Your Pregnancy Hospital Packing List

We've updated our initial article on Tips and Tricks for Packing the Perfect Hospital Bag. Read below to see what's changed!

If you’re close to giving birth, you know that one of the most critical things you need to do is pack your hospital bag. This bag will be your lifeline in the hospital and carry all the essential items you need to enjoy your stay before, during, and after birth. 

Unfortunately, figuring out what to pack can be frustrating! Every website tells you something different and offers its own advice on what to do and what not to do. So, how do you decide what to pack and what to leave at home?

While we can’t give you a definitive answer—that’s up to you—we can offer our advice as experts in all things baby. Here’s what we think you need.

What to Pack for YOU 

If you thought you only had to worry about packing for baby in your hospital bag, think again. You are just as important and there are many items that you’ll need to ensure your hospital stay is as comfortable as possible. Here are a few ideas of what to pack. 

Clothes

• Slippers and/or socks (make sure they’re fluffy, warm, and comfortable)
• Shower flip-flops
• Loose, comfy clothes to wear home from the hospital
• nursing bras
• Robe or pajamas that you can unbutton for easy breastfeeding

Toiletries

• Hair ties
• Lip balm/moisturizer
• Nursing pads, nipple cream, and maxi pads
• All bathroom toiletries including toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, etc.

Extra Essentials

• Your birth plan and any paperwork needed for the hospital and/or insurance company.

• Camera, phone, and computer chargers.

• Pillows

• Change for vending machines

• Entertainment such as music, books, games, etc.

What to Pack for Your BABY 

Now, for the fun part... 

Packing your hospital bag full of the essential items you’ll need isn’t very exciting and feels a little like packing items for the strangest vacation ever. But packing for your baby? That’s wonderful. 

Unfortunately, packing for your new baby can also be frightening. You haven’t officially met them yet, so how do you know what they need?

The good news is that they’re a newborn, so they don’t need that much. They just need a few key essentials and Kissy Kissy can help with that. 

Going Home Outfit 

Our absolute favorite thing to pack in the hospital bag is baby’s going home outfit. You need something super soft, incredibly cute, and wonderful. At Kissy Kissy, we have a lot of ideal options. 

All of our clothes, including our newborn outfits, are made with 100% pima cotton for an “oh-so-soft” texture and feel against your baby’s skin. These outfits also come with snaps for easy changing. And best yet, they’re incredibly durable and machine washable for ease of use. 

• Boy: For your little boy, we recommend our Blue Pointelle Short Sleeve Bodysuit.
• Girl: For your baby girl, our Garden Roses Ruffle Bubble is absolutely adorable. It’s particularly cute when you pair it with the matching Garden Roses Ruffle Hat.

More Outfits

Beyond the going home outfit, you’ll need a few sleepers, onesies, socks, and hats for your hospital stay. In this case, you’re going to want to think warm and comfortable. After all, you know how cold a hospital can get for adults, your baby will need to be even more snuggly. 

Girl 

For your little girl, we love the Pink Pointelle Long Sleeve Bodysuit as one of your options along with the Pink Pointelle Hat. You should also include the Pink/White Kissy Basics Booties and maybe even the Pink/White Kissy Basics Mittens.

Some other ideas include the Garden Roses Footie.

Boy

For your adorable newborn boy, get the Blue Pointelle Long Sleeve Bodysuit. For his little feet and hands, we love the White/Blue New Kissy Dots Print Booties, and don’t forget the White/Blue Kissy Basics Mittens.

Other options include the White Kissy Basics Footie and the White Kissy Basics Hat w/ Flaps and more! 

Unisex

And don’t stress if you don’t know the sex of your baby. Kissy Kissy also has a fantastic unisex clothing line that includes cute baby frogs, gorgeous plain white, gray and red stripes, and more. 

Preemie 

We even have plenty of options for preemie babies—boy, girl, or unisex.

Accessories

Your newborn is also going to need some key accessories at the hospital to stay comfortable. 

• Blankets: One of the most important accessories is the blanket! You’ll probably want at least two blankets for swaddling. The good news is that Kissy Kissy has dozens of options for blankets of all types.
• Newborn sized diapers: You’ll want at least one package of these.
• Unscented baby wipes: You can never have too many baby wipes—you’ll soon discover that for yourself. 

Approved Infant Car Seat

Finally, and most importantly, you need to make sure your baby is safe. That requires an approved infant car seat properly installed in your vehicle. If you need some help getting it installed correctly, the Baby Center has a great blog and video to guide you through the process.

 

Congratulations! Your hospital bag is now all packed and ready to go. Keep this checklist with you and stash an extra printout in your bag to make sure that you’re always set and to write down any additional ideas as they come up.