Your hospital bag checklist
Follow the downloadable checklist here to help pack your hospital bag. There’s no need to take too much, your stay should be quite short and, if you do need extra, friends or family can get things for you.
Hospital bag check list
For labour
• Your birth plan
• Hospital notes (if you have them)
• Change for the car park and money for snacks
• Nightie, dressing gown, cosy socks and slippers.
• Contact lenses and spare glasses (if you have them)
• Magazines or ipod
• A watch with a second hand to time your contractions.
• Hair tie/band (if you’ve got long hair)
• Water spray (for cooling yourself down during labour)
• Lip balm
• Cereal bars or dried fruit for an energy boost
• Frozen drinks - They'll defrost during a long labour
• TENS Machine (if you’re using one)
After labour
• Hot water bottle (for pain relief)
• Massage oil (for pain relief)
• Eye mask, If you have trouble sleeping with the lights on
• Toothbrush, toothpaste and unscented toiletries
• Maxi sanitary pads
• Nursing bras and breast pads
• A v-shaped pillow (can help make breast-feeding more comfy)
• Essentials for your baby, including nappies, blanket, socks, vest, and something that goes on easily and doesn’t really need to be tugged over their head
• Phone numbers of friends and family
• Camera
• Lots of change or phone cards to make calls if they don’t let you use mobiles in the hospital
• Comfy clothes and flat shoes to go home in