A periwinkle and grey car seat and black duffle bag sit beside a wooden door.
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Hospital and NICU Bag Checklist for Parents & Baby

ByBrittney Smith

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).

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

I recently had my second baby, and she ended up having to spend some time in the NICU, 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.)

Essentials (make sure you have these for both parents)

  • Bible
  • Journal and pens (optional but nice, especially if you get bored or want to remember something)
  • Phone chargers
  • Earbuds for phones (to listen to music, etc.)
  • Deodorant
  • Hair brush and/or comb
  • Shampoo & Conditioner
  • Bar of soap
  • Towels from home that are big and fluffy (I know hospitals have towels they can offer you, but in my experience, they are usually small and scratchy)
  • Shower shoes (many hospitals have shared shower rooms)
  • Toothbrushes
  • Toothpaste
  • Mouthwash
  • Bags for dirty laundry
  • Lots and lots of snacks
  • Mints or gum (I really enjoyed having peppermint gum on hand)

For Mom

  • Prenatal vitamins
  • Probiotics or any other vitamins/supplements you take
  • Hair ties
  • 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 for afterwards. I packed mine when discharged to go to my baby, who was transferred to a bigger hospital’s NICU.)
  • Donut cushion to sit on
  • 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)
  • Nursing bras, make sure to bring a couple that are a few 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

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

  • Cash for cafeteria and vending machines
  • Comfortable clothes that you feel 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

  • 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!

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