the one where: we talk about essentials for mumma’s hospital bag

Hello friends!

Here we are again, back at the blog! Today we’re going to get into a pretty niche topic, so if you’re not expecting, or don’t plan to and have only arrived here because you are postpartum or looking for my nutritional expertise, I promise the next post will be more attune to what you desire!

However! For today, we’re going to indulge the momma’s who are expecting (like myself!), and chat about what you NEED to bring to the hospital on arrival of your little one.

So far, I’m in my 22nd week and feeling great! Also, after having done two hospital deliveries, I would say I’m very well qualified to write about what you should and should not bring to the hospital!

I am a chronic over-packer and my brain looooooves to live in the “just in case” mode. Anyone else?! This is especially true for hospital stays, and even more so for when you’re having your first baby (or, at least it was for me!).

Let’s get into a bit of backstory here.

Delivery for both of my girls started with a balloon catheter the day before (they were both born on Fridays, so my inductions started on the Thursday) at 3pm. Evie was a 32 hour labour and Anna was a 12 hour labour. With Evie, we were admitted at 8am Friday morning and released at 12pm on Sunday. With Anna, due to Covid protocols, they shortened our time as much as possible. So, again, we were admitted at 8am on Friday morning, however, released at 2am Sunday morning (and yes, that was a rough night!).

Now, onto the hospital bag…

For my hospital bag with Evie, I packed SO MUCH. Soooooo much. “Just in case” everything. And I honestly used about 1/4 (if not less) of what I brought.

For Anna, I packed way less, but still found I over packed, or packed things that other people had said were good ideas that just didn’t need to be packed for me and my circumstances.

So, what should you actually pack?! Or, rather, what am I packing for our baby boy’s delivery in November? Great question, I’d love to tell you (please tell me you follow Elyse Myers. Otherwise, you need to immediately. Please. Stop reading now and go follow her. Then return. Great.)

Essentials for Mumma’s Hospital Bag:

• first off, SURPRISE, you’re actually going to want at least 2 bags (not huge bags, but at least one easy-access bag). I will be bringing a small suitcase and a tote. The tote I find extremely helpful for easy grab-and-go things that I’m needing BEFORE we’re in the birthing suite. For me, each time it’s been a couple hours (at least), while I’ve been on oxytocin/petocin drip and they’ve monitored baby in triage before being moved to the birthing suite. This way, we don’t have to dig into the suitcase anytime I want sometime. The tote is so much easier to access.

• What I put in my tote:

  • snacks: So many options but some really great ones to keep our energy up for labour + get that milk flow going for babies (if you choose) are energy balls, cheese sticks, jerky and/or clean meat sticks, oat bars and/or lactation cookies, bone broth. All of these can be prepped and made at home and brought in your bag. If you’d like some recipes, leave me a comment down below and I’ll be sure to add a blog post!

  • water bottle: The hospital (mine at least) has a water station, so my water bottle will be easily refilled through the day/night.

  • supplements + medication: I take Keppra x2 a day for Epilepsy (I have focal epilepsy. I can write more on this later — I had an old blog post before about it, but if you’re new here and want to know more, I can certainly share!), my prenatal, omegas and vitamin D.

  • extra-long phone charging cord: I cannot stress this enough. Don’t put it in your other bag, honestly. When I’m at the hospital and trying to keep my family up to date or just scrolling on IG when things haven’t gotten tense yet, it’s so great to have a phone charger at arms reach AND to be able to plug it in across the room without having it be an issue!

  • hair ties/scrunchies: If you’re like me, when the going gets tough, you want your hair up off your neck and out of your face PRONTO. I’m also the queen of losing hair ties, so having a couple in the easy access bag comes in clutch.

  • lip balm: I rely on lip balm. Hospitals are dry AF, so this is truly essential. I also like different lip balms, so I’ll probably pack my Aquafor ointment + my First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Lip Therapy balm.

• What I put in my small (I’m talking carry-on sized) suitcase:

  • face wash: There is nothing better. nothing. than giving birth, getting to your post-delivery room (first time we had a ward-style room — 4 beds and a lot of curtains, with one shared bathroom. Second time we had a semi-private. This time we’re hoping for a private room!), letting daddy hold your new addition, and going to the bathroom to wash your face. My good lord. It feels so damn good. Do not skimp on bringing your face wash!

  • serums + creams: I’m very minimalist, since becoming a mum, on my skincare so this is a very small section for me. I absolutely adore my Holistic Facialist (shoutout to Maria!!), and she has completely transformed my skin, so now I only use a couple things, and these things will be coming with me in my hospital bag.

    • hyaluronic acid - I bounce between Vichy’s Mineral 89 Serum and CeraVe hyaluronic serum

    • CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream

    • Dr. Baumann’s Sun Lotion Factor 30 (I get this specifically through Maria).

    Let it be known, that with Evie, I brought travel-sized items from 100 point perks at Sephora or free samples, etc., of things that weren’t in my collection but were small so I brought them. 10/10 do not recommend. It feels so good to have your own stuff, and to not have to worry that your skin is going to react while in the hospital! You need consistency and comfort while everything else around you and inside you is going nuts!

  • face towel: yep.

  • tooth brush + paste: yep.

  • deodorant: mumma wants to smell good without that shower, right? V important for me. I love Native deodorant & Kopari.

  • pillows + new pillow cases specifically for hospital: now, we went all out and have specific hospital pillows. It’s worth it to bring them. Any way you can be more comfortable during and after delivery is worth while. I promise.

  • hair brush: need I say more?

  • slippers and/or socks: both of my deliveries were during warmer months, so my Adidas slides were perfect. I did bring socks and never found that I used them. Hormones are bonkers after delivery, so you gotta do what feels right for you! However, this baby boy is due in November, so socks and slippers will be brought. And do yourself a favour, Mumma, buy a new pair of slippers (from Walmart or wherever!), just for this. You don’t want to be bringing hospital-floor-slippers back home, unless you can wash them!

  • nursing nightgown/shirt/sweater: honestly, I’m pretty much naked the entire time I’m in the hospital because I’m nursing, I want easy access to those milky titties, and I’m really focused on skin-to-skin contact for babe and me. However, I have one nursing nightgown that I absolutely adore from the Gap. It’s long sleeved and buttons down the front. Super stretchy and comfortable, and will be perfect for a November delivery.

  • comfortable clothes: again, I’m not one to wear outfits while I’m at the hospital after pushing a 10 lb. (okay okay, Evie was 8lbs. 13oz., and Anna was 9lbs. 3oz., but close enough, right?!) watermelon out of my vagina, however, if you are, comfortable clothes are the way to go. I’m wearing my stretchiest sweat pants into the hospital, and you best believe I am wearing them out of the hospital. DO NOT buy non-maternity clothes to wear home because you do not deserve that kind of pressure, lack of comfort or mental load. Wear the sweats. If you’re comfortable, you’ll be happy. The end.

  • nursing bras & breast pads: if you weren't aware, hi! My name is Chelsea and in 2012 I had a breast reduction! This may impact my breast milk supply (I say may, because I very well could have lower supply even if I didn’t get a reduction), so I’m not an over-producer. Therefore, I will not bring breast pads with me, however, nursing bras are my jam and I’ve got a couple that I will pack. Why a couple? great question, I’d love to tell you (seriously, go check out Elyse on Instagram. Now.). Anna had reflux. Babies do all kinds of fun things like poo and pee on you when you least expect it. More is better in this case.

  • nipple cream: does this really need an explanation? Honestly, though. I rely on this stuff for the first week, if not the first month. Both of my girls were tongue tied which makes nursing a biiiiiit painful. I love the Matter Company nipple ointment.

  • Frida Mom supplies: disposable undies, peri bottle, cooling pads… you name it, they make it! Personally, I only use the undies and peri bottle, and have found great success with making my own pads with witch hazel for healing, so I bring those too.

  • last but not least: baby things! I wayyyyy overpacked this for Evie, and for Anna. As I said, we do a lot of skin to skin at the hospital, so it’s not important for us to have multiple different sleepers on hand. I’ll be packing a baby hat (hello, November delivery!), and 2 sleepers. That’s it. I’ll also pack some receiving blankets for our ride home, newborn (or for us, size 1 Rascal & Friends diapers because that’s all we use!), some ready-to-go formula in case there are any issues with my supply right away

• What I won’t bring:

  • makeup

  • crazy skincare products like sheet masks, or clay masks, body lotion, body wash or shampoo and conditioner… seriously… who has time? or effort? I shower the morning I go to the hospital and my next shower can happily wait until I get home to my very own clean shower. thank you so much.

  • books/magazines: again, who has time? Or the inclination? No.

  • robe/cute clothes/outfits: like I said above. These things won’t get worn.

  • headphones/earpods: I don’t know about you, but even when I was in the ward with 3 other mummas and their new babies and significant others, I still didn’t use my headphones! From my experience, if you’re listening to music or hypnobirthing or whatever, it’s better to have a speaker that you use in your birthing suite. Once baby is born, you’re listening to them/for them. Not your latest audible.

  • bath towel: again, I’m not showering, so no.

I think that’s all of it! I hope you found this list helpful. And even if you’re not in the expecting or would-like-to-expect-someday categories, perhaps this list will be helpful to someone you know or even for you as a supportive friend, to help someone you love pack up for their delivery.

— Chelsea xxx