Quick answer
- Pack your bag by around 36 weeks.
- Bring documents, comfy clothes, toiletries, phone chargers and snacks for you.
- For baby: a going-home outfit, a hat and a properly installed car seat.
- Hospitals usually provide diapers, wipes and postpartum pads, so you don’t need many.
Documents & essentials
- Photo ID and insurance card
- Hospital pre-registration paperwork
- Birth plan (a few copies)
- Pediatrician’s name and phone number
- Phone and a long charging cable
- Glasses or contact lenses
For you
- Robe and non-slip slippers or socks
- Comfortable going-home outfit (think 6-months-pregnant size)
- Nursing bras or tanks
- High-waisted underwear you don’t mind ruining
- Nipple balm and nursing pads
- Lip balm (hospital air is dry)
- Hair ties and a headband
- Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, deodorant
- Nursing pillow (optional)
- Snacks and a refillable water bottle with a straw
- Frozen colostrum in a cooler, if you collected it; see our colostrum guide
For your baby
- Going-home outfit in newborn and 0–3 month sizes
- Hat and socks or booties
- Swaddle or receiving blanket
- Infant car seat, installed and inspected before you go
- Weather-appropriate cover (use over the car seat straps, not under them)
- Formula and a few bottles, only if you plan to formula feed and your hospital asks you to bring your own
For your partner
- Change of clothes and a sweatshirt
- Toiletries and any medications
- Pillow and a light blanket
- Snacks and drinks
- Phone charger and headphones
- Cash or cards for parking and vending machines
What the hospital usually provides
- Diapers and wipes for your baby
- Postpartum pads, mesh underwear and peri bottles
- Hospital gowns
- Swaddle blankets and a hat for baby
Call ahead to confirm, especially if you plan to formula feed.
When to pack
Aim to have your bag ready by about 36 weeks, or earlier if you’re expecting twins or have been told you may deliver early. Keep it by the door or in the car.
Frequently asked questions
When should I pack my hospital bag?
By about 36 weeks of pregnancy, or earlier if your provider thinks you may deliver early.
What should I pack for my baby in the hospital bag?
A going-home outfit in two sizes, a hat, socks, a swaddle and an installed car seat. The hospital usually provides diapers and wipes.
Do I need to bring formula to the hospital?
Many hospitals provide it, but some ask you to bring your own. Call ahead to check.
What do people forget to pack?
A long phone charger, lip balm, snacks, slippers and a going-home outfit for you are common misses.
