TJD came into the world 3 weeks early and while luckily, I am a planner and had started packing our hospital bags, the morning I went into labor was a mad rush to pack and get out of the house and to the hospital. Below I'm sharing a list of what we packed and then outlining whether we used it or not. I also felt there were a few things that we didn't bring that I wish we had packed. Hopefully this helps any future mamas while packing their bags for labor & delivery!

What I Packed for Mom/Dad:

Reusable Water Bottle & Portable Fan (must have) - I used both of these during labor and it was so nice to have both. Between contractions, Jody either fanned me or gave me water. The hospital has cups but I loved having my reusable bottle with the straw to sip from.

Pajamas/Loungewear Outfit(s) (must have) - After giving birth, I lived in pajamas or loungewear during our hospital stay. It's what was most comfortable for me. 

Socks/Slippers (must have) - Hospital floors are cold and can be slippery, especially when holding a new baby so slippers and socks with grips on the bottom were essential in making me feel sturdy those first few days.

PostPartum & Nursing Supplies (did not use) - I packed postpartum underwear & a peri bottle for myself + nursing pads, nipple cream, maxi pads, etc and could have left it all home. The hospital provided me with mesh undies, a peri bottle & ice packs as well as all the nursing supplies you could need, including a breast pump.

Robe (did not use) - I didn't wear my robe at all & preferred to be in pajamas or loungewear.

Pillow (must have) - Of course, the hospital supplies you pillows but I wanted my own for comfort. I also bring mine whenever I have to sleep away from home and I swear it helps me sleep better & feel more comfortable. 

Extension Cord/Charger (must have) - Of course, you will bring your charger but don't forget an extension cord as well. The outlets were limited & not in the most convenient locations in the hospital rooms so having an extension cord was key. You can also pack a portable charger.

Toiletries (must have + some optional extras) - toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, face wipes, moisturizer, chapstick, hair ties. You can also bring shampoo, conditioner, body wash & makeup if you think you will shower or want to look more awake.

Snacks (must have)  - We slacked in the snack dept but I highly recommend making a grocery store trip for some of your favorite snacks and bringing a bag full of them. The hospital food was less than stellar IMO and they only served us one meal, so there was never a meal for Jody to eat during our stay. Plan ahead (like we did not) & stock up on snacks/mini meals to keep you satisfied during your stay. 

iPad  (optional) - We enjoyed having the iPad with us during our stay. Our recovery room had a basic TV but we brought the iPad to watch shows & FaceTime family members, since we weren't allowed to have guests visit at the hospital.

Extra Plastic Bags  (must have) - Last minute, I threw some plastic bags into a pouch of my suitcase and I'm so glad I did. I ended up using one for laundry from our hospital stay and one for stealing as many baby/postpartum supplies as I could get my hands on! ;)


What I Packed for Baby: 

Going home baby outfits in different sizes (must have) - TJ ended up being born 'late pre-term' so at 6 lbs, he was too small for the newborn outfits I had brought for him. I was glad that I had also packed 0-3 month & preemie outfit options for him. He ended up wearing a preemie gown while we were in the hospital. 

Car Seat (must have) - You MUST have a car seat for baby in order to be released from the hospital to bring him home. Luckily we had installed our car seat base early so we were ready to go when it was time to go to the hospital. 

Nursing Pillow (optional) - We brought our Boppy nursing pillow and while it's not a must have, it made feeding & holding the baby so much easier, especially for first time parents who are super cautious :) It's nice to have that extra support pillow for comfort.

Sound Machine (did not use) - We use a sound machine every day for sleep/naps but we didn't use it while in the hospital. We never got a long stretch of sleep due to the nurses coming in to check on me or the baby every couple of hours. 

Swaddles/Onesies/Hats/Burp Cloths (did not use) - The hospital provided us with swaddle blankets, burp cloths, a long sleeve shirt & hats to dress baby in, although he spent most of his time in just a diaper & swaddle blanket. We didn't need any of these items until we got home. 

Baby Book (optional) - We brought our baby book and while baby was being weighed & checked out right after birth, the nurse did his footprints for us! If you don't have your baby book, you can ask them to ink his prints on a piece of paper so you have them as a memory <3

Pacifiers (must have, if you plan to use them) - The hospital actually didn't provide us with pacifiers and we had decided we did want to give one to our baby. I brought a few different nipple shapes & baby took to the Philips Advent Soothie right away. To this day, it's the only pacifier he will use. 


What I Wish We Brought:

Extra Outfits for all: The Doctors had told us we would be in and out of the hospital in 24 hours but because Tanner was born early they kept him a few extra days. I had only packed for that first 24 hours so I wish I had brought a few extra outfits for all of us. 

Sheets/Cozy Blanket - The hospital provides you with sheets & blankets but they aren't the softest or most cozy. There also was often only one set of sheets in our room so Jody had to sleep without one. I wish I had brought my own blanket for the cozy factor and a cheap set of sheets so Jody's set up would have felt more comfortable. 

Towels - Similar to the hospital sheets/blankets, the towels aren't the softest. I wish I had brought my own for washing up/showering.

Baby Nail File - Tanner was born with such sharp nails! We trimmed them once we took him home but I wish I had thrown his nail filer into my bag so we could have smoothed them down right away.