Every list you find online seems to include a bathrobe, three sets of pajamas, and a diffuser. Let's cut through the noise.
For labour
- Your birth preferences (one page, printed)
- ID and insurance cards
- Snacks for your support person
- A phone charger with a long cable
- Lip balm (you'll thank us)
- Something for distraction: music, a podcast playlist, a book
For postpartum (your stay)
- Loose, front-opening pyjamas or a nightgown
- Comfortable underwear (hospital will provide mesh, but you may want your own)
- Toiletries and dry shampoo
- Going-home outfit (your 6-month pregnant size, not pre-pregnancy)
For baby
- One going-home outfit + one spare
- A swaddle blanket
- Car seat (installed before you go in)
Leave at home
The breast pump (hospital has them), the full makeup kit, more than two books, any item you'd be devastated to lose.
Print your own checklist
The Bloom & Bump Pregnancy Planner includes a hospital bag checklist page alongside your birth preferences template and trimester tracker.