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Pregnancy is such an exciting time; your family is growing, and a lot of preparation goes into making a place for the coming little one. In Isaiah 54, God tells his people to “enlarge their tents…and strengthen thy stakes” in preparation for children. As you near the end of pregnancy and the arrival of your little one, it helps to have a bag ready to grab and go (preferably packed by at least 36 weeks pregnant, sooner if you are at risk for preterm birth).

I carefully designed this list to be the only one you’ll need, covering a standard labor and delivery stay, postpartum recovery, and the unexpected requirements of an extended stay in the NICU.

I recently had my second baby, and failed to pack my hospital bag on time because I was overwhelmed by all the options of lists and wasn’t sure what to pack, even though I had already had a baby before. We ended up having to throw some things together just before going to the hospital, and then had to come home again and repack later because she ended up having to spend some time in the NICU. (You can read that story here.) Because I didn’t want that to happen again, I wrote the first draft of this list on our way home from the NICU when everything was still fresh in my mind. So these are the things my husband and I were either glad got packed in the hospital bag or wished we had. (Please note: this is my list and I thought it might be helpful, but make sure to think about your own needs and what would make things most comfortable for you and your family.)

Shared Essentials for NICU Parents (Mom & Dad)

• Required Documents for the Hospital: Photo IDs, Insurance card, current medication/supplement list, and any other paperwork your hospital requires
• Birth plan (if you have one, make several copies)
• Bible
• Journal and pens (optional but nice, especially if you get bored or want to remember something)
• Phone chargers (Pro Tip: All the conveniently placed plugins are reserved for medical devices so the longer the phone cord the better.)
• Earbuds for phones (to listen to music, etc.)
• Deodorant
• Hair brush and/or comb
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Bags for dirty laundry
• Lots and lots of snacks
• Mints and/or gum (I really enjoyed having peppermint gum on hand)
• Lip Balm/Chapstick (Breath-work and nerves can cause dry lips for Mom and Dad)
• Hand cream/lotion (all the hand washing and sanitizing you do in the hospital really dries out hands fast).

For Mom: Postpartum Recovery & Pumping Essentials

• Prenatal vitamins (I took these plus DHA for both my pregnancies; they are not yummy, but they are very nutritious and vegan)
• Probiotics or any other vitamins/supplements you take
• Hair ties
• Lotion/Massage oil (optional for if you plan on massage during labor)
• Tucks pads and Dermaplast or some other perineal spray to relieve pain down there (Hospital will provide these in labor/delivery/recovery, but you will definitely need some at home afterward. I packed mine when discharged to go to my baby, who was transferred to a bigger hospital’s NICU.)
• Donut cushion or other pressure relieving cushion to sit on (oh, how I wanted one sitting on the NICU furniture for hours)
• Plenty of comfortable underwear that is roomy enough to accommodate large pads
• Favorite large pads (sometimes it’s better to have the ones you like rather than whatever the hospital provides)
• Nursing pads for your bra
• Breast pump to help establish milk supply as early as possible. I learned so much about how to pump more effectively from my lactation consultant that I highly recommend having your pump with you.
• Hands-free pumping bra (I wished I had this)
• Nipple balm/lanolin (hospital usually has this in small tubes but it’s good to have more if you have sensitive skin)
• Lightweight robe (I’ve been loving this one, its tie is attached for easy packing and the sleeves are 3 quarter so you don’t get them wet while washing your hands or pump parts)
• Nursing bras, make sure to bring a couple that are a couple cup sizes too big for when you’re milk comes in.
• Skin-to-skin friendly outfits, maybe even a bra that clasps in the front to make full skin-to-skin easier
• A few outfits that are cozy enough to sleep in, and you would feel comfortable walking to the cafeteria in
• Going home outfit (nursing friendly)
• Plenty of socks because hospitals are cold
• Shoes and/or slippers that are comfortable and easy to slip on and off (I just used a pair like these, indoor/outdoor, everywhere in all the chaos)
• Shower shoes (many hospitals have shared shower rooms especially in NICU and you will want/need a show at some point after giving birth)
• A Towel from home that is big and fluffy (I know hospitals have towels they can offer you, but in my experience, they are usually small and scratchy, it didn’t dry my long hair very well or wrap like a turban)
• Shampoo & Conditioner plus a bar of soap (if you’re picky like me, otherwise the hospital should have some)

Note: The hospital does supply you with a peri-bottle; you can also buy one. Either way, my advice is to put your name on it. I ended up misplacing mine in a shared hospital bathroom, and even though I later found one in that bathroom, I never took it or used it because I wasn’t sure it was mine. Also, if you are ever in public without your peri bottle, a Propel bottle works great (I imagine Smart Water or other similar bottles would work as well).

For Dad: Comfort, Clothing, and Skin-to-Skin Access

• Cash for cafeteria and vending machines
• Comfortable clothes that he feels ok sleeping in
• Clothes that allow easy skin on skin access like a snap front shirt
• Comfortable shoes that are easy to take on and off
• Socks

For Baby: NICU-Ready Clothing & Car Seat Safety

• Car seat – you can’t leave until they check it out. Also if your little one had any respiratory issues – like ours did at first, there is a 2 hour car seat test she had to pass in the car seat at the hospital hooked to a monitor to make sure her oxygen levels and other vital signs remained stable so she would be safe to go home.
• Baby outfits with open feet due to the pulse ox reader being on feet when baby is hooked up to monitor (like in the nursery or NICU)
• Baby socks
• Receiving blankets
• Going home outfit!

Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.

Isaiah 54:2