Different hospitals provide different equipment, so it's always a good idea to ask your hospital what they have available for you during labour and once the baby is born.
You can also consider keeping some additional supplies in a handy bag at home for your partner or family to bring in the day after the birth rather than trying to lug a really heavy bag in with you while you are in labour!
Print out our Hospital Bag Checklist and 'customise' it to suit your needs.
For Labour
- Hospital paperwork - registration card/health record or similar
- Medicare card and/or private health insurance company card
- Lip Balm/paw paw ointment
- Hair bands
- Iceblocks
- Water bottle
- Phone
- Phone charger
- Phone credit
- Camera
- Camera battery charger
- Video camera
- Facewashers
- Gatorade/Powerade/Lemonade
- Snacks, drinks and spare clothes/swimmers/towel for your birthing partner - in case they want to get in the shower with you.
- Snack food
- Thongs
- CD or ipod etc if you want (or think you will want) music!
- Heat pack
- Socks
- Baggy shirts/singlets
- Mints
- Birth plan
- Stress balls
- List of phone numbers
- Massage oil
- Spare change
For Mum
- Shampoo/conditioner/shower gel
- Shower puff
- Towels
- Clothes
- A book to read (maybe a breastfeeding book)
- A pen/notebook
- Your own pillow
- Nice clothes to wear home/wear in photos
- Moisturiser
- Posh toilet paper/flushable wipes (hospital toilet paper can be rough, post-birth)
- Maternity pads
- Cheap pack of black undies/mens undies
- Pyjamas/nighties - ones with easy access for breastfeeding
- Paw paw ointment
- Ural - will help take the sting out of your pee
- Ear plugs
- Hairbrush
- Maternity bra
- Snacks/lollies/chocolate/fruit drink (poppers), muesli bars
- Dressing gown
- Slippers
- Nursing pads
- Spare change
- Nice clothes that make you feel good, don't dig around your waist and are easy to breastfeed in
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Makeup
- Deodorant
- Plastic bags for dirty clothes (for you and bub)
- Maternity shirts (you wont shrink back down to your old size overnight!)
For baby
Check what your hospital provides before you pack for baby ...
- Nappies
- Singlets x 3
- Grosuits x 3 (at least) - in at least two sizes!! take some 0000 clothes and some 000 even a 00000 if you like, that way whatever size bub is they will have something to wear
- Beanies
- Mittens
- Blankets/bunny rugs
- Nice going-home outfit for bub
- Muslin wrap
- Socks
- A dummy (just in case, washed and sterilised)
- Big tub of wipes
Hubbers tips:
The best thing I had, which I thought was stupid but my Mum insisted on
getting me, was mens undies. They were so much more comfy than ladies when you have those horrible pads to wear and if you get stiches there is enough room in them for the icepack to sooth your privates.
Take a spray bottle - good for spraying your bits when you wee as it diluted the urine and makes it sting less!
I found ear plugs were great! The nurses took bub during the night for me(after five days of labour i was exhausted!) and the ear plugs allowed me to sleep.
My best ever investment was the WOMAMA wrap. Even though I was induced this hospital still let me wear my wrap (3rd labour) it was the best thing ever! I wouldn't never birth without it again.
My own pillow ... I hate the plasticy types of pillows in the hospital! My own pillow made me feel like I was more at home.
My mum bought me in my nail kit so I could repaint and file my toe and fingernails ... and also my facial mask. I felt a million bucks after doing this!
I took my own towel too, their towels are white and when bleeding so much I felt "odd" using a white towel after a shower. Mum would take my towel home Every second day and wash and bring me a new one.
A tennis ball. Best advice I got was to take one for my husband to roll
around my back during labour, saved his hand getting sore!
I took lovely smelling bathroom products purchased JUST for this occasion to make you feel special afterwards. Like shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser, perfume, lip balm, soap. I used l'occitane and now whenever I use it, it makes me think of that special time.
Dry shampoo. (You may end up with a c-section or be bed ridden after a vaginal birth gone wrong. Both of these mean you can at least freshen up from your bed.)
Pack a nappy bag like you would to go out, who knows what will happen on the drive home.
DON'T FORGET!!
Your baby MUST travel home in a suitable infant car seat or capsule.
You can find a nursery shop selling infant car seats or hire a baby capsule but make sure you have it correctly installed into your car with plenty of time.
WHERE TO BUY
See our comprehensive shops directory for local and online stores selling everything from labour and birthing equipment to baby clothing, breastfeeding tops and everything in between!
A massive thanks to Bub Hub memers ilovelucy, bingo, meeka2k, mybump2010, MummysYellowCar, MyFourCubs, elleandsam, and all our wonderful Facebook friends who shared their best tips with us!