The Complete Hospital Bag Checklist Printable You'll Need For Giving Birth | The VegaNatural Mom (2024)

A thorough checklist for what to pack in your hospital bag

You’re at the final stretch of your pregnancy and you’re starting to think about what you’ll need to take to the hospital.

Relax!

I’ve put together a comprehensive hospital bag checklist printable to make things easy for you. Simply print it out and check off the items as you pack them.

And don’t forget to add your own must-haves to the list!

When I was packing for the hospital before giving birth to Haylee, I was so worried I would forget something important.

With all the excitement and nervousness, it’s only normal to forget things.

That’s where this pregnancy hospital bag checklist comes in handy for you. All the planning is done for you already, you just need to print it out.

What to pack in your hospital bag

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The essentials for any hospital visit are toiletries, clothes, and your personal items.

However, when you’re about to give birth, there are a few extra items that you’ll need to pack in your hospital bag.

Here is a complete hospital bag checklist printable for what to bring when going to the hospital to give birth.

You can also print it out here!

Clothing for you

• Pajamas
• Robe – this one is really useful!
• Comfortable clothes like sweats
• Nursing bras
• Nursing tank tops
• Comfortable panties
• Socks
• Slippers/flip flops
• Going home outfit

Tip: Even if it’s summer and you would never dream of wearing a sweater and pants, pack them with you! Hospitals tend to be cold, you’ll thank me later.

What type of clothes shouldn’t I bring?

Don’t bring any tight-fitting clothes like jeans because you’ll want to be as comfortable as possible. No one cares what you’re wearing so don’t bother dressing for anyone else, except for your own comfort!

I went home in pajama shorts and my husband’s T-shirt, and no one looked at me funny. I didn’t even realize what I looked like, all that mattered was I was comfortable and going home with my little princess.

If you haven’t planned your Amazon baby registry yet, now’s the time! These are some perfect eco friendly baby registry items to be sure to add.

Toiletries

Breastfeeding equipment

This section can be skipped if you know for sure you’re only giving formula to your baby. However, I do recommend you read about the benefits of breastmilk before making such a big decision.

• Breast pads
• Nipple cream
• Manual breast pump
• Electric breast pump – this is useful to ask the lactation specialist to show you how to use it properly

Related: The Ultimate Breastfeeding Essentials Checklist (PDF Included)

Electronics

• Phone
• Phone charger – get an extra long charger because you never know how far away you’ll be from an outlet and you don’t want to accidentally unplug an important electric hospital device!
• Camera – if you want professional pictures or you can just use your phone
• Tablet – you may want to watch some shows while you’re waiting for your little one to make the big appearance if you’re not in too much pain

My husband and I played Rummikub on our phones while we were waiting for things to progress. You could be in the hospital for quite some time so make sure you’ve got entertainment.

For your partner

Well, I’m sure your partner can pack his own bag but I’ll still include this in the hospital bag checklist printable so he won’t forget anything either.

• Clothes
• Entertainment – he’ll be quite bored for a lot of the time, after all, he’s not doing any of the pushing so he should take books, magazines, or whatever keeps him busy
• Spare change
• Snacks
• Water bottle
• Blanket – the hospital may not provide sleeping equipment for your partner so it’s good to have this just in case

For your baby

Wow, it’s so exciting to be packing for your baby! Knowing you’ll come back from the hospital with your sweet little bundle of joy.

• Onesies – newborn size and 0-3 months, in case your baby is big
• Pajamas – newborn size and 0-3 months
• Scratch mittens
• Baby hat
• Swaddle blankets
• Going home outfit
• Carseat – this is a must have since you won’t be able to leave the hospital without one
• Stroller

Note: Every hospital is different in what they provide for you so it’s best to find out before. Most hospitals provide diapers and wipes so I suggest looking into that before filling up your suitcase with diapers.

Related: Baby Care Tips for New Moms that You Never Knew

Documents

• Health insurance card
• ID
• Birth plan

Optional items

These are a bunch of items which you can choose to bring or not.

• Pads – the hospital will provide you with these but if you want a specific kind, bring your own
• Diapers – the same as with pads – you’ll get from the hospital but if you want to use cloth diapers or a specific cruelty free brand, bring your own
• Vegan formula – this is an important thing to mention and I’ll explain why
• Almond oil – this is helpful for the midwife to use to massage your perineum while pushing your baby out so you don’t tear

After I gave birth, I didn’t have too much milk and I needed to supplement with formula. Unfortunately, the hospital only had regular formula, not vegan.

I had no choice but to give my new little baby formula with cow milk. It was a huge disappointment for me, as a vegan, and as a mom who really wanted to breastfeed.

Luckily, my milk supply increased after breastfeeding so much throughout the day and night. By the third day, I was only breastfeeding and didn’t need to give Haylee any formula.

I had vegan formula at home as a backup but I wish I knew to bring it with me to the hospital.

That’s why I really want to stress the importance of this item on my hospital bag checklist printable for you.

When to pack my hospital bag

The best time to start packing your hospital bag is once you begin the third trimester. At this point, you can go into labor early so it’s best to be prepared.

You don’t have to pack everything at once but having your suitcase ready with some outfits and toiletries will make you feel less stressed.

As you get closer to your due date, you can finish packing and make sure there’s nothing missing.

It’s best to pack over a period of time, this way you’ll have time to remember things which you may not have thought about when first packing.

Although this hospital bag checklist includes almost all the essentials, there will probably be several items that are personal for you to include as well.

Some women like to take a special lovey for their little one to take pictures with. Other women may want to bring a pillow that they can’t sleep without.

Whatever is important for you to feel safe and comfortable, pack along!

You’re not going on a flight so there’s no 50 pound weight limit.

To wrap up

When you’re ready to give birth, the last thing you want to worry about is packing your hospital bag.

That’s why I’ve put together this comprehensive hospital bag checklist printable, with all the essentials you’ll need for a comfortable and worry-free stay in the hospital.

From clothes and toiletries to entertainment and comfort items, this printable checklist has got you covered.

Pregnancy can be stressful enough – don’t worry about packing your hospital bag too!

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