Hospital Bag & Postpartum Kit Checklist

Dr. Abbie Laycock, DPT
May 15, 2024
5 min read

Updated: Oct 16, 2024

Preparing your home for a baby can be both fun and overwhelming. Once the nursery has been decorated, clothes folded and stuffed animals lined on a shelf, the last thing you feel like preparing is the hospital bag and your postpartum kit. So allow me to make it easy for you! After having two babies, these are the products that I have used and what I recommend to friends, family and patients!

You may think that you need to pack an entire suitcase for the hospital in case you forget anything and so that you are ultra prepared; at least this is what I did for my first. I ended up not needing about 75% of what was in my suitcase! Please take my advice, do not overthink, do not overpack, you are basically just naked the whole time until you go home- haha!

Hospital bag

Birthing pillow- If I could bring ONE thing to the hospital, it would be this pillow. This is what I used to labor with because it is firm and I would hold on to it while bent over the bed during contractions. After having the baby, I used this for under my knees to be more comfortable propped up in bed.
Bed pillow and extra pillowcases- Plain and simple, hospital pillows are the worst. I put two in the car and had my husband get them once we were in the recovery room. Extra pillowcases because, well…body fluids can get everywhere.
Blanket- Again, hospital blankets aren’t comfortable and it can be cold and drafty. We put two in the car for my husband and I and got them once in recovery room.
Shower shoes/grip slippers- Any shoe that you can easily slip on and off when getting up to go to the bathroom and shower is good.
Bath towel- You guessed it, hospital towels are also terrible. I was literally given a hand towel as my body towel. It’s nice to have a little more luxury for the first shower post-delivery :) Also left this in the car until recovery room
Robe- This is my favorite robe of all time. It’s pricey, but I have used it well past my babies. I love the two different loops for over a pregnant belly and for pre-baby size. The fabric is also very soft and light.
Button up PJs/gown- LOVE these PJs for the soft and light fabric. The reason I suggest button up is for ease in breastfeeding. A button up gown would also be nice for a less constricted option on the vaginal region and for belly post C-section.
Nursing bra- These are my favorite for lounging; light support, not constrictive, stretchy material.
Water bottle- I cross my fingers for you that you get one of those big cups with the crazy straw! They didn’t have them at the first hospital I gave birth at and I told them this was the only reason for having a baby…for the water cup…just kidding :)
Sound machine- I packed the travel sound machine that we got through our baby registry. It’s nice to be able to drown out the hospital sounds when trying to rest and sleep.
Long phone charger- You never know where the nearest outlet is going to be!
Toiletries- Do yourself a solid and pack your fave shampoo, conditioner and body soap. Make that first shower post-baby a little retreat for yourself :)
Going home outfit for mom and baby- Trust me, you only need one outfit each! I literally wore my robe, nursing bra and diaper the entire time in the hospital. The only time I put on real clothes was within the hour before going home. Baby is also either swaddled, naked or in PJs.
Swaddles- These are by far my favorite swaddle! They’re not super fancy with zippers or velcro, but they are the silkiest fabric and stretchy to really strap baby in there. They can also double as a blanket. So much better than the stiff cardboard ones they give you in the hospital!
Chapstick- Cold and dry hospital.
Car seat- This is an easy thing to forget, so here is your reminder!

**Side Note: One thing I didn’t mention on the checklist was an extra bag. This could be a duffel bag, grocery bag, whatever. But you can use this bag to take home supplies from the hospital. I’m talking diapers, mesh underwear, pads, ice pads, etc. TAKE. IT. ALL. HOME! Hospital mesh underwear are the best :)

Postpartum kit

Postpartum diaper- You can get any type of adult diaper, but these disposable briefs were my favorite. I would line them with the pads below and could get a few wears out of them instead of disposing right away.
Pads in different sizes- I personally liked the ultra thin because it didn’t feel really bulky and “diapery”. If I was bleeding heavily, I would just put two pads in my underwear.
Tucks medicated pads- Line your pad with these, it’s such a relieving feeling and not as bulky as an ice-pack.
Perineal healing foam- I personally did not use this, but have heard great things. You can either do the Tucks pads, or this.
Peri bottle- This one is the best because of the upside down spout. But the ones from the hospital are good too. I took two from the hospital and made sure to have one in every bathroom of the house.
Ice-pack- These are the ones that the hospital will give you. Again, take as many as you can from the hospital :)
Sitz bath salt- I personally did not do a sitz bath because baths don’t seem relaxing to me. But if that is your jam, add this bath salt to it. My mom swears by her sitz baths that she took.
Stool softener- This one may not need an explanation :) I took stool softeners everyday for about a month to ensure that I did not strain when pooping. This is 100% okay to do if approved by your doctor.
Breast coolers- If breastfeeding, you will most likely go through periods of discomfort and engorgement. You can either use these for heat or ice; I personally thought ice felt better, so that’s what I used mine for! I put these on between feedings to give myself some relief.
Nipple butter- Best nipple butter in my opinion! Put this on before/after/all of the above for feedings and it is safe for baby to ingest.
Nursing pads- These help to protect clothes from getting soaked during a let down. I used both disposable and washable and prefer the washable ones.
Hand breast pump- This is a MUST if breastfeeding! When feeding on one side, I would put the Haakaa on the other to collect the letdown on that breast, and the suction helped to unclog ducts. Then I would save this milk in the freezer. I would then use the Medela hand pump to help unclog and ducts or relieve an engorged breast.
Water bottle- Stay thirsty my friends!
Postpartum underwear- These are my favorite underwear for when you are ready to ditch the diapers. They are high-wasted, comfortable and help you feel a little more feminine. I now use them as bedtime period underwear, so you can use them beyond postpartum!