You can bring whatever you want to the hospital.  But you’ll find out quickly what you aren’t going to use and it’s different for everyone.

Checklist For Your New Baby Hospital Bag

I packed a TON of things the first time around because I didn’t know exactly what was going to work for me.  But the second time around my bag was much lighter.  If this is your first time, pack whatever you want; better not to be without something in order to make your hospital more comfortable (if that’s possible).

Here’s What I Found You’ll ABSOLUTELY Need

1. Change of clothes for your baby.  Yes, the hospital does put them in a little t-shirt and give them a beanie, sometimes a pair of socks.  But that’s it-same clothes for their entire stay.  Your little one is likely to spit-up or throw-up on them, let alone poop.  And it doesn’t make well for adorable pictures either.
2. Car seat for your baby.  (Yes, I realize you can’t pack this in your bag 🙂 )  Back in the day you could carry your baby home on your lap.  I certainly wanted to.  But hospitals have so many regulations about these things now.  You HAVE to have your car seat to take that baby home.  YES, it is 100 times safer for them too.  You can install it beforehand, or just have your husband bring it when he picks you up to take you home.
3. Sweater or robe for you.  Hospitals are COLD.  Especially after you have that little heater out of you and you start dropping weight immediately.
4. Personal toiletries.  After your delivery, you are absolutely going to want to shower and clean up yourself.  Hospitals don’t generally provide anything personal like this.  Your shower in the bathroom might have an all-in-one shampoo/soap dispenser, but that’s the extent.  So include your showering items, tooth brushing, contact solution, etc. whatever you would like.
5. Entertainment items.  Those two to three days in the hospital (maybe more if you’re little one’s in the NICU) are VERY boring.  Your baby will be sleeping almost the entire time its first few days of life and won’t be nursing much either.  Hospital TV doesn’t amount to much.  So bring your IPAD, books, laptop, etc.  You get free wifi for your stay so why not use it instead of depleting your own data limits?
6. Birth Plan.  If you’ve prepared one and want extra copies for hospital staff, don’t forget your Birth Plan.  Some people just like to express their desires by word of mouth.  But having copies gives you more flexibility.
7. YOU ALSO NEED YOUR LABOR GOODY BAG.  

**Update 18 Aug 2015:  I recently packed my hospital bag for baby #3 today.  Get some more ideas!

Here’s What You Absolutely DON’T Need

1. Your pre-pregnancy jeans.  I know you’re eager to shed that weight and fit right back into the clothes you had at the beginning.  But this will be useless to you because you’re body doesn’t shrink back down that quickly.  Yes, you’ll lose around 10 pounds right away and your belly will shrink immensely at first.  But after giving birth you go down to about the same size when you were five to six months pregnant or so.  I honestly just wore pajamas the whole time anyway.
2. Toys or pacifiers for your baby.  The hospital will provide a few pacifiers automatically.  But like I already mentioned, your baby is not cognitively aware enough at this stage to do more that open their eyes and cry or nurse.

Ladies, what have you found to make your stay more comfortable in the hospital?  While you’re there, there’s plenty of time to learn about how you can get back to your normal self.

Because You’re Worth It, Time To Find Relief In Your Recovery

What’s in your hospital bag?