Hospital bag checklist for labour and birth
For you, for the baby and the papers the maternity ward asks for: the bag many people have packed by the door from around week 34 to 36.
Hospital bag for birth
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When to pack your hospital bag for birth
Many midwives suggest having your hospital bag for birth packed from around week 34 to 36. Ask your midwife what she recommends, and leave the bag by the door so nobody has to search in a hurry.
Two bags make it easier: a small one for the labour ward with your papers, a drink, snacks and clothes for the first hours, and a larger one for the days on the postnatal ward that your birth partner can fetch later. How long you stay is impossible to say in advance. Pack for a few days; whatever is missing, someone can bring.
The papers for the hospital and for registering the birth
Keep your maternity record with you in the last weeks anyway, not just in the hospital bag. Add some ID, your insurance details if you have private cover and, if you have written one, your birth plan.
Which documents you need to register the birth depends on the country and on your situation, for instance whether you are married. Ask the hospital or the register office which papers they need, ideally before the due date.
What the hospital provides – and what you bring
Many maternity units provide nappies, maternity pads and baby clothes during the stay, and some have feeding pillows. Ask when you register or on a tour of the unit what yours provides. Then you can shorten the list before you pack.
If you are driving home, the infant car seat comes too. Fit it once as a trial run beforehand, so every move is familiar when the day comes. For the baby, one outfit in newborn or up-to-1-month size is enough for the journey home, with a pramsuit and hat in winter.
What often gets forgotten for the birth
A long charging cable is often forgotten for the labour ward, yet the socket is rarely by the bed. Hair ties, lip balm and bendy straws make the hours there more comfortable. Your birth partner needs a change of clothes, ID and a jumper, because they often stay longer than expected. And pack snacks that work at night too, when the hospital shop has long closed.
After the birth, add to the list whatever was missing and save it as your own template. For the next baby, it is already there. Your hospital’s own instructions come first.
How it works
“Start with this list” opens the template – once you have signed in with your email address.
Add more templates, such as “Before leaving” for the water, the heating and the plants. Nothing appears twice.
Create the list, tick it off, archive it after the trip – and pack it again next time.
Good to know
- Can I change the list?
- Yes. Your list is yours: add, rename, move and delete items. The template stays as it is.
- Does it cost anything?
- No. No subscription, no ads. All you need is an email address, no password.