Ultimate Hospital Bag Checklist

Hello, all lovelies there! If you are here probably you are already halfway through your pregnancy. Congratulations on being officially showing now! It's best to be ready with your hospital bag by the 34th week of your pregnancy and placed in your car trunk! I am sure you will be wanting to do it right and, in this article, I am giving a comprehensive list of items with product suggestions that I love.

For things to carry for yourself check my video :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XSZogk7D9k

Hope you are having a wonderful pregnancy. Do have a look at my blogs for pregnancy must-haves for the first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester(still in progress!) to ensure that you are well prepared for anything that comes your way.

Just to give you a background, I am a first-time mom, went for a private hospital in Sydney, had an emergency cesarean, and stayed in for 5 days so this list is based on my experience.

In this Article :

• Ready Downloadable Hospital Bag Checklist

• Things to carry for baby

• Things NOT to carry for baby

• Things to carry for partner/support person

• Things NOT to carry for partner/support person

Download a Ready Hospital Bag Checklist and let this mumma take care of all things needed for delivery.

For your Bundle of Joy :

You must have heard it enough times now that all a baby needs is his mom in his initial days. While it does sound so dreamy and true, there are things you would not want to miss having with you in hospital for your little bundle of joy! But as a disclaimer do check with your hospital, as most covers all things you will need for your baby.

Things to carry for your Baby :

1. Baby Clothes: Babies usually remain in swaddles and hospital clothes. You can carry one or two pre-washed ones for each day if you wish and few ones for newborn photographs. We did carry but ended up using only hospital clothes. I also used simple muslin wraps for my bub photography.

2.Going Home outfit and Receiving Blanket: Remember to keep a spare for babies can spoil their clothes. I took Bonds Wondersuit easy double-chained 0000 sizes.Remember you might need to carry 000 sizes as well for bigger bubs.

3.Newborn Diaper Bag: Most hospitals provide diapers and wipes. Carry a few newborn diapers by Huggies and fragrance-free water wipes for coming home and its best to have the nappy bag ready so you have one thing less to worry when you come home. I will make a separate video on all things for changing your baby so do subscribe to my Youtube Channel Sonal Ayaansh.

4. Car seat: Don't forget to get the car seat fitted and inspected well in advance if you plan to bring the baby in your own car or plan arrangements for bringing your bub home beforehand to avoid last-minute hassles. . We surely love our Britax car seat and my baby has been on road quite often since he was one month.

5. Baby Record Book / Visitor Register: To record all details and notes of your Lil one! Also in case it’s a post COVID baby and is lucky to have visitors you may want to have a visitor register. I used this Belly Book in my pregnancy as well.

Things NOT to carry for your Baby

• Nail clippers: Babies are too fragile in those initial days and though few articles I read recommend taking nail clippers, our midwives completely disagreed and as told by her the newborn nails did come off on its own

• Baby hair and body wash: You would hardly bath your baby in the hospital and if you do you would rather want to use clear water or most hospitals provide baby wash if you want.

• Nasal Aspirator: My midwives advised against using nasal aspirator as newborn's nose is too fragile for the same.

• Mittens: Mittens are choking hazards and shouldn’t be used in general. For keeping your bubs hand warm you can use the onesies with inbuilt hand covers

• Socks: Babies remain swaddled all the time, you simply don’t need to use socks

• Baby Cap: Most hospitals are temperature controlled these days and more so midwives recommend not covering babies head as babies control their body temperature through the head and you run the danger of overheating your bub.

• Soft Toys: Moms are all babies want. So there’s simply no point carrying any toys.

• Baby Pillow : You don't need one in hospital.

Things to Carry for your Partner/ Support Person

Snacks and Water Bottle: While all the attention is on you, you would want your partner/support person to remain sane to support you! Have them full with these easy artificial sugar free snack bars by kind or dry fruits.Hospitals usually have pantry a bit far so it's best to have water bottles for both of you.

Change of clothes :Sleep Suit /Hoodie/ Sweaters: Its best to carry your partner clothes as well so as he doesn't have to necessarily leave you alone in hospital for changing at home. remember to carry his sleep suit as well if he plans on staying with you. My husband loved this one form Costco and his current favourite hoodie is this from adidas .You can also pack Board-shorts or other clothing that can get wet if you plan a water birth.

Bathroom slippers and also shoes in case he needs to rush out : You can get these cool slip-ons and these these trending Air Jordon from Nike.

Toiletries: Carry these Molten Brown Travel packs for you and your partner. Also remember to carry toothbrush and grooming kit as he would want to look good in the newborn family pics.

Pillow from home for him to have a descent sleep if and when he can. This pillow from Kmart is a good value for money.

Other Essentials :

• Wallet/ cards/ Money

• Glasses/Lens

• Driving licence/ Personal Identification

• Phone and Charger

• Usual medicines

Things NOT to carry for your Partner/ Support Person

• Deodorant: You do not want to use deodorant with a newborn around.

• Entertainment: there will definitely not be time for it and well the baby will be an all-time entertainment package.

• Shorts: Hospitals usually don't like partners roaming around in shorts and prefer tracks and mine one mentioned it in maternity suit tour

Few resources you might want to check :

Pregnancy Must-Have Video

Breastfeeding Booster Indian Recipe

So glad you landed on my page. My goal is to make a handy resource of all things related to parenting based on my first-hand experience as a first-time mom. I only suggest products that I truly love. Do leave a comment as I would love to know as many of you as possible.

Sonal

Business inquiries: sonalayaansh@gmail.com