1. Phone Charger

You will either want a charger with a really long cord (available outlets are not always in close proximity) or you might even want a pre-charged portable charging bank instead! From Facetime calls with family, to taking countless photos and videos of your baby, to typing in your notes app all of the things you don’t want to forget, you’ll likely run your battery low pretty quickly!

2. Slippers + Flip Flops

If you’re like me, we just assume that hospital floors have to be disgusting. So I liked having slippers for bathroom visits or walking the hallway through contractions and flip flops to re-live my college dorm shower days! I just got these totally bougie Sunday Slippers from Bombas and I am OBSESSED. I never really wore slippers until becoming a mom and now they are a part of my daily wardrobe! I feel like Old Navy Flip Flops are the way to go for shower shoes!

3. Granny Panties

Yep. You read that right. I HIGHLY recommend getting a multipack of plain black underwear that you can bring to the hospital and wear throughout your postpartum days. It was honestly a big relief to have comfy undies that I could just throw away if they got destroyed.

4. Nursing Bras

I personally didn’t like going bra-less for my entire hospital visit, especially as friends and family started to visit! I am always recommending these Auden Nursing Bras from Target! They are so comfy and easy to clip on and off, even while sleep deprived! Are they great for going on a jog? No. But I basically wore them for 4 years straight and they held up through countless washes!

5. Button-Up Loungewear

During my first hospital birth I tried the whole robe thing, but it just wasn’t for me. The button up pajamas though were amazing! I could easily unbutton my pajama top to feed baby but still feel fairly covered up for visitors. Here is a short-sleeve set and a long-sleeve set from Kindred Bravely! I wore these well through the postpartum phase as well!

6. A Going Home Outfit For You

I didn’t really think through this with my first and ended up going home in the outfit I arrived in! Whoops! It’s not a huge deal, but picture yourself being wheeled out of the hospital with a carseat on your lap and just make sure you have clothes to wear for this!

7. Snackiess

Stock up on the GOOD snacks!!! Yes you can make sure you have some with good protein and nutrients, but also include some guilty pleasure snacks that are going to hit the spot after birth or when you’re awake with baby at 4am and you look over and see your favorite treat! Bottled drinks for the mini fridge are nice too, especially for the middle of the night! You’ll likely be hungrier and thirstier than normal! My favorite candy right now is Squashies and I would totally pack these in my bag!

8. Blanket for You

Hormones are WILD and one second you might be sweating bullets and the next you might be so cold that your teeth are chattering! Having a blanket you can utilize during your cold spells is so nice! The hospital blanket doesn’t hit the spot.

9. Toiletries, Make-Up, Hair Stuff + Deodorant

I suppose this is pretty obvious, but don’t leave anything to common sense when it comes to pregnancy brain! The hospital will have some things for showering, but when you’re already going through so much it’s honestly really nice to get to use your own shampoo and soap so you smell like yourself! You also might have arrived in make-up and want your make-up remover/face wash! Your hair brush and hair ties/clips are important too! And of course make-up is optional, but we took a lot of photos and had a lot of visitors and I personally wanted to feel pretty after everything that went down.

And don’t forget deodorant!!! Hormones will make you so so stinky!!! Trust me.

1. An Infant Car Seat & Installed Base

2. 2-Way Zipper Footie Pajamas

My babies LIVED in these!! You don’t have to put anything over baby’s head, you don’t have to unzip them all of the way to change their diaper, and there’s no need for socks! And some even have the little covers for their hands too! Here’s a cute 3 Pack of these from Old Navy! You may want to bring both Preemie and Newborn Sizes! I was such a noob and brought a 0-3 month sized things with my first baby and she was SWIMMING in that extra fabric and it actually gave me anxiety that it was going to cover her mouth and she wouldn’t be able to breathe.

3. Birth Announcement Outfit

Whether you’re looking for a wrap and hat/bow or a chunky knit sweater to announce baby’s name, don’t forget to pack it in your bag! Along with any little signs or measurement boards that you want to include! Caden Lane has the CUTEST personalized sweater rompers, knit hats and little name signs! They have adorable knotted gowns with matching hats/bows too!

4. Going Home Outfit

Y’all. I packed a knotted gown for my baby to wear home. In her car seat! Don’t be like me! Either utilize your zipper pajamas or pack an outfit with pants and socks!

5. A Receiving Blanket for Baby

I didn’t think a blanket was really necessary for baby but we often kept baby naked for skin to skin during the day and used a blanket to keep their back warm! We also used a blanket to keep our winter baby’s legs warm on our way out in the carseat!

1. Tylenol or Advil

I always tell my friends about this one in case they have a similar situation to us! My husband was a champ through my birth and even got to pull out both of our babies, thanks to my amazing OB! After all of the adrenaline settled though, he had a monster headache! They hospital wouldn’t give him medication since I was the patient and so I was giving him portions of my medicine instead! This was with our Covid-times baby and might vary by hospital, but regardless it is so nice to already have this medicine on hand!

2. Phone Chargers

Don’t let them forget to pack their own phone charger/charging bank!

3. A Pillow and Blanket

The sleep set-up is not always amazing for them, but a pillow and blanket from home will definitely help!

4. More Snacks!

Might as well make a special grocery order for both of you and put your favorite snacks and little bottled drinks in it!

5. Slippers or Slides

It’s nice for them to have shoes they can slide in and out of too!

6. Comfy Clothes + Clean Underwear

Another obvious one, but I’m not cutting any corners here. Make sure they have changes of clothes and clean undies! Stress can make you all a little extra stinky!

7. Toiletries (Deodorant)

If your partner is like my husband, he will just use all of my shower toiletries but just make sure he packs his toothbrush and deodorant!