What to pack in your hospital bag

You're in the final stretch, with only a few weeks to go before your due date. Now's the time to gather together all the essentials you'll need during labour and birth and for after your baby is born. Even if you're not planning a hospital birth, you may need to go in unexpectedly, so it's a good idea to have a bag packed by the time you are about 36 weeks pregnant.

Hospitals vary in their policies about what you are allowed to bring with you when you have your baby. You may want to take a few items from home, such as your own pillow, to make the environment more personal and less clinical. Check what the hospital provides and what you can bring yourself, but be aware that hospitals can be short on space.

If you wanted, you could pack two bags: one for labour and the hours immediately after your baby is born, and another for a stay on the postpartum floor.

If you're driving to the hospital, you could leave the second bag in the car. If you have a straightforward birth, you may be discharged from hospital on the same day (NS 2007), so you might not need the second bag at all.

See our list below for what you'll need to take for your big day.

And we've made it easy for you to be really organized. To make sure you don’t forget anything, simply print out our handy checklist.

What to pack for labour

• Your birth plan and prenatal medical records if you have a midwife.
• Robe, dressing gown, wrap sweater. This will be useful if you end up pacing hospital corridors in early labour and you'll need one for after if you’re staying overnight. Hospitals can be very warm, so a lightweight one may be better.
• Slippers
• Socks. Believe it or not, your feet can get cold during labour.
• An old nightdress or a T shirt to wear in labour. It will probably get a bit messy, so don't buy anything specially to wear in hospital.
• Massage oil or lotion if you would like to be massaged during your labour.
• Lip balm
• Snacks and drinks for you while you are in labour. Isotonic sports drinks are good (NCCWCH 2007: 86).
• Things to help you relax or pass the time, such as books, magazines, games and so on.
• A headband or elastic. If you have long hair, you might want it tied up.
• Pillows. The hospital might not have enough to make you really comfortable.
• TENS pain relief machine, if you are planning to use one. If you’re interested in trying this, you’ll need to arrange it in advance with a local physiotherapist.
• Toiletries
• Music to listen to. Make sure your batteries are charged, as some hospitals won't let you plug things in. Some hospitals provide their own music - again, check first.

For the birth partner

• Water spray, or a hand-held fan to keep cool down the mom-to-be while she's in labour.
• Comfortable shoes. You may be pacing the corridors!
• A change of clothes
• Watch with a second hand, to time contractions.
• Swimwear, if you want to join the mom-to-be in a birth pool. Check with your hospital to see if this is an option.
• Your choice of recording device Whether that's your mobile phone or a camera.
• Address book or a list of phone numbers. You and your partner will be able to use a mobile phone in parts of the hospital, but bring lots of change or a prepaid phone card just in case, for all the calls you may want to make.
• Snacks and drinks. You don't want a dehydrated, hungry birth partner looking after you and if you take some with you, they can stay with you rather than leaving the room to search for food!

For after the birth

• A going-home outfit. You'll need loose comfortable clothes to wear while you're in hospital and for the journey home. It will take a while for your belly to go down, so you'll be still wearing maternity clothes when you come home - sorry!
• Nursing bras. Take two or three.
• Breast pads
• Maxi pads. Bring a couple of packs.
• Nightshirt wrap or t-shirt. Front-opening shirts are useful in the early days of breastfeeding.
• Toiletries
• Towels, hairbrush, toothbrush and toothpaste.
• Old or cheap underwear, or disposable panties. Don't bring your best ones as they will get messy.
• Arnica to help with bruising after the birth. Although there's no conclusive evidence that they work (NHS 2007), many women report that taking arnica helps reduce bruising and helps the healing process.
• Ear plugs, in case you end up in a crowded room!

For your baby

• An infant car seat. Some hospitals won't let you leave by car without one.
• One outfit for the trip home (all-in-one stretchy outfits are easiest).
• Two or three sleepers for baby to wear while you are in hospital.
• Baby blanket. Take a warm one if the weather is cold.
• Diapers
• One pair of socks or booties.
• Hat
• Jacket or snowsuit for winter babies.
• Burp cloths or receiving blankets

Once you've got your hospital bag organized, remind yourself of the first signs of labour so you know when it's the real thing!