripps Health recommends at least a month before the due date. Cleveland Clinic says a month or two, and Australia’s Better Health Channel puts it at around 36 weeks.

ACOG suggests leaving the packed bag somewhere handy, such as a hall closet or the trunk of your car. Make sure your partner knows where it is. A note on top can list what you’ll add at the last minute, like your phone charger and glasses.

While you’re at it, ask your care team how to reach them after office hours and whether to call first or come straight in. ACOG lists both as things to settle well before your due date. Save the labor and delivery number in your phone, and if you use our contraction timer app, add it there too. When your contractions reach the rule you’ve chosen, such as 5-1-1, the app alerts you. You can call the unit straight from the alert. The details of that check are in how the app calculates.

Documents and essentials to keep on top

Keep these in a folder at the top of the bag. Cleveland Clinic notes that you’ll show your ID and insurance card to a lot of people during your stay. A folder also helps with the paperwork that piles up.

• Photo ID and health insurance card
• Any forms your hospital asked you to fill in ahead of time
• Your hospital or maternity notes, if you carry paper copies
• Your birth plan, printed, if you have one
• A list of the medicines you take
• Your pediatrician’s name (Scripps Health notes the hospital will assign one if you haven’t chosen)
• Phone numbers of the people you’ll want to tell, written down in case your phone dies
• Your phone and an extra-long charging cable

What to pack for labor

For labor, pack things that keep you comfortable and let you move around.

• Loose, comfortable clothes to wear in labor
• A robe, and slippers or flip-flops you can also wear in the shower
• Socks
• Lip balm
• A handheld massager
• Music, with headphones or a small speaker
• Snacks, drinks and a water bottle
• A fan or water spray to keep cool
• Your glasses, if you usually wear contacts
• A TENS machine with spare batteries, if you plan to use one

Ask your hospital what you can eat and drink during labor before you pack a big bag of food.

What to pack for after the birth

• Nightwear that opens at the front or is loose, if you plan to breastfeed
• Three changes of comfortable clothes
• Five or six pairs of underwear (disposable ones can be handy)
• Two or three bras, including nursing bras if you plan to breastfeed
• Breast pads and nipple cream
• Two packs of super-absorbent maternity pads
• Toiletries such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush and deodorant
• An eye mask for sleeping on a brightly lit ward
• Your own pillow and a towel
• Your breast pump and clean parts, if you plan to pump
• Loose, comfortable clothes for going home
• Something for quiet hours, such as a book or podcasts
• A spare bag for laundry

For a planned cesarean, the Better Health Channel adds:

• Large underwear that doesn’t sit on the wound
• Clothes with no waistline, such as loose dresses
• Dry shampoo and mouthwash, for freshening up while you can’t get out of bed

Some of this may already be waiting for you. Cleveland Clinic says the hospital provides mesh postpartum underwear and plenty of pads. The NHS list asks you to bring your own. Ask your hospital which applies to you.

Medicines work the same way. The NHS list includes any medicines you take. Cleveland Clinic says the hospital pharmacy can provide what you need with a little planning. Bring a list either way and ask your team what to pack.

Hospital bag for baby

What your baby needs during the stay depends on your hospital. Cleveland Clinic says everything your baby needs in the hospital is provided, and Scripps Health supplies diapers at first. The NHS checklist, written for UK parents, includes diapers (nappies), wipes and clothes. Either way, pack for the trip home:

• An outfit for going home, plus one a size up in case newborn size is too small
• Bodysuits, undershirts and sleepers
• A hat, scratch mittens, and socks or booties
• A snowsuit or other warm layer if it’s cold
• Diapers and wipes, if your hospital doesn’t supply them
• Burp cloths or muslin squares
• A blanket for the ride home

The car seat for the ride home

If you’re going home by car, your baby needs an infant car seat. The American Academy of Pediatrics says all infants should ride rear-facing, starting with their first ride home from the hospital. It warns never to place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a car with an active front passenger airbag.

ACOG lists getting a car seat and installing it properly among the things to do before labor begins. The AAP suggests working with a certified child passenger safety technician before your baby is born, so you can plan a safe ride home. Installing the seat a few weeks early also means nobody has to figure out the straps in the hospital parking lot.

Hospital bag for your partner

Labor can take a while, as our guide on how long labor lasts explains. ACOG says a first labor typically lasts 12 to 18 hours, so your partner needs supplies too.

• A change of clothes and comfortable sleepwear
• Slippers and socks
• Toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant
• Phone and charger
• Snacks and drinks
• Small bills or change for parking and vending machines
• Any medicines they take
• Spare glasses or contact lenses, if they wear them
• Swimwear, if they’ll join you in a birth pool

What the hospital usually provides

Cleveland Clinic lists several things you can usually leave at home:

• diapers and wipes for your baby’s stay
• mesh underwear and pads for you
• jewelry and other valuables

Scripps Health also provides a breast pump if you need one during your stay.

Cleveland Clinic also suggests leaving space in the bag for everything you’ll bring home. Hospitals don’t all stock the same things, as the US and NHS lists above show. Check the list your hospital gives you, or ask on your tour.

If labor starts before the bag is ready

A half-packed bag is never a reason to wait, since someone can bring things later. Signs that labor might be starting include contractions, your waters breaking and a “show”, when the mucus plug comes away (NHS).

With regular contractions, follow the advice your hospital gave you. Our guide on when to go to the hospital explains the common rules, including the 5-1-1 rule. To keep track of them, read how to time contractions.