Let me start by saying that I know there are UNLIMITED amounts of hospital bag checklists out there already! I wanted to share mine because mine is a bit on the minimal side.
I try not to go overboard in bringing things to the hospital, especially things that I either know they have or I know I will be able to take home at the end of my stay. There are many things I’ve learned with my previous 5 babies, so I want to share my version of a minimal hospital bag checklist with you!
This list is great for moms who have multiple kids already, too! Here are 8 things to keep your hospital bag minimal!
1- Clothes For The Baby
A lot of articles I’ve read and people I talked to go alittleoverboard on this one! Honestly, I’ve only ever needed 2-3 outfits for baby. Personally, on the first day, I leave the baby in the wrap provided by the hospital and I don’t dress the baby until the 2nd day.
On the 3rd day, (Normally the day we are headed home), I will change the baby into the going home outfit I selected. I have an extra outfit because I didn’t use one the first day! Always good to have backup!
2- Clothes For You
This is a bit of a tradition that I started with my 2nd pregnancy. Right before I gave birth to her, I went to Target and bought 2 comfy pairs of pants and 2 comfy shirts. I took a shower the second day and put those clothes on, and felt. so. good.
It was one of the best ideas I’ve ever had! With my next baby, I plan on getting a matching set fromPoshPeanut.com!
3- Bathroom Essentials
This one is kind of a given! You’ll need:
- Hairbrush
- Toothbrush/Toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Shampoo/Conditioner
I also take my leave-in hair cream too. The hospital may have a few of these items but, I don’t like taking the chance and I feel more comfortable with bringing my own bath items!
4- Electronics
Of course, I take my phone and charger to connect with my family! We also always take the computer to steam onto their TV or sometimes we watch on the computer if we need to. Especially being induced, the first night is normally a lot of waiting, so I’m glad we bring it.
Also bringing some DVDs and an HDMI chord as a backup is a great idea in case steaming doesn’t work! We hooked the computer to the TV to watch something with our HDMI chord when streaming wasn’t working out!
5- A Few Pairs of Really Comfortable Underwear
I didn’t do this until my 4th baby because, hello, the hospital provides you with these AMAZING mesh underwear (And I don’t look back). My husband turned to me one day when I was packing and said “But, what if they don’t have any, then what would you do”
And that’s a good point. I have never used them but it’s good in case I would ever need to. I can’t sing enough praises about the mesh underwear and I wear them for an embarrassingly long time after birth. This is why I get extra!
But don’t rely on the hospital to have any of these items just in case!
6- A Few Dollars, Insurance Card, And Photo ID
Some hospitals have yummy food like Chick-Fil-A or other restaurants inside, so just in case; a few dollars makes a good idea! Also, you will need your photo ID and insurance cards, even if they are already on file, and even if they say they won’t need them.
It is ALWAYS better to have it anyway, even if they don’t end up needing it. You’ll save yourself lots of annoying phone calls when you’re at home!
7- Notebook
Or really, just a few sheets of paper will do (unless you love to write like me!). My husband wrote a “to do” list and other important things on some paper after our baby was born. His list consisted of who we needed to call, what we needed to do, etc.
It’s also a good idea to have your insurance companies phone number on hand so you can report your child’s birth. Some people probably wait until they get home to do this which is fine, but I wanted to get it all done while I was there. I didn’t want to have to worry about it at home.
Pro tip: Bring your Bible, too. I have yet to do this, and I wish I would have with my other pregnancies! Better yet, bring a Bible study!
8- Car Seat
You’re going to need this to bring baby home! We install ours before going so we didn’t have to worry about it while I was in the hospital. Also, most hospitals have a car seat inspection service so beforehand you can call them and make sure you have it installed correctly. The nurses at the hospital may also peek to make sure the car seat is installed correctly when you’re ready to leave!
In closing, there is anINFINITEamount of hospital bag checklists out there.
However, this is the list that works for myself and my husband. This minimal hospital bag checklist is just a guide and will depend on you!
Let’s recap:
- Clothes For Baby
- Clothes For You
- Bathroom Essentials
- Electronics
- A few pairs of underwear
- A few dollars, insurance card, and photo ID
- Notebook and Bible
- Car Seat
Pro tip: There are things that the hospital will already have and give you that you don’t need to bring. For instance, there is no need to bring diapers or wipes, or even formula if that’s the route you continue to go.
This may not be the case for all hospitals so please call the labor and delivery unit of the hospital or birth center you plan on delivering at and ask these questions!
It’s also important to note that everything that I packed for myself, I packed for my husband as well. We didn’t need anything other than these things, and we weren’t missing anything!
It can be really stressful to think about all of the things that you need to pack especially when you have multiple kids, but the reality is that you don’t need much at all.
What’s in, or what was in yours?! I’d love to know in the comments!
