Whether you’re currently pregnant during a world pandemic or just trying to pack a minimal hospital bag – this post is for you! Everything you’ll find below ended up fitting in one single bag, due to hospital rules, and we still had a little extra room. Ready to dive into packing hospital bag during a pandemic?
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In addition to sharing exactly what we packed in our hospital bag during a pandemic, I’m also sharing some tips on how to keep it all organized. We started ordering stuff for our hospital bag around 28 weeks. I know some of the personalized stuff would take longer to arrive so I wanted to get a head start. Almost everything else came from Target or Amazon.
When things first started coming in, we just let our dining room become a catch all. It was nice to keep things organized on the table to see what we were missing and needed to order. I created a small list in my phone and would check things off as they arrived. I kept things organized by who they were for, so I’ll bring it down for you that way too!
FOR MOM: This is the bag I ordered for myself, I love the look and it is very functional. I added these monogram letters. Since we’re pakcing hospital bag during a pandemic, I had to leave this bag behind but still love it!
Nursing Friendly Nightgowns: I ordered two of these, they’re short sleeve and I get REALLY hot. So that was important for me. I sized up to an XL just to make sure it was big and comfortable.
Robe: This is not for laboring, at least not for me. I just wanted to have it to wear after he’s here or if I want to wear for photos. This is really optional, but I needed a new robe anyway so I went ahead and got one that I packed away so it was special in the hospital.
Nursing Bra: I ordered this three pack and love them. I went ahead and wore one to make sure it was comfortable, but then washed it and packed all three to take with me to the hospital.
Slippers: I left my favorite slippers at home and packed these that are super affordable. I know things can get very messy so I wanted to have something I could throw away if needed. I have worn these around the house a bunch though and they are really comfortable!
Shower Shoes: These were the cheapest pair I could find on Amazon, ha! They will get the job done for sure and I won’t feel guilty tossing them afterwards.
Granny Panties: I know the hospital provides post labor underwear, but in case I don’t like them I grabbed two pairs of big granny panties from Target + some adult diapers. I wanted to have options for after the baby.
Toiletry Bag: I ended up packing two toiletry bags, one with all my face stuff and then one with my hair + RJ’s stuff. I’ve heard girls who could not get out of bed after birth at all, so I wanted to keep things organized so RJ could find things easily. A few key toiletries I included: shampoo and conditioner, dry shampoo, a mini brush, micellear water + face wipes, eye cream, chapstick. My friend Natalie also recommended a face mask or eye mask for night two, in case you want a little pampering so I included my travel size Elemis balm. I also included my favorite face roller, when my face is swollen or if my jaw is bothering me, I love to have this roller so I wanted to bring it.
Barefoot Dreams Blanket: This may seem silly, especially with limited space, but I am very attached to this blanket and sleep with it everynight. It was really important that I have it with me.
This is all I planned on packing in my bag, but ended up having to have everything in one suitcase due to Covid.
FOR DAD: we planned on using this duffle for RJ. We LOVE this duffle bag, it’s the perfect size and so cute + very affordable.
Clothes: His clothes are pretty straight forward, I grabbed him some t-shirts from Target, athletic shorts and some comfy joggers. We also packed a sweatshirt for him, as our hospital tends to be really cold.
Toiletries: I added RJ’s toiletries to my bag so they are all organized in one place. He is simple so I just picked up some travel sized shampoo, body wash and deodorant + a toothbrush we can just throw away when we’re packing up to leave. I was able to grab all his stuff in one quick Target trip! I’ve also heard the towels at the hospital are awful so I grabbed a cheap black one for RJ and I to share.
Slippers: RJ was actually about to throw these slippers away, he just got a new pair for his birthday. We ended up keeping them and he can throw them out after the hospital. If you want a pair you can also not feel guilty about throwing away, these are a great affordable pair.
Snacks: With Covid going on, things change rapidly. We actually found out Tuesday night that RJ can leave to get food but we previously thought he could not leave the hospital once we checked in. It could change in the next couple of weeks, so we kept our snacks packed. RJ has a gluten allergy, so vending machine isn’t really an option for him. We did pack some dollar bills though so he can buy drinks if neeeded.
Electronics: I also planned to throw all electronics in RJ’s bag (before we had to reduce to one). I packed a Polaroid + Film, my real camera, a nightlight (I’ve heard this is great for night feedings/when the nurses come in at night), Foster’s stroller fan (I get hot!), extra long phone chargers + extra boxes – all stored in this cute monogram bag!
FOR BABY: I am using this backpack as one of his diaper bags, I also ordered this tote but it’s not here yet. I added the matching monogram from my duffle to his backpack and I could not be more obsessed!
Swaddles: One of the things I’ve heard most is to bring swaddles for the baby. They say the hospital blankets don’t swaddle well, so you want your own. Plus, I wanted my own for photos anyway! I brought a patterned one, an all white one and then this waffle knit blanket as well.
Socks: I purchased this pack of plain white socks and brought a couple pairs + these cute little bear booties!
Clothes: I definitely overpacked but I wanted to have options! I packed all his clothes and accessories in his backpack so it’s easy for me to look through and grab stuff without even getting out of bed. I packed a couple of premie options in case he is small or comes early, a few newborn pieces and a couple gowns. I also added a few hats, I love these name hats from Etsy.
Pacifiers: I actually have no clue if we need these or not, but I added two to his bag just in case.
Baby Book: I read that it’s nice to bring his baby book so the nurses can stamp his hands/feet right into the book. We had room so I added it to our bag!
Letterboard: Since no one can visit in the hopsital, we grabbed this letterboard to put his birth time/weight/etc. on and snap a photo to send out to family and friends!
I hope this guide to packing a hospital bag during a pandemic was helpful! I’ll add an IG highlight to my Instagram + I filmed a little IGTV video I’ll share as well. Head over to Insta to see it all later today (@RileySitton). If you have any questions or something I’m forgetting, let me know in the comments so others can see as well!
| Maternity Cargo Skirt | White Tank |
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