The long-awaited moment has arrived and now, what should you pack for the hospital for mom’s use? The mother’s bag is usually the easiest part, even for first-time moms, since the basics everyone knows from the experiences shared by our mothers, aunts, friends, and so on. Mom’s maternity bag needs to contain some basic items, and just like the baby’s hospital bag, it should be prepared according to the season and your real needs, so you don’t end up overdoing it and bringing a huge bag to the hospital with no use whatsoever.
Essential items:
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6 cotton underwear – grandma style, everyone knows that after giving birth, moms have normal swelling1, so the best thing is to choose something comfortable for the stitches in case of cesarean or even if it’s a vaginal birth, but why 6? For prevention, I personally used all of them because depending on the postpartum bleeding, the underwear gets dirty and you need to change.
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2 nursing bras – standard ones work very well, but nowadays there are some more modern models than the old ones that fasten at the top, these fasten at the front and are also great. Pay attention to the size of the bra, remember that your breasts get much bigger after the milk comes in2.
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4 pajamas or nightgowns – it’s up to your preference, I prefer pajama sets whether long pants or capris, but watch the height of the waistband, never wear a low waistband so it doesn’t bother any stitches or a sore area after surgery.
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1 robe (optional, of course)
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Socks, hairbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, basic makeup, hand cream and so on…
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Pads, you can choose between postpartum or night pads, I think 1 pack is enough, and in some cases, the hospital provides them.
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Bath towel and face towel
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Camera with batteries and cell phone with charger
IMPORTANT: The maternity bag should include items to be used in a hospital environment, so no overpacking. If you want to take a nice outfit for discharge, that’s enough besides the list of items.
What If I Forget Something?
If by any chance you forget something, don’t worry, since your husband, mom, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, or a close friend can pick it up and bring it to the hospital for you and your baby. Speaking of which, dad also contributes to mom’s maternity bag; if you’re staying in a private hospital room, he’ll likely stay with you, so remember that he will need a change of clothes, at least a shirt and underwear, which would be very useful to bring in the maternity bag.
Try not to bring too much, it’s only a few days in the hospital and that’s enough for these days. If you have any doubts about what to take, you can ask the hospital and check which items they provide so you won’t worry or overpack, or leave your questions in the comments and we will answer them.
Readers’ Questions
Is there a right way to pack the maternity bag?
The way you organize or arrange each item inside the maternity bag is up to you. But ideally, keep items that are used together near each other. For example, hygiene products in one compartment or pouch, clothes separated in another space, and so on.
Are labels necessary for the maternity bag?
No, since you are responsible for your bag in the hospital, not the staff. You can label the change-of-clothes “kits” for each day to make things easier for you and the nurses, but only if you want to—it’s not mandatory or required by the hospital.
