The hospital bag checklist: what to pack for you, baby and your birth partner

There is something deeply satisfying about folding a tiny vest and tucking it into a bag. Packing your hospital bag makes the birth feel real. It is a good idea to have it ready by around 36 weeks, or earlier if you have been told your baby may come early or you have a long journey to hospital. Here is a checklist to get you started.

First, ask your hospital or birth centre

What you need depends on where you are giving birth. Some hospitals provide most things; others, including many in Nigeria and other countries, ask mums to bring specific items such as maternity pads, gloves, a delivery pack, bed sheets or baby items. Ask your midwife or clinic for their list, and pack that first.

Documents and essentials

• your maternity notes or antenatal card
• your birth plan, if you have one
• identification and any insurance or payment details your hospital needs
• a list of any medicines you take and any allergies
• your phone, a long charging cable and a power bank
• important phone numbers written on paper, in case your phone dies

For labour

• a comfortable, loose nightdress, big T-shirt or wrapper you do not mind getting messy
• a dressing gown and slippers or sandals
• socks, as feet often get cold
• lip balm, as lips get dry with breathing and gas and air
• a hair tie or headscarf
• snacks and drinks for early labour, if your midwife says it is fine to eat
• things that help you relax: music and headphones, a printed verse or a favourite song list
• a TENS machine, if you plan to use one

For you after the birth

• plenty of maternity pads, the thick kind
• several pairs of comfortable, high-waisted knickers, or disposable ones
• two or three nursing bras or comfortable bras, and breast pads
• a change of loose, comfortable clothes
• toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, a small towel, shower gel
• a water bottle with a straw
• an eye mask and earplugs for a noisy ward
• clothes to go home in; you will probably still need maternity sizes

For your baby

• several vests and sleepsuits, in newborn and first-size
• a hat and socks or mittens
• nappies (newborn size) and cotton wool or wipes
• muslin cloths
• a blanket suitable for the weather
• an outfit for going home
• bottles and formula, if you plan to formula feed; the hospital may not provide them
• a car seat, fitted in the car before you go, if you will travel home by car

For your birth partner

• snacks and drinks
• a change of clothes and a toothbrush
• money for parking or transport
• a phone charger
• something to keep them comfortable if labour is long

Keep the bag ready

Leave it by the door or in the car, and make sure your partner or birth companion knows where it is. Make a short list of last-minute items such as your phone charger and snacks, and stick it on the bag.

Packing your bag does not mean you should wait passively. Call your maternity unit straight away if your waters break, you have bleeding, your baby moves less, or you have a severe headache or problems with your vision.

A season for everything

Packing a bag is a quiet way of saying, a new season is coming. Ecclesiastes reminds us:

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

This is the season of preparing. Soon comes the season of meeting your child. God is the Lord of every season, and He will be with you as you move from one to the next. As you pack each small item, you might pray for the little one who will wear it.

A prayer as I pack

Lord, as I pack this bag, I prepare my heart too. Thank You for this new season that is coming. Watch over my baby and me, keep us safe until the day of birth, and walk with us into everything that is ahead. Amen.