Taking Home Baby: A Hospital Packing List for the Minimalist Mama

We’re on the two week (and a couple days) countdown until Baby S’s anticipated arrival. I’m feeling all the feels! Excited. Anxious. Emotional. Joyful. Gassy. #momtruth

The nursery is (almost) complete (here’s a peek at our progress). Baby clothes are washed and folded. My hospital bag is packed and ready to roll out of here.

Every birth story is different, but based on our experience with Teddy and Sloane, I’ve whittled my hospital bag packing list down to a minimalist list of essentials.

Hospital Bag Checklist  – Mama Essentials

 

Soft and comfortable clothing to wear for post-delivery. This luxe hospital gown I’m wearing here is designed by Isabel & Ingrid and is the perfect lightweight dress to wear after delivery. It’s 100% cotton with shoulder snaps on each side to easily pull down for breastfeeding or skin-to-skin contact with Baby. Side slits and an adjustable waist should make for ease getting in and out of bed and for walking the halls. Beyond the hospital, the super soft fabric and design make it a perfect one-piece outfit to throw on for those first few hazy weeks of nesting at home with a newborn.

Flats. Rubber-soled flats will act as non-slip slippers during the hospital stay as well as easy shoes to slip on to take home Baby. These foldable champagne hued flats from Talaria Flats will easily match with anything you pack and they conveniently fold up into a carrying pouch saving you even more space in your hospital bag.

Seamless Nursing Bras and Tanks. Whether you decide to breastfeed or not, stretchy “nursing” bras are super comfortable (see a comfort theme here!) for all-day and night wear and support. My favorite is the Isabel Maternity from Target seamless bra which is what I’ve been wearing during pregnancy, too. The nursing tanks like this pink one are cozy for night wear or for layering during the day (I’ll pack a handful of disposable nursing pads as well to help stay dry and leak-free).

Pashmina or Scarf. Something soft and homey to layer with in a drafty hospital room and easy enough to throw off when caring for Baby.

Small Vanity Kit. My bag will include: hair ties and a head-band to keep hair out of my face during and after delivery. A small bottle of shampoo, conditioner and dry shampoo to refresh after delivery. I’ll pack a few makeup essentials like BB cream, mascara, blush and lip balm to freshen up before we snap a few newborn hospital photos. Sensitive moisturizers like Cetaphil lotion and coconut oil will help keep my skin moisturized in the dry hospital air and won’t leave fragrances on that precious newborn baby skin.

Hospital Bag Checklist  – Baby Essentials

Swaddling blankets. Once Baby has arrived and has a bath, I like to swap out the standard hospital blanket and cap (I save them for my memory box) with super soft, muslin cotton blankets. My favorite are from Aiden + Anais. The neutral and cute designs add a nice touch to those newborn photos, too. Plus, they are durable and easy to clean (I’ve had these for five years and used them with two babies so far) and I’ve used them well beyond the swaddling stages for tummy time, crib sheets, car seat covers and beach blankets.

A soft beanie. A newborn baby burrito isn’t complete without a soft, cute stocking cap. This incredibly soft beanie from a mama-founded company, Softsie, is made of an organic cotton blend and the fabric is infused with all-natural and hypoallergenic ingredients (think aloe vera, jojoba oil and vitamin E) for added softness and care against newborn skin. I love the subtle and gender neutral patterns and colors of their beanie hats like this arrow beanie in a very light gray/green color (Use code DUJOUR to save 15% on any order from Softsie through the end of July!)

Take home outfit. The first trip home and adventure out beyond the hospital walls always feels like a major milestone. I bought a few sets of neutral sleeper gowns from Carters, complete with matching mitts and beanies, that are made of uber soft cotton, button-free for easy diaper and outfit changes, and, most importantly, cute enough to mark the special occasion.

 

In addition to these items, it never hurts to pack and pre-plan a few tech essentials: cell phone charger, camera battery, download your favorite shows to your iPad and set-up your favorite song lists or Pandora stations.

If you’re a parent or parent-to-be, what essentials have you/will you take in your hospital bag??

XOXO,

Emily