The week Miles arrived, I shared what I packed in my hospital bag. Now that Miles has arrived and I’ve gone through the experience of labor and delivery, I wanted to share what I actually used from my hospital bag and what I WISHED I had brought.

So many of oyu have asked what we used and what we wish we had, so I wanted to round it up in a post!

Clothing:

• One pair of comfortable loungewear (basically maternity leggings with a nursing top) – I didn’t wear this stuff at all. I was far too uncomfortable after delivery to think about being in any real clothing, even if it was just leggings. I lived in my hospital gown the entire time until it was time to go home.
• Cotton Robe– I did use this! I would throw it on over my hospital gown if I wanted to leave my room to get some water or if I was cold. Definitely, suggest packing one of these if you plan to stay in your hospital gown. I wear it ALL the time at home now, too.
• 1 nursing bra – I wore this home but really didn’t need it since I wore the hospital gown the entire time. You’re pretty much attempting to breastfeed every 2 hours, so bra-less is the way to go.
• Cozy socks (with grips on the bottom) – These were awesome and I definitely wore them the whole visit. I actually had packed two pairs and Michael wore the other pair the entire time so don’t forget your husband!
• 2 pairs of underwear – Did NOT use these. I wore those hospital mesh underwear the entire time I was there and even wore them the first week I was home.
• Coming home outfit – Yep, I did need this so I could have something to wear home. I brought leggings and a comfy top which was perfect. You probably won’t want to put on real clothes, so pick something comfortable.

Toiletries:

• Eye drops – These were awesome! The hospitals are so dry! Both Michael and I used these.
• Facial wipes – Used them! Time is limited and they were perfect for a quick wash.
• Face and hand lotion – Used them!
• Chapstick– YES used this. Again, the hospitals are so dry you’ll definitely want some chapstick.
• Travel toothbrush and toothpaste – Obviously used.
• Deodorant – Obviously used.
• Hairbrush and hair ties – Obviously used.
• Makeup- I did end up using a little makeup. After my first shower I put on a little concealer, blush, and mascara and it just made me feel a little more human. 

Snacks:

I thought I would need way more snacks but I was weirdly not hungry most my visit. I did eat some granola bars in the middle of the night, though. I would definitely suggest you pack a few snacks just in case. The hospital will only offer food at set times. The nurses are really good at reminding you to order something even if you’re not hungry so you’ll have it, but it’s always good to have a backup plan.

What’s in my Hospital Bag: For Dad

• 1 hospital outfit – Yep, he lived in this the entire time. He did say he wished he had just packed SUPER COMFY sweatpants instead of the athletic pants he packed.
• An outfit to go home in – Yep, he used it.
• Basic toiletries – Yep, he used it. He said he wished he had packed his own soap for the shower though, instead of using the little, cheap, travel soaps.
• Handheld video game – Ok so if you read the original post, I mentioned that we packed this in case I had a really long labor so Michael would have something to pass the time. And, if you read Miles’ birth story, you know I did NOT have a long labor. In fact, it was VERY quick. So, Michael didn’t end up having any downtime! I don’t know if I’d pack this if I had it to do again because it’s really just hard to know how long you’ll be there. Every labor is just so different!

What’s in my Hospital Bag: Tech and Other Gadgets

• Two extra long phone charging cables – These were perfect. Outlets aren’t always right next to your bed so I highly suggest!
• Noise-canceling headphones – I packed these to listen to music through labor, but again if you read the birth story I didn’t have time for anything because labor went so fast for Miles!

What’s in my Hospital Bag: For Baby

• Two newborn onesies – I had packed onesies in different sizes since I had no idea what size Miles would be. He obviously wore this going home.
• One muslin swaddle – We mostly used the hospital ones, but it was nice to have our own as well. It wasn’t a must-have, but I’m glad we had them.

What I Wished I Had Packed

Newborn Baby Hat– So, I hadn’t checked the size of the baby hat I packed and it was a 3 month one. It was WAY too big for him! I ended up having my mom bring one from home for him to go home in. However, you could always go home in the one from the hospital as well.

A bag or binder for paperwork- You get a TON of paperwork when baby is born! There are papers about his birth, about the social security card, his birth certificate, your discharge papers, and SO MUCH MORE. Not to mention some important little items you’ll probably want to keep for sentimental reasons (like the baby footprints or the little card they put on his bassinet with birthdate, size, etc. We ended up throwing all this paper into a random plastic bag and I’m still not totally sure where 1/2 of it is. Next time I’ll bring something specifically to put all these papers in.

Baby Nail File- Miles was born with sharp little fingernails! TThe hospital provides pretty much everything you need for baby but didn’t provide files or clippers. They did offer a onesie with hand covers, but because we were constantly undressing him to breastfeed, get checked out by the pediatrician, be weighed, etc., taking him in and out of the onesie was a pain.  I ended up having mom bring ours from home so I could file a few of his sharp ones because he kept scratching himself.

Michael’s Choice: My Own Pillow and Blanket- I asked Michael to weigh in on what he wished he had and he said he wished he had his own pillow and blanket. Now, as the mom, they gave me all the pillows and blankets I wanted but Michael was left with…well…the leftovers, haha! The second day my mom brought him his favorite blanket from home and he said he slept SO MUCH better.