We are constantly hearing about the must-have items in your hospital delivery bag whenever you are expecting, but we are letting you know what you don’t need!
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10 Things You Don’t Need in Your Hospital Delivery Bag
I’ll admit it—I used to watch episodes of The Real Housewives in my college days and think to myself “I’m going to make sure I have beautiful pictures of me giving birth, just like them. I will have a makeup artist on hand and a hired photographer ready to capture the moment.” I was very naive then. Now, and especially after just giving birth to Blake 5 months ago, I know there are many items that you don’t need in your hospital delivery bag.
So naïve that when I was pregnant with Branden, I quite literally packed my hospital delivery bag about a month in advance filled to the brim with my favorite beauty goodies and various fashionable items that I thoughts I needed to have with me at the time. Looking back, I think I opened my bag twice—once to throw on my maternity denim to wear home and the second time to pull out the Ralph Lauren outfit that my little guy was to wear in his hospital pictures. You live and you learn in motherhood.
What You Don’t Actually Need In Your Hospital Delivery Bag
Here’s the thing: what you pack in your hospital delivery bag is really crucial to your hospital experience. Yes, the hospital supplies all of these things that we truly need, but our hospital delivery bag helps you bring those necessities in your life from home to a place where you’ll be spending a couple of day recovering from childbirth. You don’t want to overpack, you just want to bring what’s important to you and that little babe of yours.
10. Makeup
After the many exhausting hours of labor and the overjoyed feeling of finally getting that baby out of you, makeup will be the last thing on your mind—even whenever the cameras come around! Grab your favorite chapstick and you will be good to go. I will admit though, that I brought along concealer and mascara the second time around and applied them super quick before pictures.
9. Fashionable Hospital Gown
There are many companies right now making hospital gowns that are much more fashionable than the ones they give you at the hospital, but to be completely honest and coming from someone who is super fashion conscious—you will love that ugly cotton hospital gown more than you can ever imagine! It’s easy to nurse in, pee in, and get comfortable in. Don’t waste your money! Here’s what I loved for postpartum instead. (Hint: wearing these PJs after giving birth made me feel like a million bucks!)
8. Pre-Pregnancy Clothes
People tell me all the time—“Nobody told me that they wouldn’t fit!” Well here is your wakeup call—they will NOT! Don’t bother packing them and making your hospital bag extra heavy. Grab your favorite maternity pants and call it a day. Instead, here are some of my favorite postpartum clothing transitions.
7. Blow Dryer
Between meetings with the lactation consultant and buzzing the nurse every 4-6 hours whenever your pain medication runs out, you will not be up and moving around giving yourself an in-hospital blow out. Promise.
6. Music
Yes, your Lamaze teacher will explain over and over again how soothing your hospital playlist will be during delivery, but most likely it will just irritate you and make you scream.
5. Perfume
Being that you are now expected to produce milk on command, there is no need for you to smell great—at least until you get home from the hospital. Instead, I recommend a great location with a little bit of fragrance – try my favorite: Colleen Rothschild Beauty Nourishing Body Lotion.
4. Razor
You won’t be shaving anything while you’re in the hospital or for a good while afterwards, so get a good body wax before delivery time and leave your razor at home!
3. Your Favorite Lace Thongs
Bringing a new baby into the world is a beautiful time, but definitely not a sexy time. Do yourself a favor and trade your Hanky Panky’s in for Hanes for your hospital stay. Furthermore, you will find yourself loving your new mesh hospital panties even more than you love that hospital gown and Googling the nearest medical supply store so that you can pick up a few on your way home. Instead, try adding something like these postpartum slimming panties or post c-section underwear instead – way more comfortable to have in your hospital delivery bag!
2. Nursery Products
I know that during the nesting period we get so excited about buying all of our fun new butt creams and baby wash that smells so sweet—but leave it at home! Save your money and time packing these products because the hospital will provide them all for you, and even send you home with extras! But, when you get home, here’s my must-haves!
1. Body Pillow
Who has time for cuddling with a body pillow whenever you have a new infant in your arms? Yet, I read this on hospital check-lists time and time again. You will be so exhausted while you’re in the hospital that you will fall asleep on whatever kind of pillow you find in your hospital bed.
Remember, you are not packing for a vacation, you are about to push a tiny human out of your body—how’s that for perspective? Lastly, I want to link you to my absolute favorite diaper bag here that gets me through my everyday and if you’re looking for a great travel system or interested in babywearing, you will love these products, too.
Do you have anything to add to this list? Comment below!
This was originally published in Mommy Nearest Magazine.
these are really great tips, my girlfriend isnt pregnant but when she is i will be coming back here for more advice
Awesome! Thanks for the comment Zaby!