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Hospital bag checklist for you, your partner and your baby
Somewhere around week 36, most parents get hit with the same question: wait, what actually goes in the hospital bag? If your due date is creeping closer and you haven't packed yet, you're right on time - many midwives suggest having a bag ready somewhere between weeks 36 and 38, though there's no strict deadline.
Think of what follows as a helpful starting point, not a rulebook. Every birth, every hospital and every parent is different. So take what's useful, skip what isn't, and add whatever makes you feel prepared - even if that's not on the list.
Checklist for mom
Toiletries
❏ Toothbrush & toothpaste
❏ Deodorant
❏ Travel-size shower cream, shampoo & conditioner
❏ Body lotion
❏ Skin-care products
❏ Facial wipes
❏ Lip balm
❏ Nipple balm
❏ Nursing pads
❏ Maternity pads
❏ Hairbrush
❏ Hair ties & clips (if you have long hair)
Clothing
❏ Nursing and/or soft, comfortable bras
❏ Nursing top
❏ Underwear (the bigger the better — this isn't the time for anything tight)
❏ Soft, comfy socks
❏ Your favorite pajamas
❏ Bathrobe (easy to put on and take off) ❏ Loungewear (wide, comfortable pieces you can move in freely)
❏ Slippers or flip-flops (hospital hallways get cold underfoot)
❏ Going-home outfit
❏ Glasses, if you wear contacts — lenses can slip and be irritating during labor
Comfort items
❏ Earplugs (for the quiet moments, if you get any)
❏ Your Najell Pregnancy Pillow - you'll be glad you brought something that already feels like home
❏ Anything that helps you relax: massage oil, a playlist, a favorite scent, or bath additives if you're planning a water birth
Food and drink
❏ Hard candy, dextrose tablets or mouth drops (labor is thirsty, dry-mouth work)
❏ A water bottle that's easy to sip from one-handed
Entertainment
❏ Phone
❏ Long charging cable
❏ Headphones
❏ A book or magazine
❏ A notepad or journal and pen, for jotting down the moments you'll want to remember
Checklist for your partner
Toiletries
❏ Toothbrush & toothpaste
❏ Deodorant
❏ Travel-size shower cream, shampoo & conditioner
❏ Face wash
❏ Lotion
❏ Pain relievers
Clothing
❏ A change of clothes
❏ Underwear
❏ Socks
❏ Pajamas
❏ Bathrobe
❏ Slippers
❏ Glasses or contacts, if needed
❏ An extra bag - you'll leave with more than you arrived with
Paperwork and essentials
❏ Your birth plan, if you've written one, to share preferences with the care team
❏ ID and wallet
❏ Insurance card
❏ Medical cards
❏ Cash, for vending machines
❏ A folder to keep hospital paperwork together
Entertainment
❏ Phone
❏ Long charging cable
❏ Camera or video camera, to capture the moment
❏ Extra camera battery & charger
❏ A small speaker for the playlist you've been saving
❏ A book or magazine
Checklist for baby
❏ Bodysuits or onesies
❏ Socks
❏ A beanie or two
❏ A comfort blanket (a nice trick: sleep with it yourself for a couple of weeks beforehand so it already smells familiar)
❏ Diapers (hospitals usually provide these, but it's smart to pack a few extra)
❏ Small towels, for the inevitable mess
❏ Baby wipes
❏ Pacifier
❏ Car seat, installed and ready before you leave for the hospital
For getting baby home and settled, a lot of parents pack a Najell Wrap for that first close, skin-to-skin carry, and a Najell SleepCarrier for those first naps — it means baby can keep sleeping even as you move between the car, the house and everywhere in between.
However you land on your own version of this list, it'll be the right one — you know yourself and your birth better than any checklist does.
What the hospital usually provides
Most hospitals stock the basics, so you don't need to overpack these — but it's worth calling ahead to confirm what your specific hospital offers:
❏ Bath towels ❏ Hospital gowns ❏ Basic toiletries ❏ Disposable underwear ❏ Grip socks ❏ Thick sanitary pads ❏ Standard pillow and blankets ❏ Diapers
When in doubt, check with your midwife ahead of time - every hospital's supply list is a little different.
Frequently asked questions
When should I pack my hospital bag? Most midwives suggest having it ready by week 36, since babies don't always stick to their due dates.
Do I need to bring my own diapers? Usually not — most hospitals supply diapers for baby's stay. It's still worth packing a small stash of your own in case.
What size going-home outfit should I pack for the baby? Newborn babies vary a lot in size, so many parents like to pack both a newborn and a 0–3 month outfit just to cover their bases — but one outfit works perfectly well too, if you'd rather keep it simple.
Should my partner pack a separate bag? It's worth considering. Partners often end up staying just as long, and having a separate bag means nobody's digging through mom's things for a phone charger at 2am — but plenty of families happily share one bag, too. Do whatever's easiest for you.