What To Pack In Diaper Bag For Newborn At Hospital

Hospital Bag Checklist: What To Pack + Free Downloadable

Hospital Bag Checklist: what Im packing for labor and delivery, postpartum care items, clothing, snacks, my going home outfit, and babys hospital bag! Natural and non-toxic products to help support me through labor and delivery.

I honestly cant believe that I am writing this blog post! I have watched so many Whats In My Hospital Bag videos on YouTube throughout my pregnancy, and its honestly just surreal that Im already at this point of packing for the hospital. It still feels a little bit surreal that Mr. Matt and I are going to be parents in just a few days or weeks. Baby Acorn could come at any time now and now that Ive got my hospital bag packed, Im feeling a lot more prepared.

Speaking of prepared, Mr. Matt and I have also been working hard over the past few weeks on her nursery, which is really coming together. There are only a few more key pieces that I am waiting on to arrive before its officially finished. I cant wait to give you a tour of the nursery its a small room that we have completely transformed with all the calm nature-themed vibes and I love it so much. Stay tuned for the nursery tour video and blog post coming soon !

A few weeks back, I asked you HealthNuts on Instagram stories for recommendations and must-haves for what to pack in my hospital bag. You had some great suggestions, and Ive included many of them! Incase you were wondering, here are YOUR top suggestions for what to pack:

Choose Your Items Wisely

When packing your bags, keep in mind that, barring a long labor, you may only be in the hospital for one or two nights. Though that may seem like a long time, youre going to be busy recovering from delivery and feeding and changing your baby.

Neither you nor your baby has any use for the five designer outfits or the box of stuffed animals that your family already bought. Stick to the essentials and you and your baby will have a happy delivery and a smooth trip home.

When To Pack Your Hospital Bag

Your baby might arrive earlier than expected, so itâs worth having your hospital bag and your babyâs hospital bag organized and packed during month eight of your pregnancyâjust in case.Pack the bags with your partner so you can double-check the checklist to make sure that youâll each have everything you might need for the hospital. Once theyâre packed, keep them handy either in your car or near the door, so you’ll be ready to go at a moment’s notice.Keep reading for a full list of what to pack for the hospital, and download your hospital bag checklist below!

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What To Pack In A Diaper Bag For A Newborn Babys First Outing

Inside: Heading out for the first time with your newborn? Heres what to take with you.

Now that your new babe is here its time to adjust to the new way of life. Youve brought him from the hospital and youve settled in at home. But you cant stay home forever. At some point youll have to venture out to get some fresh air, to see other places, and to talk to other adults. If youre a first-time mom, youre used to carrying your little purse around, and this new way of going out and about might be a little challenging. Today well talk about what to pack in a diaper bag for a newborn when youre ready for an outing.

Heading to the hospital to have your baby? Read Hospital Bag Checklist for Mom and Baby the Essentials.

What do you pack in your diaper bag so you dont have to cut the trip short when your baby has a blowout or spits up all over you?

There is a joke going around that goes something like this: When you get out with your first baby, you pack half the house in your diaper bag. With your second babe and beyond, you grab a diaper and wipes, and youre on your merry way.

While packing half the house is not true for all new moms, some do tend to take along more things than they need, and end up exhausted and frustrated because theres so much stuff to lug around. On the other side of the spectrum, when youre rushing out of the house, you dont want to forget an essential item for you or your newborn.

Lets talk about the essentials to have in your diaper bag.

What To Stock Up On For Baby

Here’s a list of basic layette items to get you started for your baby’s early days. Some of the amounts may seem like a lot, but with extra items on hand, you won’t have to do laundry every day.

• 2 or 3 soft, baby-size bath towels and 6 to 10 baby washcloths

• 6 to 8 receiving blankets

• 6 front-snapping stretch jumper suits, newborn gowns, or bodysuits

• 6 to 10 cotton-knit, front-snapping T-shirts

• 1 or 2 sweaters

• 2 to 3 sleeper suits

• 3 or 4 crib or bassinet sheets

• 4 to 6 pairs of socks or booties

• Diapers sized for newborns

• At least one wide-brimmed hat to protect your baby’s head and face from the sun during outings.

• Bunting or snowsuit if you live in a cold climate.

• Mittens if you live in a cold climate.

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What You Need In Your Hospital Bag For After The Birth

Once your baby is born, the following list of essentials will help make the transition easy and stress-free:

• Underwear: Bring several comfortable pairs with you
• Clothes: Remember to pack some comfortable clothes that you will wear during your stay at the hospital. Make sure everything is loose fitting and easy to wear. Pack at least two going home outfits as well.
• Toiletries: Bring your shampoo, conditioner, bodywash, toothpaste, toothbrush, face wash, moisturizer, hairbrush, deodorant, and towels.
• Maternity pads: While the hospital will give you some, remember to pack a few extra heavy-duty maternity pads just in case
• Nursing bras: essential if you are planning to breastfeed
• Breast pads: Whether youre breastfeeding or not, your breasts will produce milk after giving birth. Breast pads will help with the unwanted flow
• Nightshirts or t-shirts
• Earplugs and eye mask: So, you can get some beauty sleep even in a bright, noisy ward
• Snacks and drinks: Be sure to ask your doctor to recommend what you can and cannot eat during labor. Also, have a few snacks ready for after labor.

Tons Of Food And Drinks

For my first delivery, my bag was stuffed with nuts, granola bars, peanut butter crackers, teas, and Gatorade. What if they dont let me eat? I worried. What if the vending machines are terrible?

Now that Ive been there and survived it, I can tell you they feed you surprisingly well at the hospital. When youre pregnant and constantly foraging for snacks, its really hard to imagine going three let alone 12 hours without eating, but youll have other matters to attend to during labor, and that mound of snacks in your bag is likely to remain there.

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Should You Wipe Baby Every Diaper Change

Should I wipe my baby after every diaper change? Not every diaper change may require a wipe. If your baby has only urinated, then you can probably skip wiping to avoid unnecessary irritation. However, always wipe after every poopy diaper, and always wipe front to back to help prevent the spread of bacteria.

The Essential Newborn Baby Hospital Bag Checklist

Your due date is rapidly approaching, which means your baby could arrive any day now! Youre likely excited and nervous about going into labor. You can reduce that stress by planning ahead and having your bags packed and ready no later than four weeks before your due date.

Not sure what to pack? Weve created the essential newborn baby hospital bag checklist to help! Weve even put together three more checklists for supplies mommies-to-be and their partners will need a labor bag, a recovery bag, and a partners bag.

Before we get to those, well focus on when to pack your hospital bag and the essential items youll want for your baby.

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What Should You Pack In A Diaper Bag For Everyday Outings

Once you bring your baby home from the hospital, youll want to repack your diaper bag, and then repack it before every outing. Here are some things to have inside your diaper bag:

• Diapers
• Food for baby
• Bibs
• Small extra sacks or wet bag
• Extra pacifier and binky clip
• Extra lightweight blanket

• Snacks and water
• Wallet
• Small makeup or toiletry bag for personal care items.

As your baby gets older, what you put in your diaper bag changes. Take for instance some parents swap out a baby wrap for a structured front baby carrier once their child is around 6 months old and has good head control, so they can hold their baby but have their hands free to shop. Just remember to consider your babys age, stage, and every scenario you may encounter and then pack accordingly so youre prepared no matter what happens while youre out.

What To Include In Your Bag For You

While youll have the basics provided by the hospital, having familiar items from home can make you feel so much more at ease.

Before you pack, you may want to call your hospital to make sure they dont have any rules regarding what you wear. Some, for example, may prefer or require you to wear the hospital-issued gown during the actual birth itself.

While this list looks quite long, it should all mostly fit into a single overnight bag.

If you know youre having a cesarean delivery, also consider these items:

• Support underwear. Bringing some C-section recovery underwear can be nice because its high-waisted and offers light compression. Alternatively, you may want some fold-over underwear that sits under your incision.
• Compression wrap. You may also bring something like the Belly Bandit for added postpartum belly support. Ask your doctor for guidelines, including when you can start wearing a wrap like this.
• Loose clothing. You may be more comfortable wearing clothing items, like nightgowns versus pants, that dont rub against your incision.
• Special snacks. Beat post-surgery constipation with snacks that contain plenty of fiber, like an apple or instant oatmeal with dried fruit.

Your little one will be covered with most supplies for their time in the hospital. In fact, some delivery units may even require for safety measures that babies wear hospital-branded onesies until youre discharged.

Try packing babys items in the diaper bag you plan on using once theyre born.

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Hospital Bag Essentials For The Birth Partner

As a birth partner you might also want to pack some things for your time supporting mom in the hospital:

• Snacks and water. Labour can be thirsty work even for supportive partners. Consider packing some snacks and water, as well as change for the hospital vending machines.

• Phone, camera and/or video camera, plus chargers and batteries. Donât forget to pack a phone to stay in contact with loved ones, and for some entertainment during downtimes. The camera will come in handy to take some happy snaps.

• Clothes. Labour is an unpredictable process, so a change of clothes is always a good idea, as you never know how long the stay will be.

• Toiletries. After a long labour, you might need to freshen up in the shower. Most hospitals are fine with this, but you can confirm this beforehand.

• Spare glasses or spare contact lenses. It might be a long day, so having spares of these essentials could come in handy.

• Small pillow. You might appreciate getting a bit of rest during downtimes, as well.

• Entertainment. Something to do: books, a tablet, and a music player are all good options.

Hospital Bag For The Attendant That You Should Not Miss

Are you taking the attendant with you who will help you during labor and after giving birth? So, we have it all for you.

• The mobile phone charger is a must, however, do keep it an extra piece as well, so that you wont have any problem.
• For entertainment, you can take along a music system, earplugs, books, and other stuff that will keep you busy plus entertained.
• Dont forget to keep your eyesight glasses, contact lens, and lens solution, so that you dont face any issues.
• Keep extra clothes or Pjs to spend a cozy night at the hospital.
• Water and snacks are the must-haves that should be taken along.

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Top Items To Pack In Your Hospital Bag

Most hospitals provide medical necessities such as sanitary pads, postpartum underwear, towels, diapers, A& D ointment, and formula . I recommend including: comforting birth tools, a going-home outfit for mom, and basic toiletries for both mom and spouse.

Baby will need a going-home outfit , too . And dont forget your spouse. Its nice to have a change of clothes if they are staying the night with you.

There will be lots of pictures being taken, so you might want concealer handy so that youre camera-ready. Remember that you want to walk the line between comfort and necessity, without bringing the whole house.

What Should Be On My Hospital Bag Checklist During The Covid

While COVID restrictions may change who is allowed to be in the delivery room and who can visit you and the baby in the hospital, you wont need to add anything specific to your hospital bag checklist because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, you may want to pack a favorite face mask or your own travel-sized hand sanitizer.

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How Do You Carry Breast Milk In A Diaper Bag

Use a hard plastic bottle, preferably with a screw cap, to hold the milk. You do not want the breast milk to spill out of your diaper bag and onto the rest of the bags contents. Formula bottle bags and regular plastic-storage bags leak milk easily. Place the breast milk in a heavy-duty bag instead.

What To Pack In The Diaper Bag For The Hospital

**This is a fairly decent time to just pack your diaper bag . You need a lot of stuff with a baby and youll be heading out to appointments with it soon, so you might as well get it ready, you most often have an extra outfit in your newborn diaper bag anyway.

Clarks Condensed has a great post about diaper bag necessities.

Be SURE to check out this post for all my favorite baby stuff, that you REALLY need!!

**Leave the carseat in the car until theyre ready to discharge you. It takes up a lot of room. Make sure the base is hooked in though. You dont want to have to deal with that once the baby is in the carseat. Check that post mentioned above for more info on carseats!

**You HAVE to have a car seat in order to take the baby home in a car we literally cant discharge you without it. **

If you liked this post, be sure to check out what youll want in your labor bag, postpartum bag and for dad bag and grab the printable here:

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