5 Essential Hospital Bag Items
When we pack our bags, it’s usually to travel to a fun destination. This time around, things were a little different-we were packing for our trip to labor and delivery! I had never had an overnight hospital stay, and this was our first baby, so I definitely didn’t know where to start & I definitely overpacked. Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Here are our top 5 essential items for your baby delivery hospital bag!
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This is my number one must-have in your hospital bag. This serves two purposes: Playing Music in the delivery room! We made a special playlist on Spotify and had tunes going almost the whole time. The other reason you’ll want this: White Noise. Once you get to the recovery room, you’ll want to sleep & you might not have quiet neighbors! Our Boom Speaker has traveled to over 20 countries with us & many many destinations and it is always on our list of things to pack wherever we’re going!
This is the only thing I wore the whole time I was in the hospital! During delivery, I was in the hospital gown & after, I just wanted to have something soft and easy to nurse in. These PJs were great! Not only did I use them at the hospital, but they were perfect for the first few weeks home with baby Graham!
Ok, ok, I still wear these at 5 months around the house!
3. Going Home Outfits
For Mom: The only other clothing items you’ll need: something to go home in! I packed multiple options for this & I have no idea why, they just took up extra space! It was summer when Graham was born, so I just wore a big t-shirt, shorts & this nursing bra. These Frida Postpartum Boy Shorts are also great & don’t show under tights!
Pro Tip: Don’t pack light colors, especially for your bottom half!
For Baby:
For Graham, I packed about 5 outfits, and once again, overpacked. The whole time he was being cared for by the nurses, he wore the hospital-provided night shirt & hat, and was swaddled by them in their provided blanket! We did use our own swaddle at night to get him used to it & we definitely would do this again! These were our all-time favorite swaddles when he was little! Looking back, I only needed one outfit, and one that was easy to use in the car seat!
The cute knotted gowns have to be untied & that’s just not ideal with a brand new baby-these zippered sleepers are our favorite! You may also want to put in the “first picture” outfit! Although we took some of these, we took our best first photos once we got home!
For all of our adventures with Baby Graham, Follow us on Instagram @theduhlsdo!
I didn’t bring this with me because I thought it would take up too much space & it was the first thing I asked for when my mom was coming from our house! If you plan on breastfeeding, it’s pretty nonstop those first few days and that includes in the hospital! If you are bottle feeding it also offers that extra support! The pillow isn’t just for nursing, but just holding your new baby & It’s also nice to just prop yourself up in the bed (because the pillows are pretty bad!-we also recommend bringing your own!)
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5. Toiletries- Surprisingly, these were not provided & I was really glad I packed these! A simple travel kit is really all you need! If you plan on taking pictures, you may want some makeup and something to do your hair!
Oliver Graham Duhl
Born June 9, 2021
For me, I really wish I would have kept it simple and packed a lot less than I did! When I (nostalgically) think back to my time in the hospital with Graham and Nate it is all about those first snuggles and time as a family of three. The hospital really did provide almost everything we needed! While this wasn’t our typical “trip” it goes to the top of our list as one of our greatest adventures.
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