Hospital Bag Checklist: What to Pack for Birth
A full hospital bag checklist for labour, for after the birth and for the baby, plus when to pack it and the things people most often leave out.
Editorial draft: not yet reviewed by a clinician.
Pack two bags by about 36 weeks: a small one for labour with your notes, comfortable clothes, snacks, drinks and a long charging cable, and a larger one for afterwards with nightwear, maternity pads, big knickers, toiletries and a going-home outfit. The baby needs nappies, vests, sleepsuits, muslins, a blanket and a correctly fitted car seat.
When to pack
Aim to be ready by around 36 weeks. Labour before that is entirely possible, and a bag half-packed at 33 weeks is still better than no bag. Keep a written list from the start of the third trimester and add to it as you think of things, including the items you can only pack on the day, such as your phone charger and your toothbrush.
If your team has told you to expect an earlier birth, or you are booked for an induction or a planned caesarean, pack to their timescale rather than this one, and pack more nightwear and toiletries for a longer stay.
Bag one: for labour
This bag should be small enough that your birth partner can find things in it without unpacking it.
- Your maternity notes and birth preferences, plus any documents or identification your unit has asked for
- Something loose and comfortable to wear in labour, and a spare in case it gets wet
- Socks, slippers and a dressing gown, since feet get cold and corridors are long
- Flip-flops if you may use a shared shower
- Snacks and drinks for you, and separately for your birth partner
- A long phone charging cable, because the socket is rarely near the bed
- Lip balm, a hairband and a water bottle you can drink from lying down
- Music, headphones or anything else you use to relax
- A TENS machine if you plan to use one, with spare batteries
- Massage oil or lotion if you want to be rubbed
- Glasses if you wear contact lenses, plus a case
- A small amount of cash or a card for parking and vending machines
Bag two: for after the birth
- Two or three nightdresses or pyjama sets that open at the front if you plan to breastfeed
- Nursing bras and breast pads
- Maternity pads, more than you expect to need
- Several pairs of large, high-waisted knickers you do not mind ruining, which matter especially after a caesarean
- Dark, old towels
- Toiletries, including a toothbrush, and any everyday medication you take with the packaging
- A going-home outfit that is loose, comfortable and roughly what you wore at six months pregnant
- A hairbrush, hair ties, and anything that makes you feel like a person again
- Earplugs and an eye mask if you sleep badly in noise or light
Bag three, in practice: for the baby
- Nappies, and cotton wool or wipes if your unit does not supply them
- Several vests and several sleepsuits, because newborn changes are frequent
- Muslin squares
- A shawl or blanket
- A hat, and something warmer if the weather calls for it
- A car seat, fitted in the car correctly, for the journey home
Hospitals differ on what they provide. Ask at an antenatal appointment whether nappies, blankets and formula are supplied, so you are not carrying two weeks of supplies to a two-night stay.
For your birth partner
This is the list most often skipped, and the one most often regretted.
- Their own food and drink, plenty of it, plus change or a card
- A phone charger of their own
- A change of clothes, a toothbrush and deodorant
- A pillow and something warm, since companion chairs are not beds
- A written note of who to call and message, and in what order
- Parking details, the ward phone number, and the route in out of hours
If you are booked for a caesarean or expect a longer stay
Pack for more days than you think you need. A planned caesarean, an induction, or a stay for monitoring all mean more nightwear, more toiletries and more of the small things that make a ward bearable. High-waisted knickers and loose, soft trousers matter more after abdominal surgery than almost anything else on the list, and a long charging cable matters more again when getting out of bed to reach a socket is not easy. Ask your unit roughly how long they expect you to stay, and pack for that plus a day.
Keep this by the door
Three things should not live in the bag, because you will want them in your hand: your phone, your notes, and your car keys. Put a note on top of the bag listing anything you could not pack in advance, so a partner or a friend can collect it in one trip if labour starts while you are out.
Your list, on your phone, in PreBaby
PreBaby has a hospital bag list you can tick off, alongside your birth preferences and the questions you want to ask at your next appointment. Because the app works offline, the list is still there in a hospital corridor with no signal, and if you have invited a partner as a follower, they are not phoning you to ask what was on it. Anything from this article that does not apply to you can be deleted, and anything specific to your unit can be added.
Sources
This article is general information, not medical advice. Anything that worries you is a reason to contact your own midwife or doctor.
Questions and answers
When should I pack my hospital bag?
Most people aim to have it packed by around 36 weeks, which leaves room for labour starting earlier than expected without leaving you throwing things into a bag at short notice. If your team has advised you that birth may come sooner, or you have been told to be ready for an earlier admission, pack sooner. Keeping a written list from the start of the third trimester makes it easier, because you can add the things you cannot pack until the last minute, such as chargers and toothbrushes, and hand the list to someone else if you need something brought in.
How many bags should I take to hospital?
Two is the most practical arrangement for most people: one small bag for labour itself and one larger bag for after the birth. During labour, nobody wants to dig through nappies and going-home clothes to find lip balm, and a birth partner who has been shown where the labour bag is can find what you ask for. The second bag can stay in the car and be brought up once you have moved to a postnatal ward or once you know you are staying. If you are having a planned caesarean or expect a longer stay, pack more nightwear and toiletries than you think you need.
What does the baby actually need in the bag?
Far less than most bags contain. NHS guidance on what to pack for birth suggests nappies, vests and sleepsuits, a shawl or blanket, muslin squares, and a car seat fitted correctly for the journey home. Several vests and sleepsuits are sensible because newborn changes are frequent and unpredictable, and a hat and something warmer is worth having for the trip home depending on the season. Hospitals differ on what they provide, so it is worth asking at an antenatal appointment whether nappies and blankets are supplied on your ward before you pack a fortnight's worth.
What do people most often forget to pack?
The things that are not baby-related. A long phone charging cable, because the socket is rarely next to the bed. Snacks and drinks for a labour and a birth partner who cannot easily leave. A going-home outfit for yourself that is loose and comfortable rather than the pre-pregnancy clothes you hoped for. Dark towels, flip-flops for a shared shower, lip balm, a hairband, and a small amount of cash or a card for parking and vending machines. Identification, maternity notes and any documents your unit has asked for also get left on the kitchen table surprisingly often.
Sources
This is general information, not medical advice. It does not diagnose or treat, and it does not replace your own midwife or doctor. Anything that worries you is a reason to contact them.