Are you wondering what to pack in your hospital bag for when you go into labor? I’ve got you covered! Here is a hospital bag checklist I used when I went to the hospital to have my babies and a printable checklist for mom, partner, and baby! If you’re having twins, just add on another car seat and going home outfit!
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When to Pack
It’s always good to be prepared for your upcoming hospital stay. Even with my first child, a singleton, I had my hospital bag ready and in my vehicle as I drove to work everyday starting around 36 weeks pregnant. This just helped me feel prepared in case I went into labor while at work.
For my twins, I was sure to have my bags packed by 30 weeks as it’s more likely that twins will need to be delivered early.
I suggest that for twins, you are prepared by the beginning of your third trimester with your hospital bag and infant car seats.
I also suggest to have the hospital paperwork filled out ahead of time if you’re able to.
How Much to Pack
A good rule of thumb is to plan for 4 days or so, in case an emergency c-section needs to happen. C-sections account for 23-35% of births in the U.S. and often aren’t planned.
For our first child, we ended up at the hospital for 6 days. Two days of induction and 4 days for recovery after the emergency c-section that happened after 27 hours of induction. The toll the long induction and then c-section took on my body resulted in an odd ‘phantom pain’ as I’ve dubbed it that put me into shock two nights after he was born.
All that to say, overpack and over plan. Who knows what may happen.
If you’re having twins, like I did with my second pregnancy, you don’t need to pack double of everything. Just pack a second infant car seat and second going-home outfit. If you want to include another pair of pajamas, pacifier, socks, and beanie hat, feel free. I honestly don’t think we used most of that for any of our babies, just the car seats and going-home outfits. I also had 2 emergency c-sections so was in a lot of pain after delivery and everything was chaos so maybe that’s part of why we didn’t use more than that.
As I mentioned earlier, I suggest having your hospital bag packed and ready to go with most of the items starting around 36 weeks pregnant for single gestation or 30 weeks pregnant for twins. That’s just my gut instinct and what I did. I’d also suggest having it with you in the car when going to doctor appointments, just in case they admit you. I also suggest installing the infant car seat(s) relatively early, just in case.
The only downside of installing them too early is if you get in a car accident, you’d have to replace them.
Hospital Bag Essentials
With my two deliveries, including twins, below are the hospital bag essentials that I recommend having packed and ready to go. Whether you’re headed to a birth center or a typical hospital, you’ll want practical items as well as comfort items for your stay. If you’d prefer a handy checklist, you can download one below.
Note: Any underlined words are links to products I recommend.
Toiletries/Personal Items
- Small Shampoo
- Small Conditioner
- Small Bodywash
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Facewash
- Deodorant
- Lip Balm
- Hairbrush
- Hairbinders
- Unscented Lotion
- Makeup if you feel it’s necessary
- Nipple Cream
- Any medications or supplements you take
- Contact lenses and solution if you wear them
- Glasses if you wear them
Clothing for Mom
- Flip flops for shower
- Nursing bras
- Comfortable clothes
- Yoga pants/sweats (high waisted is ideal in case of c-section)
- Nursing tanks if desired
- Socks
- Slippers
- Comfortable panties, though you’ll likely use the ones they provide at first
- Nursing Pads / Breast Pads
Items for Baby
- Going home outfit
- Socks
- Beanie hat
- PJs
- Burp Cloths
- Bottles if you plan to bottle feed
- Pacifiers
- Car Seat
- (Honestly all we had was the going home outfit and car seat and we were fine)
For Partner / Support Person
- Enough clothing for a few days
- Pants
- Shirts
- PJ Pants
- Sweatshirt
- Socks
- Underwear
- Comfortable Shoes
- Slippers
- Long warm blanket for sleeping
- Favorite Pillow
- Small Shampoo
- Small Conditioner
- Small Bodywash
- Toothbrush
- Deodorant
- Lip Balm
Other
- Identification Card/Driver’s License for both adults
- Insurance card for mom
- Extension Cord for charging phone
- Phone charging brick and cables for both adults
- Headphones
- Earplugs
- Eye Mask to block out light
- Journal/Notebook
- Pen/Pencil
- Manual Pump if you have one
- Baby announcements if you desire
- Small fan if you get warm or are used to sleeping with one
- Snacks
- Own pillow if you’d prefer that instead of hospital pillows
- Granola bars / Healthy Snacks
- Coins or cash for the vending machines
- Hair ties
- Nursing cover if you’d feel more comfortable with one
The Hospital May Provide
- Diapers
- Diaper Cream
- Small bottles
- Wipes
- Pads for Mom
- Peri Bottle for mom
- Clothes in NICU (if baby needs NICU time)
- Hospital gown for mom
- Hospital gown and swaddle for baby
- Sanitary Pads / Maternity Pads
- Mesh underwear for after delivery
- Breast Pump for while at hospital
Food Allergies
If you have food allergies, you may want to bring your own food, especially when it comes to gluten allergies or sensitivities due to cross-contamination being difficult to avoid.
I am sensitive to gluten, dairy, and soy so I brought all of my own food that we brought in a cooler and put the food in the mini-fridge in the room. There was a microwave down the hall where my husband would heat up the food for me. I also had made a loaf of amazing zucchini banana bread that I had frozen weeks prior and brought along for my breakfasts which was awesome. My husband ate the hospital meals since they were covered anyway.
If you plan on bringing your own food, I’d suggest that when you tour the hospital pre-delivery you see if there is a fridge nearby or one in your room.
As a mom of identical twins and a son two years older, I have gained invaluable experience in the realm, and chaos, of parenting. With a Master's Degree and Education Specialist Degree in School Psychology, I spent years as a school psychologist, helping children navigate through their educational and emotional challenges. Now as a stay at home mom and professional blogger, I combine my areas of expertise to help you in your parenting journey.