There are so many things to think about when packing your hospital bag before baby arrives. Especially as a first-time mom, I didn't know exactly what I would want or need, so I did a ton of Googling! I ended up downloading a handful of hospital bag packing checklists that I found online, then combining and editing them to create my own.
I like to be extra prepared, so I recommend having your hospital bag at least mostly packed by around 35-36 weeks. When my daughter came at 38 weeks, I was so relieved that I just had to throw a couple last minute things in my bag!
You can download my full packing checklist at the bottom of this post, but first, here are a few important highlights and callouts.
Favorite/most used items
These were all items I wasn't totally sure I would want or use, but packed just in case. And they were among my favorite things during labor and our two-night stay in the hospital.
 | This was absolutely AMAZING during labor when I would suddenly get super hot during contractions and while pushing! I also think my husband liked having this with us, since holding it or changing its angle was something he could do to be helpful during labor. |
 | These were my favorite snack during labor. Especially once I got the epidural, "real" food is discouraged or even not allowed in some hospitals, so these are a great energy-packed option. |
 | Your own pillows Bring pillows from home for you and your partner! Hospital pillows are not exactly the best. I would also use pillowcases that are a color other than white if you have them handy - ours are white, which matched the hospital bedding, so they were sometimes a bit hard to differentiate between ours and the hospital's. |
 | It was nice to labor in something soft and comfy rather than a scratchy hospital gown. This one from Frida mom was great! It's sold individually or as part of their labor and delivery + postpartum recovery kit. |
Things I wished I had packed
These items didn't make my original packing list, but I wished I had them once I was there! Lessons learned that can hopefully make your hospital stay a bit more pleasant.
 | Baby clothes in a variety of sizes I never expected my daughter to be too small for the newborn-size outfit I brought her to go home in! We made it work, but next time, I would pack one preemie, one newborn, and one 0-3 month outfit so you know you'll have something that fits regardless of baby's size when they’re born. |
 | My hospital had nipple cream for me to use while I was there (most do), but I wasn't a big fan of the kind they supplied, so I wish I had brought my own. This organic Nipple Butter is my absolute favorite! |
Things I packed but didn't need
There were a couple things that I brought to the hospital that I never used while I was there. The first was my breast pump - I brought it thinking maybe the lactation consultants would show me how to use it, but they just recommended a specific YouTube how-to video instead, so I didn’t need it at the hospital at all. The other thing was regular underwear - random, but so easy to not realize that you won’t need them!
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