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When you imagine giving birth, you may feel a combination of emotions. Add to that all of the little logistical details (like what should go in your hospital bag) and, yes, it’s completely understandable to feel a bit overwhelmed at times.
Here’s the thing, mama: You’ve got this—and we’ve got you. By taking a few of those little details off your to-do list (like definitely check out these food subscription boxes and start adding to your cart STAT), you can clear up some mental space and instead, focus on anticipating that wonderful moment when you’ll meet your baby.
While there is only so much you can do ahead of time, one of the best tasks to cross off your list early in the third trimester is packing up a hospital bag. Trust us, the moment you start feeling contractions is not when you want to toss together the bag in a rush.
When packing your hospital bag to give birth, you shouldn’t have much of a problem with remembering the essentials… Comfy robe? Check. Baby’s going home outfit? Check. Swaddling blankets? Check. Phone charger? Check. Makeup and hair care products? Check. (And before you pack, don’t forget—there are a few hospital supplies you’ll probably score at the hospital itself!)
But what else should you bring? Well, among the Motherly team, there have been plenty of hospital bags packed.
Here’s what we wish we would have remembered to include in our hospital bag:
1. Thank You cards
After delivery, your top priorities should be resting and bonding with your baby. But, if you have a moment (and you almost certainly will), this is a great opportunity to write thank-you notes to the doctor, nurses and support staff who have helped during labor, delivery and recovery.
Adorned with a soft and lovely watercolor painting of an elephant, these adorable cards are the perfect fit to thank anyone who has helped you on your journey to motherhood.
This option already has pretty fitting wording for thanking the medical staff who saw you through your labor, but you can also choose to personalize your order too.
Simple and sweet, these baby footprint thank you notes are a fitting choice to show your appreciation to anyone who has been by your side through this journey. Customizable by color and name, these can double as baby shower thank you notes, making them a sensible and easy choice.
We all know hospital food is, well, less than amazing. Prepare yourself by stocking up your bag with some nourishing, delicious snacks to help fuel you after welcoming your baby. We’re partial to Nunona’s whole food, plant-based bites that can help boost your milk supply.
Make sure you toss some of these delicious, nutrient-packed snacks from Nunona into your hospital bag. Your body will thank you as you give it good, healthy fuel to feel stronger during these first few days postpartum.
Plan ahead and grab some of these super-healthy sachets full of plant-based super-food proteins. Tejari and Co. has all the recipes you’ll need to pre-make muffins, cookies, breads, or any other delicious snacks you might crave from the hospital room.
All-natural energy-boosting bars from Verb are a must for your hospital bag. They’ve got a ton of tempting flavors that you can mix and match, including cookie butter, s’mores, and hot fudge sundae. The texture is soft and crunchy so they satisfy in a real food kind of way with the addition of caffeine from green tea to put some pep in your step.
Just like how prenatal vitamins support your body and your baby’s development during pregnancy, specially formulated postnatal supplements can also help—starting after your baby’s arrival. By adding these to your hospital bag, you’ll get the vitamins and minerals needed to replenish your body after the incredible feat of bringing a baby into the world.
Ritual’s postnatal is formulated to include key nutrients for moms postpartum with added support for lactation. Each capsule is packed with 15 traceable ingredients—including vitamins A, D, C, E, B12, zinc, magnesium, and iron, among others—all of which will help keep Mom healthy during this exciting, but often very challenging time in her life.
This mom multi support pack from Perelel is a must for your hospital bag as it will provide all sorts of vitamins you’ll need—including collagen, an anti-stress blend, an omega DHA + EPA blend to help with brain development and mood support, and a beauty capsule for hair, skin, and nail health.
For many mamas, one not-so-joyous part of the postpartum experience is continued swelling in the lower legs and feet. (This is especially common if you have a cesarean section or get IV fluids.) An upgrade over regular socks, compression socks will help minimize discomfort from swelling.
Made without AZO dyes, formaldehyde, phthalates, or other harmful chemicals, Pear’s compression socks are also anti-odor and moisture-wicking for optimal comfort and improved circulation.
Bombas makes it their mission to help you feel more comfortable, and to help others in need. For every pair of socks purchased, Bombas donates a pair of socks to a homeless shelter, as they know that socks are the #1 most requested clothing item. Making this purchase will make your legs feel better, and you’ll be helping someone in need as well.
This option is friendlier to your bank account and provides endless choices of colors and patterns so you can really pick a style that works for you (while increasing circulation and reducing discomfort in your legs). Who said compression socks weren’t cute and trendy? We sure didn’t.
It’s crucial that throughout your hospital stay—through labor, delivery, and recovery, that you try to rest your mind and body. One way to do that is to listen to sounds that soothe and relax you, whether that means playing “Midnights” by Taylor Swift on a continuous loop, or binge-ing a murder-mystery podcast. Just make sure to bring some earbuds to help you decompress a bit and take a few moments for yourself.
There are endless options out there for earbuds and the Apple AirPods are just one of them, but they do tend to be among the most popular. This set of 2nd Gen AirPods isn’t the latest Apple product to hit the market, but they’ll work just fine (and you’ll rest easier knowing you didn’t drop hundreds of dollars on something that will likely get covered in spit up).
Also, no need at this point to drop a ton of cash on noise-canceling earbuds because you’ll want to make sure you can hear baby’s coos and cries. This affordable option from Heyday by Target is a great choice to ensure you can listen to your Adele, or your Beyonce, or your favorite audio book and practice a little self-care while also being the fab mom that you are.
Whether it’s because you’ve been frantically washing your hands 900 times a day to keep germs off baby, or because the cold, sterile hospital air is doing a number on your cracked knuckles, or you just want to spoil yourself for 30 seconds of self-care and nourish your skin with the glorious gift of hydration, lotion is a must for your few days at the hospital as you get ready and then recover from having a baby.
Milk Hand Cream is a popular choice due to its creamy, non-greasy, light-weight feel and an ingredient list that includes glycerine, squalane, and jojoba as well as multiple soothing plant-based milk products. (And pssst! They have an amazing body lotion too!)
Vegan and cruelty-free, this hand cream by alo also has squalane, as well as shea butter and skin-soothing arnica to nourish your skin. Free of parabens, phthalates, and artificial colors and dyes, this choice will give your hard-working hands the soft, natural hydration they need.
Looking for a classic brand that’s been around since our moms were having us in the hospital? And that’s super affordable? Gold Bond has stood the test of time as one of the best hand creams out there and it’s easy to see why. It works. Grab a tube (or, at this price, a few tubes) and toss them into that bag for some quick and easy skin relief.
Whether you’re a mom who brings her full makeup bag or you toss the bare essentials in a tote and roll out, don’t forget the basics that are key to your comfort—like your favorite chapstick. It’s those comforts from home that you’re used to—like a balm to moisten your dry lips—that will help you be your best self at such a pivotal time in your life.
Sometimes, you just go with a tried-and-true classic that you know works. Burts Bees is one such product. You can do the more traditional route with their standard beeswax lip balm, or switch it up and try their Superfruit Lip Balm 4-pack. But either way, you’re getting the famous, natural, cruelty-free Burts Bees lip balm we’ve all loved for decades.
Another brand our moms and grandmas swore by—because it works—is Vaseline. This cute pink tin is basically just that. It’s a Vaseline lip balm with a tint to make lips a little more rosy, but it’s the same Vaseline hydration we grew up with that still works wonders for dry skin.
How about a little sugar for Mom after she’s delivered another human into the world? She definitely deserves it! This lip sugar scrub exfoliates your lips with grains of sugar and leaves them soft, glossy, and with a natural pink glow. Perfect for when you want a little glamour as you take your first “Mommy and Me” selfie.
Whether you’re expecting in months or mere days, let Motherly guide you with our registry featuring curated collections of essentials for you and baby. Click here to check out Motherly’s essential registry guide.
A version of this article was published November 24, 2021. It has been updated.
